CD 36 Staysail boom

[Jeff Barnes]

For those 36 owners who have fought with the staysail boom (and lost) and have removed it, I am curious to know what your new sheeting arrangement is. I currently have my staysail (with the boom) on an outhaual and a Harken roller furler. The system works well, however I really would like to eliminate the boom and go to a dual sheeting system like the headsail. The question remains where to place the blocks and tracks on the deck. Any suggestions, with pictures would be appreciated.

Regards to all,

Jeff

[Russell]

I removed the boom a couple years ago and am very happy with the new arrangement, a big improvement. My staysail sheets go to tracks I put on the cabin top. 2 foot long tracks with the front of the track starting about mid point in the dorade box, they are placed outside the dorades and inside the handrails. Leading back to rope clutches. The port sheet goes to the original staysail sheet winch, the starboard sheet goes to a new winch I had already put on the starboard side cabin top for the boom vang.

Sorry I cant provide photos just yet and this is my last trip ashore here, I will try to remember to check back later in the week and post some photos when I get to panama.

[Jeff Barnes]

Russell,

Sincere thanks for the reply and details of the track location. Your response is juct the motivation I need to see the boom disappear once and for all. Pictures would be great, but your description is very helpful. Do the tracks run parallel to the hand rails? I suspect not, but just curious. I have two Lewmar bronze self tailers on the port side, but only a clutch (for the traveler) on the starboard side,althogh there appears to be space available for a winch. I assume you have found a winch necessary for the staysail sheet as opposed to just the clutch.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

[Russell]

Russell,

Sincere thanks for the reply and details of the track location. Your response is juct the motivation I need to see the boom disappear once and for all. Pictures would be great, but your description is very helpful. Do the tracks run parallel to the hand rails? I suspect not, but just curious. I have two Lewmar bronze self tailers on the port side, but only a clutch (for the traveler) on the starboard side,althogh there appears to be space available for a winch. I assume you have found a winch necessary for the staysail sheet as opposed to just the clutch.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

They do run parallel to the hand rails. I would definately recommends winch, in winds over 15 when close hauled it is definately nessisary. I sheet it without the winch most of the time, but when you need it, you need it.

I might be able to post some photos today, just left the customs agent and he wants me to come back in a few hours, so I will take some photos of the tracks back on the boat and post them when I come back ashore.

[Russell]

Here you go, a picture of the starboard staysail sheet track, it's actually further forward the I had said, the front being even with th dorade.

[Jim_B]

Russell - did you put backing plates underneath the tracks? (and not to hijack this thread - but please keep us posted on your trip to Panama and beyond - sounds like this trip could be the start of something 'epic'?)

[Russell]

No, I just used fender washers. I think the jib track just uses fender washers as well (though the hull deck joint it's bolted through is certainly stronger). A backing plate wouldn't hurt, though I am not entirely sure it's nessisary, remember some of the load is taken back at the rope clutch/winch as well.

The deck is cored in this area, so I over drilled then holes and filled them, then put down a 1/4" strip of teak and glassed it over with finish cloth to elevate the track a bit and make it look nicer.

Still waiting for my zarpe from the port captain, no one is in a rush here in Columbia...

[Jeff Barnes]

Russell,

Many thanks for the photos...just what I need to get going. Enjoy the trip!

Jeff

[John Nebilak]

I am curious to know why so many folks like removing the stay'sl boom. I think it is a great setup. When the wind picks up and you are using the stay'sl and not the yankee, working with the one sheet is easy and tacking is hands off. The boom takes up some space on the foredeck but I have not found it to be that much a problem.

[Russell]

I am curious to know why so many folks like removing the stay'sl boom. I think it is a great setup. When the wind picks up and you are using the stay'sl and not the yankee, working with the one sheet is easy and tacking is hands off. The boom takes up some space on the foredeck but I have not found it to be that much a problem.

Try storing a dinghy. Try getting the staysail down and lashing it In 45 knot winds and 14 foot seas while the boom does it best to break a bone or toss you overboard. The fact is It takes seconds to sheet in the staysail without the boom, the sail is so small and tracks so far inboard you are literally pulling in a couple feet of line only. I single hand, in fact my transmission is dead so just a week ago I had to beat into a narrow channel with reefs on both sides dead into 25 knots of wind, I did it under reefed main and staysail and at no time did I find myself wishing for the self tacking boom again, the only thing it ever was was a pain in the ass.

