[C320-list] Back Stay Adjuster/Radar reflector

[Dan Petticord via C320-list]

Hello everyone. Two questions if I may. First, I will be adding a back
stay adjuster to Pearl this weekend. The adjuster is rigged and ready to
go, so all I should need to do is remove the turnbuckles, fish the backstay
through and reattach to the chain plates. For those of you who have done
it, can you tell me whether you used the main halyard (or something else)
to support the mast while taking the back stay off? I know in one of the
initial threads on this sub the OP posted that doing so was not necessary
and to just remove one leg of the backstay at a time. I am a bit leery
about this, as I have never had a boat with a deck stepped mast before.
What did you guys do?

Second, we purchased a cylindrical radar reflector in preparation for our
trip from Wisconsin back to Ohio. How do you guys mount these? It seems
most mount them on a spreader. Is there anyway to mount this without going
up the mast? What about mounting it on the spin halyard (Pearl does not
yet have a spinnaker) and running it up to the top of the mast?

Any help is appreciated.

--
Dan Petticord
Pearl, #132

[Tim Van de Water via C320-list]

I used the main halyard as a safety stay.... I tied it off on the closest
cleat on the corresponding leg that I disconnected. Not sure it was
necessary, but I did it and it worked fine. I installed it about a year
ago.


*Tim Van de Water*404.790.2208
tj.van...@gmail.com

[Joel Krauska via C320-list]

I am still collecting parts and hope to do this project soon too. Can you
take pictures? Are you doing both coarse and fine control or just single?

[John Stetson via C320-list]

We followed the instructions found on the Catalina 320 International
Association website, under rigging, adding a backstay adjuster. The article
includes photos, material list and procedure. It was easy and works great.


John Stetson
Morning Star Again
Hull 578


On Wed, Jun 4, 2025 at 10:01 AM Joel Krauska via C320-list <

[Dan Petticord via C320-list]

Joel, I cannibalized the adjuster I built for my last boat. It will have
one 3/8 inch Samson XLS static line attached at one leg of the backstay
with a Suncor 3/8 straight D shackle running through a sheave in a CS
Johnson split backstay car (sheave only) to a rig made of a garhauer fiddle
block with becket and shackle (part #30-02 UAG) on top and a garhauer
fiddle block with cam cleat and shackle (part #30-05UAG) on the bottom and
then attached to the other leg of the split backstay with a second Suncor
3/8 straight D Shackle. This will only give me 4-1 purchase, rather than
6-1, but the 4-1 worked fine on the old boat, and since I already had the
parts I figured I would give it a shot. I will snap a few pics when I get
it set up if that would be helpful to you.

Dan Petticord
Pearl #132

On Wed, Jun 4, 2025 at 10:01 AM Joel Krauska via C320-list <

--
Dan Petticord

[Tim Van de Water via C320-list]

I will be at the boat this weekend and will take photos. I did both coarse and fine adjustment. If I had it to do over, I would only do the fine adjustment. Coarse just doesn’t seem necessary to me. I will likely remove the coarse adjuster (but need to improve my splicing skills with my fids to create an eye to terminate the line).

Tim Van de Water
SV Coda (537/1998)

Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
________________________________
From: Joel Krauska <jkra...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 4, 2025 9:59:19 AM
To: C320...@catalina320.com <C320...@catalina320.com>
Cc: Tim Van de Water <tj.van...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Back Stay Adjuster/Radar reflector

I am still collecting parts and hope to do this project soon too. Can you take pictures? Are you doing both coarse and fine control or just single?

On Wed, Jun 4, 2025 at 6:43 AM Tim Van de Water via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com<mailto:c320...@lists.catalina320.com>> wrote:
I used the main halyard as a safety stay.... I tied it off on the closest
cleat on the corresponding leg that I disconnected. Not sure it was
necessary, but I did it and it worked fine. I installed it about a year
ago.


*Tim Van de Water*404.790.2208

tj.van...@gmail.com<mailto:tj.van...@gmail.com>

[Jack Brennan via C320-list]

Okay, here is the dumb question of the day. How useful is a backstay adjuster? Is it mostly for racing, or is there an advantage that I just don't see for the average cruiser who doesn't tend to his sails religiously?

I get that you can induce some mast bend, which would put a belly in the main. But I can already do that with the boom vang, topping lift, mainsheet, etc.

I would also worry about putting extra stress on the standing rigging.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.



________________________________

[P.F. Ross via C320-list]

Jack, thanks for asking that question.

I added the backstay adjuster and forestay toggle decades ago per the "Rig
Tune and Sail Selection" Mark Yeager article on the Association's website
(posted in "Technical Articles")

IIRC, the whole reason for the backstay adjuster on the 320 is not to bend
the mast, but "opening the luff and closing the leech" in light air which
should allow the boat to point higher. And somewhere I read that the 320
mast is not very "bendy" so the adjuster has minimal effect on that.

I am a cruiser and not a racer and can say I rarely, if ever, adjust my
backstay. Sometimes I do it just to see if it makes any difference. All
just my $.02 and am looking forward to hearing from others who have
different experiences.

Frank Ross
Beta Wave #206
Naples, FL

[Dan Winsor via C320-list]

We also installed the rigging mods as per 320 assoc.
We feel that we can point higher but..... it's debatable.
We can definitely flatten our main using the backstay adjuster to sail
close hauled in 15-20's making solid 7+ with comfortable trim/heel.
Dan Winsor
Lucky Devil #109

[Greg Arnold via C320-list]

I don't understand how a tighter backstay can affect the mainsail trim
on a 320.  That is because the 320 mast is a telephone pole that will
not bend.  If the mast will not bend, I don't understand what would
cause the sail to be flatter.

A tighter backstay will, however, tighten the headstay and reduce
headstay sag to leeward.  That will flatten the jib, causing the boat to
point higher and heel less. In addition, by removing some headstay sag,
it will cause the telltales to be more visible from the windward cockpit
coaming.

La Mer #1054

[Troy Dunn via C320-list]

Greg

I’m pretty sure the mast bends aft when tension is apply to the aft stay.

FWIW

Troy Dunn
Hull #514

[Greg Arnold via C320-list]

I am skeptical.

You need force at three points on a mast to bent it.   You have force at
two points -- at the masthead and at the mast step at the deck. What if
providing force at a third point?

If the forward lowers are really tight, maybe they would provide enough
force to provide a little bend?  But I doubt it would be much bend.

[bruceheyman via C320-list]

HI Greg,It may feel like a telephone but it will bend!    By having tension on the fore lower when you crank down on the back stay the middle of the mast will pretty much stay where it was but the top will move aft.   This has the effect of "pulling" the draft out of the sail.   If you try it you can go forward and sight up the mast and see what I'm describing (probably poorly describing).BruceSomerset San Pedro, CA

[surprise thompson87.com via C320-list]

Where the lower forward shrouds attach.

> On Jun 4, 2025, at 9:39 PM, Greg Arnold via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
>
> I am skeptical.

[Tim Van de Water via C320-list]

I find added forstay tension helps flatten the jib during higher winds to
reduce weather helm.

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------------------------------
*From:* C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of

P.F. Ross via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>

*Sent:* Wednesday, June 4, 2025 12:30:52 PM
*To:* C320...@catalina320.com <C320...@catalina320.com>
*Cc:* P.F. Ross <pfr...@gmail.com>
*Subject:* Re: [C320-list] Back Stay Adjuster/Radar reflector