[Public-list] A30 Staysail

[Dave Terrell]

Three observations and a question

Observations

1. there is an extended discussion of the staysail in the files on the
website during the winter a couple of years ago. Phil, this is a good
place to see what others have said about this in the past. I think the
place to look is January or February of 2002.

2. Sail magazine has an article this month on a solent sail. This sail
attaches almost at the top of the mast thus avoiding the need for
running back stays. From the article the solent sail does many of the
same things a staysail does. In any case, you can hank on either of the
two sail on the forestay. If others can share about the solent sail,
that would be very interesting. 

3. It is my understanding - from an other Alberger in our marina  and
from reading - that the anchor point for a staysail or a solent sail on
the  A30 could be located at the anchor locker bulkhead. This approach
uses the bulkead to transfer the load to the hull and avoids the wire. 

Question: 

Gordon, are you considering running back stays if you complete the
staysail project?



>>> mainstay at csolve.net 8/1/2004 9:18:08 AM >>>
Hi Phil - 

We use a staysail - I have played around with it a lot and would be
pleased
to tell you our preferences...

Ours is a high clewed little number that we originally planned to set
on the
spinnaker pole topping lift whose block we placed on a fairly massive
hound
about 3' above the spreaders.  My plan was to have the lift double as
a
staysail halyard.  If we like the effect of the sail we intended to
build a
massive deck pad eye (with an underdeck wire lanyard and turnbuckle
bringing
the load to the stem).

We still may do that but in the meantime we have found that the sail
works
well as a spinnaker staysail.  We sheet it to the forward inside jib
tracks;
we hoist it on the #2 genny halyard and tack it to our jackline between
the
cleats forward.  Works great - my son and his buddy who do foredeck for
us
call it "the weapon" as in "secret weapon".  The two headsail halyards
were
a little tough to organize so I fell back on an old fashioned technique
I
have installed on clients' boats.  We shackled a single block with a
becket
on the existing block hanger, then hung a single block on the becket. 
That
way we have out two blocks with the added advantage of having the
unloaded
halyard holding the upper or #1 block stable. Works great.

I think now that for extreme conditions the staysail would be a good
thing
but for now we use it for racing.

And may I gloat among friends?  We took a second in our annual Snake
Island
race last Wed. night - got squeaked out of first by a hair.   We seem
to
have to old girl really cranked up this year - we are deadly in light
air/flat water conditions.  Still can't point like I would like to but
that
may come later.  The only thing we can think of that has made a big
diff is
A) really good foredeck work this year  B) I paid more attention to
standing
rig tuning (thanks for the info on this list)

Cheers - Gordon KC426 Surprise









> The A30 sail plan shows a staysail with a halyard attached to the
mast just
> above the spreaders. Does anyone have experience with this sail? Is
it used as
> a smaller foresail during windy conditions or is it used in
combination with
> the jib?
> 
> It seems to me that this sail would be useful for reducing sail,
especially
> now that so many boats are equipped with roller furling genoas that
never set
> properly when reefed. Simply set the staysail and roll up the genoa
> completely.
> 
> 
> Phil Bartlett, Windward #428
> _______________________________________________
> Public-list mailing list
> Public-list at alberg30.org 
> http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list 

_______________________________________________
Public-list mailing list
Public-list at alberg30.org 
http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list 


 1091542227.0