[John Nebilak]

All great points though I think I will leave mine alone, for now anyway.

[John Stone]

I removed my staysail boom though that is probably not much help to you as I have a longer bowsprit and moved the tack of the staysail forward. Nonetheless, there are all kinds of advantages to removing the boom, most of which Russell covered. My leads will be positioned outboard of the cabin top, on the side deck but right next to the cabin top, and run to secondary winches I installed along the cockpit coaming just forward of the primary winches. Normally, as a general rule, you want a staysail to sheet 2-3 degrees less than the sheeting angle of the jib. You can determine that location with a plan view diagram of the CD 36 and a protractor. You don't have to have adjustable leads on a T track. You can use a fixed lead and adjust the leads through the use of an adjustable tack pendant on the staysail. Shortening the pendant equals moving the leads forward and raising does the opposite. The advantage is you don't have to drill a whole series of holes in your deck and you have a much smaller obstruction to trip over. It's an option to consider.

[Russell]

I removed my staysail boom though that is probably not much help to you as I have a longer bowsprit and moved the tack of the staysail forward. Nonetheless, there are all kinds of advantages to removing the boom, most of which Russell covered. My leads will be positioned outboard of the cabin top, on the side deck but right next to the cabin top, and run to secondary winches I installed along the cockpit coaming just forward of the primary winches. Normally, as a general rule, you want a staysail to sheet 2-3 degrees less than the sheeting angle of the jib. You can determine that location with a plan view diagram of the CD 36 and a protractor. You don't have to have adjustable leads on a T track. You can use a fixed lead and adjust the leads through the use of an adjustable tack pendant on the staysail. Shortening the pendant equals moving the leads forward and raising does the opposite. The advantage is you don't have to drill a whole series of holes in your deck and you have a much smaller obstruction to trip over. It's an option to consider.

If you have the staysail on a furler, as Jeff does, you absolutely want tracks with adjustable cars if you plan to do offshore work. A partially furled staysail will act as your storm jib, and in high winds a poor angle to a partially furled jib will lead to the sail destroying itsself. I know you tend towards the hank on so I do totally get and agree with what you suggest, but since Jeff already has a furler (and I am assuming he has no plans to give it up), the tracks are essential and a single point attachment would be detrimental when doing serious offshore sailing. You cant adjust tack length on a sail that is partially furled.

[John Stone]

Russell--concur. If one wants a furler then one will need adjustable leads, though you don't need t tracks for adjustable leads. Though to be honest, I don't see the point or need for a furler for a staysail on a boat with a staysail as small as a CD 36. Seems like a lot of unnecessary complication. Plus, almost any furler destroys the shape and reduces performance when the sail is roller reefed. An option is to sell the staysail furler (and pocket the money), ditch the boom, install leads (adjustable or fixed), add a set of reef points, replace the wire forestay with one made of dynex dux so you can easily remove and stow it for short tacking with the jib increasing the reliability and performance of the staysail. I recognize that most folks want furlers and I certainly respect anyone's decision to rig their boat however they want. But I mention the above option since a lot of folks have never sailed without a furler and see it as essential when it is not. I have sailed with both, and like staysail booms, I'll never go back.

[Jeff Barnes]

John,

Good points regarding the staysail boom, although I still think mine is going. The roller furler is obviously very convenient and has performed flawlessly for many years. I have bought into the concept of using roller furlers as mechanisms for reefing. Headsails were not really meant to be reefed that way and roller furlers weren't meant to be used that way. I've seen a furling lines bury itself in the drum on occasion as a result. I also think it would have to get really nasty to warrant furling the staysail on the 36. To your point, the sail is really small, and I have used it in some heavy wind without thinking about trying to reduce it. I like Russell's set-up, but even before reading your post I began thinking about not using tracks although I would still locate the blocks on the cabin top
after figuring out the proper angle for the fully deployed staysail.