Matt Benson, who recently bought Y39, emailed me about running backstays -- this is maybe the biggest ongoing question -- at least in my mind -- about YOD rigging.
So I wanted to ask all the owners -- do you use running backstays or no? If so, how?
I don't use running backstays, because we tack so often on Lake Union and the winds are lighter. But if I was racing, or routinely sailing in more wind, I would want to know how to use them. So I'm curious in hearing what everyone's doing.
This is from Matt:
What is on your boat? Contessa has a seperate track for the backstays that is affixed to the deck, and runs from the mid cabin to the winch. Y39 has the backstay car on the same track that the jib block is on. As a result, the backstay can’t move farther forward than the jib block, and the boom show chafing marks from that setup. So I’m considering a single block to a cleat where I can unclear it, use a bungee so it doesn’t wrap around the spreader, and do away with the wire backstay. I’ve been looking at pics of other Yankees, and some have the backstay in front of the winch, and one appears to not even run a backstay. What are your thoughts?
Wesley your boat is gorgeous! And I agree with your running backstay thinking - use it all the time so you don't forget when it's really important. Best, Tom (Contessa Y14)
Flotsam has the runners attached on the same track as the jib car with a bronze latch. We get a lot of heavy air in the San Francisco Bay and therefor make a habit of using them on each tack/ jibe. It's certainly an extra step in each maneuver so getting this ingrained in muscle memory helps, even if the wind is lighter. The timing is important as you have an optimal window to attach/ release while the mast is not loaded.
Mr. Burgess put the running backstays there for a reason, let's not be complacent!
Admittedly the weather backstay isn't doing much in light wind going upwind. I suggest that even in light wind, going downwind/reaching there's a load to be carried by that stay.
In a breeze >10, upwind or downwind, and especially with the spinnaker, I think one is asking to buy a new mast if you don't have that stay loaded. Consider also that the sidestays are not far aft of the mast step. Our mast is 84 years old and I like it just fine!
So, for the sake of reinforcing the habit and avoiding an unpleasant crunching sound, we run the appropriate backstay on all points of sail.
Tom Hubbell