Forestay Qk-release Lever - Issues?

[paj637]

I've been reading up and getting ready to install a lever tensioner to help in rigging the furler. I've noticed that on the mods to install a forestay tensioner that Catigale installed a lever assembly and moved the hound up the appropriate distance on the mast and that Jack Sparrow installed a turnbuckle and moved the hound up the mast also repostioning the upper shrouds at the higher hound position. Is there a preffered method? I know Catigale has had several seasons sucess with his mod. Any benefit to taking the shrouds higher also? Does the attachment of the furler above the shrouds create any undesirable stress condition on the top of the mast? Or is the small distance not a worry?

[Terry]

Hey Stephen, do you have a cool lever? Does sound familiar now that I hear about it. I am in the process of readying to install my furler and I already know it is going to be a royal pain getting that turnbuckle pinned while at the same time keeping pressure on it. Everything hs to be preset on the foretstay/turnbuckle length so it becomes quite a challenge to get it pinned while evrything is so tight. How do folks do it?

[Bawgy]

Using the mast raiser, I just crank it tight enough to pin the stay in place

[Catigale]

Link the mod here

There are a couple of others who have done this mod - posted up with pictures over in the Mac Mods bubble.

Alas, I am not a good enough sailor to report any difference observed with my altered rigging geometry....which basically consisted of moving the forestay hound up mast by 5 inches.

[RickJ]

Using the mast raiser, I just crank it tight enough to pin the stay in place

Ditto. Didn't occur to me to do it any other way, and seems easy enough

[Terry]

Using the mast raiser, I just crank it tight enough to pin the stay in place

Ditto. Didn't occur to me to do it any other way, and seems easy enough

I swear one of these times I do that the bow cleat is going to rip right through and the mast go tumbling down. I already have stress cracks in the gelcoat on the starboard cleat so now I switched to the port cleat and have a shackle in the center to distribute the force on all four screws. I only used the end of the starboard one hence the cracks around two screws. Still it is a lot of force to be putting on a cleat, it would give me some peace if the final force was applied with another mechanism. The shackle is also showing signs, the pin has a bow in it.

[Catigale]

That gelcoat will crack under a very slight displacement of the hull, so I wouldnt worry about hull failure based on cracks. Its pretty thick up there around the forestay chainplate.

[RickJ]

I'm not sure how the M mast raiser is rigged, but the X has a dedicated loop on the foredeck, it doesn't rely on a cleat.

I haven't found the tension required to be able to pin the forestay is excessive. Maybe my forestay isn't tight enough

[David Mellon]

After I get the mast raiser tight, I go down the bow ladder and use the trailers ratched winch to put more tension on the furler. Guess I'm just lazy.

[paj637]

I have the same concerns about over tensioning with my mast raising winch. Any thoughts on raising the shrouds to the new hound height?

[Highlander]

Terry

Try this !



in this pics you can see that the storm jib & the two furlers all have quick release levers Terry their about $80. but theirs a place in Sidney you can pick them up used for around $20-$25. Terry you can see my lazy jacks also in this pic


in this bowsprit pic you can see alittle more detail




Their a nice feature when pining the forestays

J

[Jack Sparrow]

All the statements I made about the rigging up grade http://macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin/mod ... record=892 I failed to say another benefit to me was placing an extra hound on the original forestay attachment on the mast allowed me to fit the spinaker halyard there. The benefit to me is that I can gybe the spinaker inside the forestay

Jack Sparrow

[Terry]

After I get the mast raiser tight, I go down the bow ladder and use the trailers ratched winch to put more tension on the furler. Guess I'm just lazy.

Nice idea if the boat is still on the trailer! At Point Roberts there are only two options, the smaller sling they use for boats under 4000#, (includes the Mac) unfortunately the mast must be down flat on the cabin top to fit under the frame. It is only $15.00 in/out and open year around. Now one has to raise the mast over the water and pin the forestay without dropping any parts in the drink. (Shane knows the drill).
Option two is to wait untill the first long weekend in May when the Ranger clears the launch ramp and puts in the dock over at Lighthouse Park then it can be done on the trailer and then just motor around the corner to the marina, (preferrable), unfortunately they haul the dock out and close the ramp right after Labor Day.
So, raising the mast over the water may entail a hoola hoop with a round patio table cover over it and fitted under the bow tang to catch the falling parts.
After checking, there are two holes in the fore tang, one for the forestay and one for the sail tack. With the sail tack now on the furler perhaps I can use the other sail tack hole to pivot a lever that can help pull the turnbuckle down the last 1/4 inch while I pin it. I'll have to explore the idea.
John; can I get a close-up zoom-in shot of those levers you have?

[Catigale]

Terry - before I put on my forestay lever I used the 'foot loop' method of tensioning the furler forestay.

Take a sailtie and loop it around the furler drum, leaving a 2 foot loop hanging overboard.

Now you pull the furler and forestay down with your foot and have two hands free to position the forestay tang and push the pin through.

Voila!!

[Bawgy]

Put a loop of line around both cleats and share the load if you are worried about one cleat and load pressure