You're wise to wonder. I tried to look at it last weekend but it's covered, natch. I might like to create a real heavy duty backer for this application.
'Course, a real woodsmith (kmc?) would prolly laminate some oak to fit up into that narrow beamwise channel, but I'm thinking a couple strips of half-inch plywood could bridge the full beam and improve the deck's resistance to a stay. We wouldn't need so much tension as holds up the mast, just enough to keep a taut luff ... Not sure that's any less tho!
Just FYI, oak might not be the best choice - it has a tendency to split under shear loads... but hickory would do nicely. Small piece like that wouldn't cost much at all.
Stephen, is there enough room to mount a forestay attachment point just aft of the point where you attach your headsail already? I too am thinking about attaching another stay for a hank on storm jib and I do not want to attach it to the bow pulpit. One where I could just keep it tied to the mast until needed.
Stepping on Stephen's answer, yes there is room just aft of the 26X's forestay. That is the area between the bow cleats, pictured in a mod by Tahoe Jack. In fact, Jack's backing plate might be an easier than my idea of backing up the padeye location. Wonder if the engineers would feel a flat 3/16" aluminum plate is adequate to back the inner stay? -- guessing not.
Recycled plastic scuffliner harder than wood never rots tough as nails 1/2" in black , 1/4" in gray I used it for a framed spacer between the hull & liner for my 4 portlights or buy one of these plastic cutting boards from wal. m. & cut to size maint. free
Sorry John -- appreciate the advice, but I don't have a clue what you just wrote about.
Never saw the word scuffliner before ... Got a link?
Google wrote:Fluted Aluminum Scuffliner (Dry Vans)
Protects side posts, doesn't dent or bend like corrugated steel scuffliner
Allows more inside width than oak scuffliner, with equal performance
SS cable 1/8 inch 46 USD WM
Four SS thimbles 6 2684116
4 Swage sleeve 6 2684215
Turnbuckle 34 416016
I ran a messenger twine line onto the forestay hound and marked it for length to the mast raising gear padeye. If I measured and swaged on my thimbles right it will be one shackle length short with the turnbuckle at midrange.
WIll try piece it together tomorrow and report.
With the stay not in use, I will clip it to the lifeline adjuster to let the hatch go up and down.
* It is pretty close to the correct length for a pulpit mount too, so I will make up a tang and then have two places to fly a hanked jib or storm sail
Same stuff only in recycled plastic any commercial trailer repair or manufacturer shop will have it is used in dry vans to protect the bottom of the trl's being damaged by forlift trucks pushing pallets into the trl's the black is 1/2" thick 12" wide square cut on bottom & curved on top we toss out lengths of it 5-6 ft long "cut offs" all the time so you should be able to p/u a piece for nothing . how much do you need ?. their's a newer product on the market called bullitex but its pricy but you should be able to still p/u a piece of "cut off" for nothing the Bullitex is only 1/4" thick
Let me know how you make out ok
Sorry Cats you can steal your post back tomorrow ok
C'mon, youse ... John's contribution is "directly" on-topic!
He's just suggesting a backing material to reinforce the deck padeye beneath Stephen's new inner stay design. Trouble is, I can't imagine this scuff-stuff (only half-inch thick) is nearly as rigid as that hickory stick?
And in the same vein, KMC, granting that oak might suffer some surface splitting, it's much harder than hickory, right? (I was picturing an oak 1x2 or 1x3, on edge, with the top surface shaped to match the deck profile, which makes for a tension load, right?) Do you really think hickory would make a better pseudo-bulkhead under a stay fitting??
All depends on how long a piece you're gonna use, Frank. If it were a long span I'd use hickory. If it were a short length and thick enough, oak will work great.
Lets see a forklift weights no less than 10,000# a skid of freight 2,500-5,000# thats 12,500-15,000# of pressure against 1/2" recylced plastic the oak scuffliner equivelent is 1 1/2 " thick ? of course you could always go with 1/4" alum flat plate
... John's contribution is "directly" on-topic! 