reacher (drifter) 26m

[victore]

I am a new owner of a 2008 which i have been sailing for several weeks now and am quite pleased. I purchased the boat with a roller furling jib rather than a jenny as I have a beutifull nylon reacher from a previosly owned boat. My question is, would it be safe to install another bail on the mast about 2 ft. from the top of the mast & run another forstay to the pin on the bow pulpit where the mast attaches when in transit? I would only be useing the reacher in very light air. I have to go up that far on the mast as the luff of the sail is 29 ft. I was also thinking of going to the top where there is a nice bolt sticking out of the mast & installing stern stays but really don't know what to do. Please don't suggest a spinaker rather than my reacher as I have had it with them.
Any advice would be great.
Thanks
Vic

[Richard O'Brien]

Hi Vic

As one who folded his mast this spring when a tree caught my main halyard, I know pulling on the top of the mast is a lot of stress.

Having mentioned that, I also drilled my new mast 10" above the forestay, and added another 3" bail. The phrf handicapper told me I'd sacrifice 2 or 3 points if I added a bail more than 12' above the existing block. Someone on this board (Moe, I think?) observed the mac brochure with the big assymetric shows a similiarly mounted bail on that boat?

This is a difficult call. Maybe some of the engineers have a thought. My mast rotated 90 degrees and folded like a straw between two 10 year olds.

[pokerrick1]

Praise God Richard no one was hurt - - - SCARE YOU MUCH

Rick

[victore]

As one who folded his mast this spring when a tree caught my main halyard, I know pulling on the top of the mast is a lot of stress.

Richard,

I am very curious of the details of the tree encounter..were you sailing? trailering???, motoring??.do tell

Vic

[victore]

I am a new owner of a 2008 which i have been sailing for several weeks now and am quite pleased. I purchased the boat with a roller furling jib rather than a jenny as I have a beutifull nylon reacher from a previosly owned boat. My question is, would it be safe to install another bail on the mast about 2 ft. from the top of the mast & run another forstay to the pin on the bow pulpit where the mast attaches when in transit What I mean by safe, would the mast and rigging be strong enough I would only be useing the reacher in very light air I have to go up that far on the mast as the luff of the sail is 29 ft. The foot is 18ft. I think it will fit quite well. I was also thinking of the forstay going to the top of the mast where there is a nice bolt sticking out of the mast & then also installing stern stays but really don't know what to do Please don't suggest a spinaker rather than my reacher as I have had it with them.
Any advice would be great.
Thanks
Vic


ModsNote ~fc
Merged duplicate topics from different Fora.

[Billy]

Vic, noticed nobody responded to your question and to follow my lead is questionable. If you're going to run your reacher in light air, I don't think you would have a problem. My X has a lighter mast than your M and I have flown my spinnaker (as an asym) from the top of the mast with one of the clews attached to the bow rail. BTW, this spinnaker is 34' long on a 28' mast. Here it is in light air and experiencing no problems. (You may want to intall that backstay. The X has one.) Good Luck.

[Frank C]

Vic,
Welcome aboard, congrats on your new Mac, and regrets that you haven't seen much response.
Perhaps it's because not a lot of owners are flying downwind sails.
Just guessing ... maybe only 1 of 6 owners has a downwind sail ???

You can also try browse earlier Forum topics in two areas: Modifications and Performance/Tuning. Look for titles such as Running Backstays, Adjustable Backstay, or Raising the Genoa Foot; such topics dealt with many of the same issues you are facing. You'll undoubtedly find other topics, too, which can add value to your questions. Feel free to post additional questions in this thread, or in those other threads.

[delevi]

Nice looking spinnaker, Billy.

[Frank C]

. . . My mast rotated 90 degrees and folded like a straw between two 10 year olds.

I thought the M-mast was vastly more substantial than the X-mast ... guess that's still profile-dependant. Maybe it's no great surprise that the mast would be less resistant when pulled sideways on its beam-side, without "reinforcement" of wind forces in a mainsail. Just assuming here that you were not sailing at the time??

[Gerry the fish]

Vic,
Welcome aboard, congrats on your new Mac, and regrets that you haven't seen much response.
Perhaps it's because not a lot of owners are flying downwind sails.
Just guessing ... maybe only 1 of 6 owners has a downwind sail ???

Well it is considered an advanced skill.......... We received our Mac this spring and have sailed many times. We were floating in 5 knots of wind against a 2 knot current on the Columbia River so I said - lets pullout the spinnaker!!!!!

First time I believe I put it up upside down, Doh! Pulled it back down, tried to turn it around on the foredeck without falling overboard, put it up again and it was wrapped into and around the jib sheets. Pulled it down and went and had a beer.

Better luck next time.

Gerry