Page 278 - Brion Toss - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Rigging and Tuning for
Detachable Forestay and
Running Backstays
The cutter is a versatile rig, but in light airs, when
you want to fly a big drifter, the forestay can be a
serious impediment to tacking. It makes sense to
be able to move the forestay out of the way when
the wind is light, and secure it aft (made off to a
chainplate with a bungee cord is ideal). Racers
detach and reattach forestays and babystays fre-
quently, using a compound lever quick-release
device. These are efficient but clunky, prohibitively
expensive, and the mechanism doesn’t tension the
stay much. A positive-lock Fas-pin, the kind with
a pushbutton and lanyard ring, is much preferable
for cruisers. You loosen the turnbuckle, pull the
pin, and you’re clear. Takes a little longer, but it
saves a lot. Johnson Handy-Lock turnbuckles are
ideal for this application, since they are secured
with fold-down handles instead of cotter pins.
When the breeze comes up or you begin hitting
chop, reattaching the forestay helps stabilize the
mast. And, of course, the forestaysail can then
be used in concert with the jib. In medium airs,
tighten the forestay only moderately; too much
tension, and you’ll slack the jib and flatten the
forestaysail and main excessively. If breeze or chop
builds more, it’s time to set up the running back-
stays. These further stabilize the mast and tension
the forestay, resulting in the flat forestaysail you
want in heavy weather. At the same time you can
tighten the backstay, to flatten the jib.

and fill it with all the small items and tools that
would otherwise go to the bottom of your rigging
bucket. Sharpen your knife.
Go over hoist signals (Figure 7-1) with the crane
operator or, if you’re using a block and tackle, with
the person tailing the fall. Some people use different
signals than the ones shown; make sure you’re in
agreement.
Whenever possible, put all the rigging on the
mast now. First get everything over by the boat,
and put the mast on sawhorses or oil drums. Bits

Figure 7-1A-D. Hoist signals. (A) Raise boom.
(B) Lower boom. (C) Lower boom slowly. (Palm
facing any signal qualifies it as “slowly.”) (D) Slew
(travel) boom.

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