Forestay Qk-release Lever - Issues?

[Bill Earnhardt]

On the M, with a rotating mast, will you be able to just bolt the shrouds at their current height? and move the hound up for the forestay assembly?

[puggsy]

I HAVE JUST COMPLETED THIS VERY EXERCISE...I made up another mast hound solely for the furler forestay and left the original with its side shrouds where it is.
I raised it 43 centimetres and when the mast is up, it gives me enough space under the furler drum for both a lever and a turnbuckle adjuster. the adjuster us under the drum and the lever is bolt fitted [ permanent] to the bow fitting. Its then a simple matter of bringing the two untis together and joining with a single pin, the sort with a knob at one end, a spring on the shaft and a pivoted drop down lever on the other...cant think of its proper name...The join of couse is 6/7 inches above the bow and 6 inches below the drum...very easy to get to...no strain on the mast lowering gear, and if required, the adjuster can be loosened, the pin fitted and the adjust done up again...to a preset spot.
And all with room to spare...also rasn the furling line through a pullet mounted on the pulpit at the right height.

And to make sure I dont lose the mast if any of that fails...I have a second loose fitted wire with appropriate ends, joing the top of the furler drum [ does not revolve] with the bow fitting [ another hole and shackle]

mads are fun...Pugs.

[paj637]

Pugsy, How about some pictures?

[Frank C]

I already have stress cracks in the gelcoat on the starboard cleat so now I switched to the port cleat and have a shackle in the center to distribute the force on all four screws. I only used the end of the starboard one hence the cracks around two screws. Still it is a lot of force to be putting on a cleat, it would give me some peace if the final force was applied with another mechanism. The shackle is also showing signs, the pin has a bow in it.

Cracks in the gelcoat aren't so bad ... but I like the idea of using BOTH cleats ... maybe by using a short length of chain looped thru both?

I think the bent shackle is a real problem though ... toss that one and get one size larger~!

I have the same concerns about over tensioning with my mast raising winch. Any thoughts on raising the shrouds to the new hound height?

I raised my forestay 8 inches up-mast to fit a QR lever under the furler. I see no reason to fret over the forestay hound at 5 to 8 inches higher on the mast than the shrouds. Besides, you gonna replace both of them for that extra half-foot in length?? Not necessary, methinks.