Rigging an Adjustable Forestay

[Warren Nethercote]

A rigger recommended that I have an adjustable forestay with the i550 rig, which causes me no concern having had one for 15 years or so on a Soling, but what is needed, and what is good enough? I am nowhere near building a hull yet, but I need to plan and scheme to get everything to fit - in my ideal world I will have an adjustable forestay, a slewing prod AND an under-deck spinnaker launcher. Or maybe just two out of three.

Chad, upon reviewing your build log I happily found a picture (which the board wouldn't allow me to attach - file extension not allowed) of your forestay block installation, prior to deck installation. It looks like a Harken (096, 108 or 222?), but what part number? And what power purchase behind it? On my Soling I had 6 to 1 for the forestay adjuster. Has your in-service experience been fine with your arrangement?

Anyone else using an adjustable forestay, and if so, care to describe how it is rigged?

[Chad]

Hi Warren,
I just trolled through my blog (memory lane!) and came across pics on October 31 and December 11 2010. Neither show the actual forestay block, but one shows the shackle for it halfway down the stem. The stuff above the prod is for the pole-out line.

My forestay begins with 2:1 above the bow, which is also where things are broken apart to lower the rig.
A short pennant of 1/8" spectra goes into the bow, down past one side of the prod (through the "smile" in my puck), through a pretty big wire block, and dead ends into a double-cascade under the floor between f18 and f53, another 4:1 here.
Then a line goes back to the area between f124 and f169 and a 4:1 (2- double blocks) tackle.
The line emerges on deck, centerline with a Holt through-deck cleat fixture. The last line is polyester covered where I grab it, and has a big ol stopper knot so it can't get kicked all the way loose accidentally.
All together, that's 32:1, and it's never hard to pull.

I'm sure I have drawings if it'll help, on another computer.

[Warren Nethercote]

Thanks Chad - I guess the block I was looking at was for your pole outhaul - my surprise in thinking you were using that small block for the forestay adjuster was justified! I had envisioned a turning block and the forestay tackle above the prod, rather than carrying the bulk of the system lower in the boat. Interesting. And 32:1 ..... reflecting upon the Soling, the 6:1 forestay adjustment was used to control rake, not rig bend and tension.

[Chad]

Having cut out my stem for the centerline prod, I was leery of using what was left of the bow to support rig loads. Considering all the carbon and glass that are there, it probably would be fine.

For a conventional stem fitting, there's a neat way to build a very compact purchase on the swift solo build site (http://www.single-handedskiffs.com/imag ... mplete.pdf). I think Kevin might have done this, and then used an on-deck cascade to get up to around 18:1 -not sure on that.