Has anyone added a Solent Stay to their sloop? I'm interested to hear of how it turned out.

I have a Compass 28 with furling headsail, and would like another heavy-weather option. At the moment my options are a baggy part-furled headsail, or pulling down the genoa or #1 then raising the smaller jib on the furler. Not much fun solo when the wind's up.

From what I've seen and read it doesn't sound too complicated, but I've said that before and regretted it.

Cheers, Graeme

Hi Wongaga,

By Solent stay you mean you run the stay to the masthead, (or I should say the forestay hardpoint), is that right? I've never seen an added solent sorry. I do remember an issue was the higher aspect ratio sails were harder to get?
Edit: and trim.

Some Walkers H28 run a stay sail it uses a ronstan mast hound similar to the link below and a pulley is conceted to that to raise and lower the stay sail
www.ronstan.com.au/marine5/product.asp?ProdNo=RF146
a U bolt is fitted on the deck and a sail track is also mount to the deck.
another way would be to run a wire and a rigging screw to be connected to the U Bolt on deck when the stay sail is to be raised and add a halyard pulley on the mast hound
When the wire for the stay is not in used connect it to a spreader rigging screw so it out of the way
If I was making one Id roll a curved in the sail track so only one sheet is need to much like on a Hanse


if you look closely in this you tube video you will see there genoa system the sail sheet goes up the mast and down again then back the the cockpit one sheet rope for both tacs

I was going to do it to mine. From the masthead onto a through deck fitting right at the anchor locker bulkhead. But i went with cutter.
If you anchor locker B/h and deck combined are strong enough, why not?
My deck is 1" thick.....1/4" glass deck/ 1/2 inch balsa / 1/4 " interior liner.
But I didn't do Solent. Instead I ran from the anch bulkhead line up to the spreaders.
So it's a stays'l sloop.
The stays'l is only 50 sq ft of 61/2 ounce cloth ( perfect storm jib) and I fitted tracks and cars to the cabin top. Tough as nails.
Could pick the boat up with it. Haven't seen the C28 deck but you'll have some idea.
Don't know where you are. Im in Syd at the moment if helpful to you.
Cheers

sorry just wanted to show brian some thing



Brian

Morning Bird has one. The inner forestay runs from the anchor locker bulkhead to about 90cm below the top of the mast. I run a storm jib on it as a stay sail. Works very well.
If you get the physics right it doesn't need running backstays.

Hayd', that isn't your Walker is it...with a stays'l ??

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brianlara3 said..
Hayd', that isn't your Walker is it...with a stays'l ??

I've removed them for paint at the moment Brain stay sail you mean
yes an old photo when I bought her
looks like this now present day

That plate looks good!! But how about, remove the plate, tig the crack and then refit the plate. ??

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wongaga said..
Has anyone added a Solent Stay to their sloop? I'm interested to hear of how it turned out.

I have a Compass 28 with furling headsail, and would like another heavy-weather option. At the moment my options are a baggy part-furled headsail, or pulling down the genoa or #1 then raising the smaller jib on the furler. Not much fun solo when the wind's up.

From what I've seen and read it doesn't sound too complicated, but I've said that before and regretted it.

Cheers, Graeme

I installed a stay sail on my Compass 29 for heavy weather. I used dyneema with a Hyfield Lever to connect to a fitting above the bulkhead behind the anchor locker & hanked on a storm jib.
When not in use it would tie to the shrouds.

That's what I was trying to explain lAzza I get lost in the words

Thanks all, food for thought, it might be the next project. I dread the thought of getting caught out in a blow with no practical way to fly a storm jib.

Just a shame I don't have time to do it before the summer cruise.

Cheers, Graeme

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wongaga said..
Thanks all, food for thought, it might be the next project. I dread the thought of getting caught out in a blow with no practical way to fly a storm jib.

Just a shame I don't have time to do it before the summer cruise.

Cheers, Graeme

www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1ASUC_enAU691AU691&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=fitting%20a%20stay%20sail%20to%20a%2030%20foot%20boat

The link above has several good reads on the topic

www.cruisingworld.com/how/rig-staysail/

Was something i was thinking of recently when mast was out. I even have the wire for it after replacing the backstays. Im not sure i really need it on my tophat though but i think its a great option and think it would be easy as to set up.

