Seperate headsail stay...

[Chris]

While considering the addition of a baby stay/Solent rig (?) On my Columbia 24 to stop mast pumping it occurred to me that I might be able to kill two birds by adding a separate stay for head sails that could be adjusted further aft of the headstay . This sort of thing would allow me to bring a storm jib closer to the mast while simultaneously resolve the other issue. Problems include weight aloft from extra stay and this could be solved by using lightweight synthetic rope and soft synth hanks. Other challenges include stress on the mast and proper reinforcement for a deck track to adjust the separate headsail "wire".
Other solutions might be to create a fixed " slutter" arrangement and just ad another lower, neither of which I want to do for various reasons.
What does anyone here think of the idea of doubling the backstay in synth stay material while using synthetic also for the headstay and jib stay up at the pointy end?
Too dang fussy? Worthwhile for the adjustability of the headsail? Too much stress on the mast and the rest of the rig? Very much appreciate the opportunity to get some advice on this... Thanks!

[Captain Smollett]

I'm interested to see what the comments will be for doing this with a 24 footer.  On this boat, with the sail plan she carries, do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

One thing I will say just to throw it out there:  "weight aloft" is, in my opinion a bit of a red herring, especially for a boat this size that is presumably a cruising boat (ie, not "optimized" for other things) with the wire size and fittings sizes you are talking about.

I kinda laugh to myself when I see / hear people talking about "weight aloft" in the contexts in which it often appears. 

[Chris]

Thnx Cap'n!
This is good. These questions/ideas probably come from too much reading ::) and my experience is most recently with a larger, very heavy cutter where the sail area is broken up in a way that allows easy adjustment for heavier weather so given the size/displacement of this boat some of this is overkill. I do have experience with baby stays and how they can help with a mast stepped mast with single lowers and with my old Challenger (same hull) the PO had added a lower because the pumping was an issue. Like a number of other "reinforcements" it would be a good idea to sail Badger more and make adjustments only as necessary.

[Captain Smollett]

Well, do be clear in that I am NOT saying it IS a bad idea...only that I am sure that *I* don't know.   ;)

I am very enamored of the cutter rig.  But, I also try to be aware of the Law of Diminishing Returns where chasing a gain costs more than what is gained.

Are you at that point with your particular 24?  I have no idea.  And...to some extent, it is subjective...a per boat owner decision.  I do believe Seraffyn was a cutter rigged 24.

[Chris]

Seraffyn is a good contrast actually as it is easily twice the tonnage  with a keel stepped mast and no cutaway forefoot... differences to consider.  All of this will get back burnered until further use...will see what Badger wants as she sails. The install won't be a huge deal so it can all wait... Not at that point yet. 8)

[Jim_ME]

A friend of mine has a 34-foot sloop with a roller-furling genoa. either it is not the type that can be partly furled to reduce its area, or the shape when that is done is so poor as to not work well.

When the wind gets above what the Genoa can take for a given point of sail, she has a temporary inner wire stay. As I remember, it lays just forward of the mast when not in use. To use, the bottom, which is equipped with a sort of downhaul (a pair of blocks and a line) is moved out to an eye (fastened to the foredeck some distance aft of the headstay), and tensioned. Then a jib/staysail (possibly several sizes from working jib, spitfire, to storm jib) is hanked on, and is hoisted with its own halyard.

Seems to work well. I would say easier than removing the furling Genoa from its track and feeding the luff of smaller sail into the furler track--especially after the wind has picked up.     

[Chris]

Thanks Jim,
This is helpful; about what I had in mind for use. From what I have seen on other boats my size the baby stay can either be run up to the top or just above the spreaders. Will work that out.