[Public-list] A30 Staysail

[Gordon Laco]

Hi there - 

Re staysail - as a professional rigger, my opinion is that given the
characteristics of our Alberg spars (heavy) a halyard for a staysail within
3' of the spreaders can rely upon the after lower shrouds to stabilize
things.  If the staysail halyard block were to fitted any higher, I would
say that the mast needs runners - and to me that would mean that the project
is not worth doing.

Cheers - Gordon, KC426 Surprise








> 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
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