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?
I Have #38 Yankee Clipper, now Verity A. She had a 4:1 purchase and pad eyes when I got her. I found a pair of vintage Wilcox Highfield levers on EBay, they work great. Windward is always locked down when flying anything larger than working jib. The mast really pumps and shutters without them in San Francisco Bay conditions. I just moved her to Southern CA. Hopefully won't need them down here?
Cheers, Terry