Various rigging questions

[chrisrob]

I bought the former Uff Da in 1996 and have been club racing and day sailing here on Lake Murray in SC since. I plan to take the mast down this summer and do some long needed upgrades and have the following questions:

1. I tend to play the main when I should be using the traveler because it is so difficult to adjust. I am looking at the 4:1 and the 3:1 systems on the APS website and I know that Tim likes the windward sheeting system. Thoughts on those and changing from current 5/16 line?

2. I am FINALLY going to install a backstay kicker! Despite my 28 years of dentistry and reaching Eagle Scout, I am still quite intimidated by the "Single braid eye splice (brummel) diagram" on Tim Bosnia's website and am interested in feedback on the effectiveness of the kicker holding out the current wire backstay so I don't have to switch to line.

3. Will APS know what size turnbuckle to sell me. I want to switch to open body and I can tell them the cable size of 3/16.

4. I would like to sit where the foot block is and I am wondering why I need it since I have never felt the need to use it. What am I missing here?

5. When I tried to install new jib cars I could not slide them on and I thought it was because of the curvature of the track. Is there a technique for this?

Sorry for the overload of questions and for efficiency if anyone cares to respond you could just refer to the question number.

We renamed the boat STEADFAST and I am looking at it at my dock as I type this. I appreciate the website and refer to it a great deal. I know I am preaching to the choir here when I say there is still not a better all around boat made.

Thanks,

Chris

[Jeffrey]

You can purchase the whole backstay rig at Layline. Call (Henry) they have all the measurements a know exactly what works for the 7.9. I did have to purchase a Melges 24 batten. Good luck! Jeff, Skyhawk #250.