Deck and rigging question

So I am rigging my clipper 26 for the first time and discovered some things that I am not clear on. I Goggled for hours and still cant seem to find the answers.

I cant tighten the backstay. My though is that I tighten the backstay by using the boom sheet. Is this correct and if so then how can I tighten the backsaty?

What is a soggy deck like? I walk on the deck and I can feel slight movement but just slight. Is this something I need to be concerned with?

Battens for the mainsail, will any old batten do? I am missing one it seems and well cant find a distributor specifically for a clipper marine 26.

My shrouds are wrinkled at the very ends from excessive pressure against the mounting bolt that attaches it to the mast. Any links for a replacement or is it as simple as off the shelf tubing?

You can buy generic battens at most marine stores and cut them to size. You can also try battens for a Cal 20 as our mains are just inches apart. I have a Cal 20 main on my Clipper 26.

Oh yeah...a little give is nothing to worry about...excessive give would be something to be concerned with.

Please give more information about the shrouds. What exactly is wrinkled?
Could you post a picture?

Sorry I have no pictures, but I may soon. Let me see if I can put it into words better.

The shroud connects to the mast using a single bolt. This design creates a pivot point when the mast is down. That said if the shrouds are not stored corrected then the shroud could and did bend the wrong way and bent the shrouds very end (where the bolt is attaching it to the mast). Can I get new shrouds and if so where?

I am sorry I just discovered that I am calling it by the wrong name.

The part that is wrinkled is the spreaders that is what I want to replace. Not the shroud.

This part? I think on many of the CM sailboats, this is simple electrical conduit.

Yes that is the part. Thanks Ill start looking for some aluminum conduit. Thank you all I hope some day I can return the favor.

Floody wrote:

Yes that is the part. Thanks Ill start looking for some aluminum conduit. Thank you all I hope some day I can return the favor.

Your being here is payment enough! We appreciate you as much as you appreciate us!

More rigging questions.

I wanted to know if there is only one back-stay on a clipper marine 26? I ask because I have one more halyard that I am not using and have no clue of to what it is used for? Flags perhaps? Its made out of rope vs made of stainless steel line. Its quite thick too.

picture 1 you might make out how the boom is attached to the back-stay. Am i doing this correctly?


picture 2 shows the rigging at a different angle, note the angle of back-stay and how I attached it to the boom


Also is it just as obvious as to connect the shrouds to the hull in order. As in front to front, center to center and aft to aft? In other words no crossed over fancy shroud lines?

Your boom is correctly fastened. Under sail, you would release this topping lift and the sail supports the boom.

Forgive me for being dense but what is a topping lift?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topping_lift

Someone correct me, I believe this is called something different when attached to the backstay. I still call it a topping lift.

My 26 has a set topping lift from the mast top to a bail on the end of the boom. This is simply a 1/4" rope. I also have a "pig tail" from the backstay that serves the same function when I am at my slip. When I'm getting ready to sail I unhook the pigtail and the topping lift takes the weight of the boom. When the sail is hoisted, the sail takes the weight and the topping lift simply flutters behind the sail. I like this arrangement. The only time the topping lift is doing anything is the brief time between dropping the sail and rehooking the pig tail. But it keeps your boom from dropping into the cockpit. You may have and adjustable topping ligt. They use that to raise the boom above head height while anchored. While using the the pigtail I put slight down pressure with the main sheet to keep the boom from swinging in the wind.

So realistically I never need to use the top lift because my boom is clipped into the back-stay (pig tail) and its quite lite to lift in place.

I am such a rookie sailor so bear with me please and Thanks a million.

P.S. I am an electronics engineer so if electrical is a concern for you I would love to give back and help, feel free to ask me anything related to DC, AC, computers, communications, inventions and the likes.

The pig tail will do if you always remember to fasten it before you drop your sail otherwise you will be wearing your boom around your head. That's why I like mine. One less thing to remember. I have made most mistakes possible, though I continue to find new ones. I would hook it up so it only takes tension when the pig tail is unhooked and the sail is down. And then forget it. I'll take you up on the elec info. Not my strength.

Nice,

Ill rig the top-lift up and forget it, heck I might even try using it just to see how it works out.

Thanks again everyone.