BOBSTAY Replacement- Help Asked

[ronlegan]

I am assisting my friend in replacing the BOBSTAY on his CD 28. We are using STA-Lock fittings and new hardware/wire. Has anyone done the replacement themselves or does anyone have the procedure? Advice is welcome/needed.

One question is tension on the wire. Does the standing rigging put the tension/load on or do you tension the BOBSTAY first then tension the standing rigging?

[Tom]

Ron,

Nobody seems to be jumping in here, so although I've never done it let me give you my opinion. You wouldn't tension the forestay with the bobstay. The bobstay holds the bowsprit in place and keeps if from bending up as you tension the forestay. You don't want to bend the bowsprit down with the bobstay, you want to hold the bowsprit in place and keep it from bending up as you tension the forestay. Think of it as a spreader.

My opinion is that you want the bowsprit to come straight out from the deck. If you bend it down you put tension on the aft end of the bowsprit and a lifting pressure against the deck. Make your replacement the same length as the old one and put it in place. Take out any slack with the turnbuckle, but don't deflect it down from it's normal angle. Then put whatever tension you need on the forestay by tightening it or the backstay. In my view the bobstay just holds it in place so that it doesn't bend up as you tension the forestay. You don't want upward or downward pressure on the bowsprit because you don't want to lift either the aft end or the forward end off the deck.

That's my opinion FWIW.

[Bill Goldsmith]

I was resisting chiming in here because I'm not really sure of the answer. However, if you are changing to wire there may be a basis for slight pretensioning of the new bobstay. The factory used rod and you are replacing with wire--I would check the difference in stretch-- rod stretches much less than wire. You could end up pulling the bowsprit up when the bobstay stretches. Perhaps consider going up in wire guage to match the stretch characteristics of the original rod.

This might be a good question/topic to post on Brion Toss' Spartalk website.

http://www.briontoss.com/wkstone/webkey ... sages.prof

[Innamorato]

I just had professional rigger re-install my Harken III Furler, etc. to complete the installation of new bowsprit. He hand-tightened the bobstay so it was taut (but not "pulling down" as other posts noted). Then he adjusted the furler // headstay tension so it was very tight. He re-adjusted all stays by "feel" and "sight" using what seemed to be "musicology" noted in other posts.

We took her out for sail and he rechecked and fine-tuned but not much at all. Mostly looking for right amount of pre-bend at spreader level for the main mast (and ensuring mizzen was in correct alignment and tension).

Don K

[ronlegan]

Thanks for the reply.

I agree about keeping the Sprit level and not bended. I'll try and use a level in the platform and keep adjusting back and forth.

I once owned this boat and it always (since I owned it) it had a wire stay, not rod. I wonder if this was a replacement?

Again thanks.

[ronlegan]

Thanks for the reply.

I agree about keeping the Sprit level and not bended. I'll try and use a level in the platform and keep adjusting back and forth.

I once owned this boat and it always (since I owned it) it had a wire stay, not rod. I wonder if this was a replacement?

Again thanks.

[The Patriot]

I am assisting my friend in replacing the BOBSTAY on his CD 28 ...Has anyone done the replacement themselves or does anyone have the procedure? ...

One question is tension on the wire. Does the standing rigging put the tension/load on or do you tension the BOBSTAY first then tension the standing rigging?

I replaced the bobstay on my CD28 many years ago. Basically the adjustment is iterative.

First set up the bobstay at something like "hand tight." Then once the boat is in the water (very important), the stick is in, and the rig has a preliminary tune, check to see if the anchor platform has a curve (either way). You want _no_ curve.

Next, re-adjust the bobstay, re-tension the headstay, check for curve, re adjust all, etc. You will need something like a rig tension device to do this with any degree of accuracy. A simple Luhrs gauge will do. BTW, you will also need a dink to reach the bobstay bottle screw ("turnbuckle" for you Yanks), unless you plan a bit of early season swimming.

[The Patriot]

The factory used rod ...

For the CD 28 I am rather certain that all the boats shipped with a wire bobstay. Later versions of the 33, 36, etc., used rod. I can't be specific here, but I reckon I'm in the ballpark.

[Dalton]

Forget about the level and simply use a straight edge.
Tune and check and tune and check and so on and on.

Dalton

[The Patriot]

Forget about the level and simply use a straight edge.
Tune and check and tune and check and so on and on.

Dalton

I have a pretty good set of tools on board, but one thing I _do_ not carry is a level. Am I missing something (weak attempt at humor)?