Backstays on schooner mainmast

[Michelnou]

The drawing of my schooner kit shows two backstays for the main mast : one for the lower mast (5,6) and one for the topmast (3,4). I wonder if it is necessary to rig two backstays for this mast.

What is your opinion on this subject.

I thank you for your advices

Mike

 

[Michelnou]

Ok, thank you;

I rig the both backstays.

 

Mike

 

 

[Dr PR]

How you rig the back stays is another question.

 

Often they were rigged to deadeyes at the aft end of the channels, similar to the shrouds.

 

Sometimes they were rigged as shown in the drawing, but they would interfere with the swing of the boom and mainsail. To get around this the stays were rigged with a gun tackle or luff tackle at the lower end, with the lower block hooked to a ring bolt in the deck close to the bulwark. The back stay on the lee (downwind) side was slacked and unhooked and led forward out of the way of the boom. The windward side stay was tightened to take the strain of the force of the wind on the sail. When the wind shifted (or the vessel maneuvered) the stays were rerigged on the windward side and slacked on the lee side.

 

Same thing on the stays for the fore mast.

 

For more information about schooner rigging and sails see:

 

 

Edited February 12, 2021 by Dr PR

[Maury S]

Per Dr PR, they can not be rigged as standing because the boom would hit them.  They must be removable  at the deck level.  The term is a running back stay that is moved prior to a tack or jibe.  That means some sort of tackle to hook and unhook the stay...Not deadeyes.

Maury

[flyer]

Now, I'm a bit confused. I believe Spy has a lot of experience with actual sailing more modern craft but...

 

As far as I can see in my various sources, the lower mast was usually held back sufficiently by the shrouds while backstays were used to stabilize topmasts or topgallant masts. Setting up backstays to the lower mast would unnecessary complicate the rigging and the handling of the vessel while adding e.g. an additional pair of shrouds would be a much simpler solution.

 

I'm just a landlubber but Dr PR's diagrams in his excellent link seem to confirm my doubts.

Spy, could you dispel those doubts?

 

Cheers

Peter

[Michelnou]

I thank you guys for your advices.

I was aware that these ropes could limit the movement of boom and mainsail.

It is why running stays (called bastaques in French) have been designed.