You hit it right on the Masthead . this set up will basicaly give you almost the same support as a second set of spreaders when used with a backstay as in leon's set-up, the third set of masthead diamond set of spreaders when properly tensioned would help keep the forestay from sagging more & would give the mast a lot more lateral support . The top of the diamond shrouds would be connected to the top brkt of the new swivel masthead brkt at the mounting point of the M/H brkt where it is bolted to the mast the shrouds then would come down through the modified spreader end connectors as posted in my mods then down to the mast at the main / jib halyard cleats , I went with the second set of spreaders with the full third set of shrouds as it will let me run up to 5 sets of forestays with leon's back stay mod , this set -up should allow you to run at least three sets of forestays ! use your imaginagtion
J
Last edited by Highlander on Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Unless this photo has been doctored... I make your mast to be about 40 feet long. What's up with that??? Not that I can afford to replace mast and a whole new set of sails, but I'm sure curious.
I can see I need to dig into your posts a little more pointedly.
Leon these spreader tubes hold up fine on my I used them for my second set of spreaders & also on the jumper struts as seen posted above they can be strengthed by inserting wooden dowls inside them like a broom handle would most likely fit nicely inside them or go to thicker tubing
Here's my set up on my she seems to be doing a good job flying cutter rigged I have no support problems !
In the middle link I posted above is the details of my mast its on my the mast was originaly a two section mast 24ft long , I converted it to a three sectional mast 12' x 8' x8' now 28' long the pic has not been doctored.
It's either an aft-mount traveler, or a helmsman's boat drink retrieval system, for tacks of extreme heeling. If it's the latter, wouldn't just having a drink open on both sides be easier?!
Here's a teaser still in the making what a job lots of planning finaly figured it all out so as it clears my full enclosure, hope to get back at it this Thurs if the weather holds !, this will also be a davit holder !
old mast crutch base http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010011.jpg
rear view the traveler will crossover the mast crutch when competed this is just a pic so as to study SS traveler arch base legs have still to be given a bend in them yet so as to follow the mast crutch contour , more brkt's to make
Very nice John. I currently shackle to the aft stanchions which provides similar angle as your traveler, though not as far aft, and of course, the benefit of your traveler is avoiding switching out the backstay after a tack and no interference with biminni/enclosure. You may want to install a mast rotation limiter. I rigged two cables to the base of my mast going to eyes on the front of the jib tracks. This stops the mast from rotating more than 50% of its span. This creates similar or better performance upwind, but more importantly, allows for the swivel head to line up witht he mast so you get the backstay pulling directly aft. Any more rotation and the mast will hook to one side. On a beam reach or lower, if I'm not too lazy, I release most of the backstay tension and release the rotation limiter to get full rotation.
Leon,by easing the backstay you will get a fuller main and jib which should give you more off the wind power. I only Loos my uppers at 260 to give my mast some forward rake for off and down wind wind running and rely on my back stay to flatten the main and the forestay on a close reach, about a 3" rake. Your mast head swivel looks like a winner
. this set up will basicaly give you almost the same support as a second set of spreaders when used with a backstay as in leon's set-up, the third set of masthead diamond set of spreaders when properly tensioned would help keep the forestay from sagging more & would give the mast a lot more lateral support . The top of the diamond shrouds would be connected to the top brkt of the new swivel masthead brkt at the mounting point of the M/H brkt where it is bolted to the mast the shrouds then would come down through the modified spreader end connectors as posted in my mods then down to the mast at the main / jib halyard cleats , I went with the second set of spreaders with the full third set of shrouds as it will let me run up to 5 sets of forestays with leon's back stay mod , this set -up should allow you to run at least three sets of forestays ! 
use your imaginagtion
more cutting 
SS pipe 
