Heavy mast and upgraded backstay questions.

[newbflat]

Hi all, I have a new to me 7.9 #381 “Iskra” … it has a heaver section mast and old style pinch/vector pull back stay adjuster. I want to upgrade to a flicker and Dyneema/cascade backstay. I read that the heaver mast isn’t that flexy and I’m wondering if it’s advantageous to have cascade of 24/1 or higher to get the mast to bend more. Any issues with such a high purchase at the jib stay tang or load on the deck? Any thoughts on the heaver mast section and using it to affect would be much appreciated.

Bill

[AJ Oliver]

Yeah, I hope someone helps out here with some good advice.

I have #445

I replaced the pincher thingy with a cascade arrangement, but mine is on 8 to 1 because I was concerned that someone might crank it too hard. Seems to me that 24 to 1 might be able to put on excessive load.

[SailingUphill]

I've heard 12:1 and 8:1 (what I am using). With the 8:1 I get enough backstay that I can get a lot of forestay tension, but not a lot of mast bend (I'm hull 399).

I am not a great racer by any stretch so please take others advice here, but my observation is that I can crank on that backstay until I turn blue, the mast does not bend much if at all, but the forestay tightens. To me it seems I am fighting my lowers when it comes to bend. What affects the boat the most is upper shroud tension (per wind speeds), vang, and draft of mainsail (both depth and postion).

[cklamp]

I haven't calced what mine came with, but it's gotta be at least 12:1 by the looks of it. I haven't been out in conditions catering to cranking on it yet, so not sure how much bend I get yet.

Hull 278 with what looks to be the stock mast.

Later
C

[newbflat]

Well after doing more research I'm very skeptical that my mast is a heavy section one. I was only going by what i was told by the lady owner and i have the full history of the boat now except for the original owner and so one replaced the mast. Also the gooseneck attachment is like an early bendy ones, ie: riveted on.

Anyway….i added a 16/1 purchase to the backstay and I'm guessing it’s on the lower end of whats about right. You still need to pull fairly hard on it in a blow to really get enough to bend the mast, but there is not to much line to over haul. It would be nice to have a bit more purchase but that would add a lot of line to pull. Im trying out a “loose end” to the main line in the cascade allowing me to pre tension it to the wind conditions reducing the amount of line i need to hall. I might add a block to the cascade to make it 32/1 and see how that works keeping in mind not to over tensioning it.

Its a big upgrade over the pinch system that for sure.