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Sectorsteve said..
Was something i was thinking of recently when mast was out. I even have the wire for it after replacing the backstays. Im not sure i really need it on my tophat though but i think its a great option and think it would be easy as to set up.

I would not bother on any boat under about 35 feet. Try what you have first in fresh conditions and see what the boat needs. When it gets hairy the last place you want to be is on the foredeck.

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Ramona said...

Sectorsteve said..
Was something i was thinking of recently when mast was out. I even have the wire for it after replacing the backstays. Im not sure i really need it on my tophat though but i think its a great option and think it would be easy as to set up.

I would not bother on any boat under about 35 feet. Try what you have first in fresh conditions and see what the boat needs. When it gets hairy the last place you want to be is on the foredeck.

My thinking was you could have a hanked on storm jib ready to go meaning you may not have to leave cockpit- in theory!

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Ramona said..

Sectorsteve said..
Was something i was thinking of recently when mast was out. I even have the wire for it after replacing the backstays. Im not sure i really need it on my tophat though but i think its a great option and think it would be easy as to set up.

I would not bother on any boat under about 35 feet. Try what you have first in fresh conditions and see what the boat needs. When it gets hairy the last place you want to be is on the foredeck.

Both, my heads'l and stays'l are hanked on and raised and lowered from the cockpit. The baby stay is a fixture.
When it hits the fan the heads'l comes down with a downhaul thru the hanks.
The ONLY time I leave the cockpit is to hook the snubber on. Otherwise the side and foredecks are no go areas, even though I have 1" solid s/s tube bow to stern.

Way to go brian. So you have ss rails?

Good option
new materials ,dyneema etc,low friction rings, etc makes a removable solent stay affordable and more user friendly
look up Joe cooper,who outlines basic steps
my next project

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Sectorsteve said..
Way to go brian. So you have ss rails?

Yes Steve, 1" mirror finish 316 bow to stern, only one gap, port side 1/4 where I have a 6 step ladder, normally folded up. If diving, folded down, 3 steps above and 3 steps below the water.
Even folded up roaring on a reach the steps are are at least a foot in the drink. Makes getting back on board easy, even when folded up, which they are underway of course. The solid rails and steps are because of 2 torn rotator cuffs which are a risk on such a jumpy boat.
Good thing about the rails, and I'm 70, I can sit on 'em, fall against 'em, stand !! , brace myself. Been on the boat for 7 years, did the rails 6 years ago.
Sorry about the late reply Steve.

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Sectorsteve said..

Ramona said...

Sectorsteve said..
Was something i was thinking of recently when mast was out. I even have the wire for it after replacing the backstays. Im not sure i really need it on my tophat though but i think its a great option and think it would be easy as to set up.

I would not bother on any boat under about 35 feet. Try what you have first in fresh conditions and see what the boat needs. When it gets hairy the last place you want to be is on the foredeck.

My thinking was you could have a hanked on storm jib ready to go meaning you may not have to leave cockpit- in theory!

Wongaga asked the question in relation to his Compass 28. The answer is really to have a new headsail cut to suit with a padded luff in a cruising laminate that will sail to windward heavily reefed. When I mean heavily reefed, down to about 3 or 4 feet out. The Compass 28 is not too flash going to windward in fresh conditions at the best of times. Having a fully rolled up headsail and another staysail or Solent staysail or slutter rig or what ever is just going to add drag and clutter. The original sail plan with well cut sails will always be the best.

I have staysails and various tack points on my fore deck but they are reaching sails. I did stitch up a staysail as a storm sail and try that but was not that impressed. In my case it's down to about 40 square feet of headsail and a 3rd reef then just a 3rd reef and finally a bare pole.

If you feel the need to ad more complexity have a look at hauling a storm jib up over the furled headsail with rollers. You will need a spare halyard and sheets and will be adding extra drag where you really don't want it. I personally think with small boats with headsail furlers having the sail furled so it's not bulky and trying your boat close reaching down to the third reef. There is really no reason anyone needs to be caught out in foul weather coastal sailing these days.