• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

bending mast

clint wood

New Member
i purchased a 73 e27 last year with a adjustable backstay.since the e27 is a masthead rig am i bending the mast with the backstay or just compressing the mast.the main sail is not in very good shape so it is hard to tell any difference.any advise on proper adjustment with the masthead set up would be appreciated. thank you.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
You said:
since the e27 is a masthead rig am i bending the mast with the backstay or just compressing the mast.the main sail is not in very good shape so it is hard to tell any difference.any advise on proper adjustment with the masthead set up would be appreciated.
>>>>>>>
Well, whatever else you tension with the backstay, I am sure you are not compressing that aluminum spar. (!)
The cabintop, compression post, whatever's under the post: maybe... but not the spar.
If your main is bagged out, have a sailmaker quote you on a recut and also a straightforward opinion on whether the sail is worth spending any dollars on. If the main is both old and baggy, get a new main pronto. The "fall discount" season for new sails is ending momentarily.
Your reference to using the adjustable backstay to flatten the main by bowing the mast forward a few inches is correct. Trouble is, when the main gets too baggy, this adjustment still will not flatten it enough for heavy air, which was the idea in the first place.
If this does not help, please refine your question and post again...
Happy Holidays,
Loren
 

Billk

Junior Member
Your back stay adjuster can do two things. It will tighten the fore stay and it will try to bend your mast. The mast on an E-27 is not designed to be bendy so tightening the back stay will mainly tighten the fore stay.
The place to start is with tuning the rig. You set up the shrouds so they are tight enough to keep the mast in column. The adjustable back stay lets you reduce the tension on the fore and back stays. This reduces the stress on the hull and it can help with the shape of the genoa in light air. With the wind ahead of the beam you tighten the back stay as the wind picks up to minimize sag on the head stay. This helps to flatten out the genoa as the wind picks up. This amount of presure will not be bending your mast and so it will not have any effect on the shape of your main. The sail controls that will shape your main are for the luff, halyard tension or better yet a cunningham , and for the foot, the out haul. These will also effects the leach. Tightening these will flatten the main. You can also further shape the main by using your traveler and off the wind your vang.
A lot of main sails also have a flattening reef. This reef does not reduce the sail area much, but it pulls the fullness out of the foot.
As Loren said you can only do so much with old sails. Once the sails are bagged out you are fighting a loosing battle.
The best thing I did on my E-27 is to replace the sails and to add, rig, and use these sail controls. You will enjoy sailing in light air and when the wind picks up you can keep sailing and feel in control. These controls are not just stuff for racers. When you are cruising you don't have a large crew, just you and a partner and maybe some kids are guests along, so set up your boat so that you can enjoy sailing and you will find that you are using the boat much more, and the partner wants to come along.
Bill Kramer
E-27 "Sea Spray"
PDX
 

clint wood

New Member
thank you for replying to my question,i was unsure if it was possible to bend the mast on a masthead rig. you're replies reassured what i was thinking about the forestay being tightend instead of the mast bending.
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Originally posted by clint wood
i purchased a 73 e27 last year with a adjustable backstay.since the e27 is a masthead rig am i bending the mast with the backstay or just compressing the mast.the main sail is not in very good shape so it is hard to tell any difference.any advise on proper adjustment with the masthead set up would be appreciated. thank you.
You are bending the mast slightly (especially if the fwd. lowers are loose), which will help flatten the mainsail (good when the wind is up), but mostly you are tightening the headstay, and removing sag, which you need to do in order to point high as the breeze comes up.
 
Top