Newbie SC27 owner

[eagleshore]

I'm in the process of purchasing an SC27 on the east coast for sailing/
racing on the eastern end of Lake Ontario. I've done some research on
the SC27, but have never actually laid eyes on one yet since I need to
wait for the snow to melt before I pick it up.

One thing I notice on the SC27 drawings is a baby forestay. The
current owner of the boat says he doesn't use it. I'm assuming the
purpose of the baby stay is to put pre-bend in the mast, since it's a
mast head rig.

1) Do you run with the baby stay, and if so, how much pre-bend do you
run in the mast?
2) Do you adjust the baby stay to help flatten the main, when used
with backstay tension?
3) How difficult is it to tack the jib with the baby stay?
4) What rig tension do you run (forestay and lateral shrouds) for
different wind conditions?

Thanks for your help.

Tom Tomlinson
Ballston Spa NY

[jkim]

I do not use the baby stay. The mast is pretty stiff! In fact have not
seen anyone using one.

With backstay off my forestay is loose. With backstay cranked on there
is minimal sag (sighting up the forestay) - yep there is a lot of
range in my setup.

99% of sailing is done without adjustment of rig tension for wind
conditions (guess we're lazy out West) but yeah, it should be loosened
in light air. Rig tension: I don't trust my loos gauge so I'll let
others weigh in since I too am interested in what others are setting
theirs to.

Jon
SC27: Your-X #015

[Colin Emsley]

Jon, 

Congrats on the new boat, Hope to see you out here in Washington for the nationals in July. Baby stays are more common in areas that have big wind. A lot of boats out here on the left coast run them if they are in big wind or a lot of wave action.  I have a fitting on my mast and I have never used it but I have a friend here in Town (we have seven SC 27's) is a rigger and he runs a baby stay for the last couple races of the year. My feeling was if my mast was pumping that hard I would use the spinnaker topping lift to stop it.

,

No real numbers for the stays, sorry. Here is what I know about backstay tension, it is critical. I have had a real problem pointing with some of the others in my fleet and it turns out my mast wasn't raked far enough back. I added TWO toggles to the headstay which made me run out of backstay before my headstay tensioned. Fun. I have now gone to a 32:1 cascade and have put both toggles in and I expect to go upwind with the rest now. I also might mention that I have only had my boat for a year but I have been sailing for 35-40 years. Put the backstay tension on early and hard and it seems to be a good way to sail.

That's my 2 cents,

Colin

Limey Bastard, Hull 27

[stephanie schwenk]

Tom,

Andy here...

As a rigger I'm always trying to figure out how to get more speed and durability out of rigs. Mostly the babystay keeps the mast from pumping back and forth in waves.

1) There are times when it is wise to use a babystay, big winds upwind. Light winds the mast is so stiff and the genoa takes forever to clear the babystay, but a little prebend might be helpful I just don't see how you could get it...

2) I switched from an external tang to an internal one for the babystay for a cleaner set up. We use 1/4 amsteel for the babystay and beefed up our downhaul block for the spinnaker pole. Upwind the downhaul block for the spinnaker pole can be used for the babystay, 5/16 high tech line leads aft over the cabintop to a winch for adjustment, downwind the babystay is a useless appendage, the fact that it is fiber it just hangs there and we have a lttle bungy keeper for it.(also in light winds.

3) Yes in heavy winds the babystay helps flatten the main(a little) backstay much more effective. We have numerous pictures of our mast inverted going upwind in winds 20-30. Six crew fully hiked ,5-6 inches of backstay travel past "snug" is a minimum for winning races. This is why I went to the trouble of refitting the babystay. The mast will eventually break in half without it.

4) Start with 1200 on uppers, 800 on lowers, (buy a new Loos guage) forestay max length and loose in light winds. Also check and make sure mast is @ max J (as far aft as class legal) or you will not point. trim genoa to just kiss shroud turnbuckles when it is six inches off spreader tip. Carry boom on centerline until overpowered.

5) These boats eat genoas, likely in a perfect world you would have one for light 2-8 and heavy 9-14.

6) Dave Hodges of Santa Cruz Sails and Buzz of Ballenger Spars are the recognized experts in all things SC 27.

7) We love our "chicken kite" and seen speeds of 20kts which we couldn't of done with a full sized spinnaker.

--

_/)__Stephanie

[eagleshore]

Hi Andy,

Thank you and everyone else on the list for your feedback. I'm sure
I'll have many more questions as I get into the boat (I actually have
never seen an SC27 yet). I currently sail a Beneteau F210, which is a
fractional rig boat that cannot carry a large genoa, so I'm looking
forward to a larger boat for Lake Ontario. I use the Beneteau on
Sacandaga Lake, which is close to my home. I got tired of trailering
the Beneteau to Lake Ontario, so I decided to try the SC27 on the
larger lake. I have roots on the eastern end of Lake Ontario, which is
why I've started sailing there again.

Some follow up question on your post.

2) Is the external/internal tang you refer to on the mast? I presume
the mast since you use the spinpole downhaul on the deck for the other
end. Does the spinpole padeye have enough support (backing plate) for
use on the babystay? I notice a cable in the V-berth (from photos)
going from the foredeck to the hull. Is this to help support the
babstay or downhaul?

4) For max J, is the step placement (tabernacle) adjustable on the
SC27? I would assume this is fixed during production.

5) For multiple genoas for different speed ranges light (2-8 and heavy
9-14), are you suggesting a #1 and #2, or two #1's with a different
cut or material weight? My boat has a 155% and a 100% for racing.

7) How large is your "chicken kite"? I'm wondering if my Beneteau spin
would work.

Regards,

Tom

[stephanie schwenk]

2) yes on the mast was a triangle metal tang that stuck out and beat
up the leech of the genoa during tacks and caught the halyards, now
internal "J-hook" or sometimes called "t-bar", yes on deck is a
deadeye that attaches to an interior cable to the hull, crucial as
foredeck is very lightly built. Deadeye has beefy block to serve as
babystay or pole downhaul. Only use downhaul in heavy going the rest
of the time "twingers" much simpler.

3) It is likely most masts were in the correct place from the factory,
but if deck was rebuilt make sure they got it centered and 10.9 from
bow

4) Light and heavy number ones, I guess you could call the heavy one a
#2 and make it a 140%, sailmaker question
5)Not sure how big it is but it is HEAVY 2.2oz's I suspect only used
in winds over 25 sailmaker question if yours could work...

> > _/)__Stephanie- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[eagleshore]

Ahhh, that helps a lot. I was wondering if people used twingers on
this boat.

Tom

[stephanie schwenk]

definitely!

 

we don't use the downhaul until we have the #3/ chicken kite.

 

twingers are a must.

--

_/)__Stephanie