forestay hound or tang?? stock setup pics

[dogodell]

So my boasts been messed with many many times by previous owners and i am in the process if trying to get it rigged "correctly" or at least a bit more sailable. Currently have a traveler and undid the previous boom mods and added a topping lift so i at least have the ability to reef the main even if its not a very good system it will have to do until i get some reef points or more than likely a new main sail...

Got new chainplates so i can move the backstay back to where it belongs (was ran to the same pad eyes as the spin blocks about a foot forward of the transom)

Now i just need to fix the forestry and do a quick pvc furler than i can start running lines aft...

Its currently masthead rigged and i cant figure out if its one of the few ordered that way or if its been changed (more than likely). I do know that no matter how much i loosen the other stays i can't get the top of the mast so its not bent forward (bend starts at upper side stay attachment point where i would assume the forestry would be in a fractional rig setup??

So sorry for the long winded post but if anyone has any pics of the original late 70s (78 i think) mac 25 setup (not sure if its v25 or how to tell) or any rigging advice it would be greatly appreciated!

[Tomfoolery]

Its currently masthead rigged and i cant figure out if its one of the few ordered that way or if its been changed (more than likely). I do know that no matter how much i loosen the other stays i can't get the top of the mast so its not bent forward (bend starts at upper side stay attachment point where i would assume the forestry would be in a fractional rig setup??

If it's masthead rigged, the stays should also go to the top of the mast. If it were me, I'd simply rig the forestay to a hound at the outer stays/shrouds. Use the backstay for putting some bend in the mast (back, not forward).

[dogodell]

Ok that answers the masthead part!

I've seen some pics of the newer macs where the forestay attaches to the same bolt as the other stays with a couple long pieces of stainless but it doesn't look like the stoutest thing...

Is something like that the best route or should i look for an internal two piece hound and cut a slot in the mast that way i have some flexibility as to where to mount the forestay??

[Tomfoolery]

I've seen some pics of the newer macs where the forestay attaches to the same bolt as the other stays with a couple long pieces of stainless but it doesn't look like the stoutest thing...

Is something like that the best route or should i look for an internal two piece hound and cut a slot in the mast that way i have some flexibility as to where to mount the forestay??

I would just use the standard mast hound, which is two pieces of SS strip, formed to come together. And they use the through-bolt for the shroud termination tangs, as you said. BWY has them, and they're cheap.

Ideally, you want the lines of action of all the stays to meet at a point, with that point on the neutral axis of the mast, but the NA is pretty much in the center of the mast. Using the original hound gets close to this ideal, and the only bending in the mast will be what you induce with the backstay.

[dogodell]

So something like

i think straps like this came with the boat somebody was using them as a boom bail...

[Tomfoolery]

Yes, those. They're a lot stronger than they look, within the limits of normal use, and they weigh very little. There should be a hole in the mast already for the rigging, with the shrouds terminating at a through-bolt.

I use two sets, one for the forestay and jib, and the other for a spinnaker. The forestay is disconnected for travel in this pic, and I don't even have the jib halyard on the boat any more, as it's not needed.



It's important to keep the two tangs fairly close together at the small end, as putting the loads of the forestay into that little bolt with a wide span between the supports is going to bend the bolt. Use a bolt and nylon insert locknut; you don't want that coming apart.

[dogodell]

Cool i think i can handle all that. Thanks for the pic just wanted to make sure before doing any further rerigging!