Whilst Stargazer wafted west, along the Cote d'Alabatre, yesterday, her skipper’s mind returned to the halyard snap (Zen Again 6 & 7). My eye caught by the backstay tensioner. Which, like the jib halyard, terminates with a wire eye splice; which, like the jib halyard’s, pulls into the sheave. Placing a side load on the wire, where it exits the ferrule. As a temporary expedient I harden in, on the tensioner (which adds mast bend and flattens the mainsail), to straighten the exit, of the wire from the ferrule, as much as possible. Perched on the boom end, I also find that I am able to reach high enough, to thread a 'safety line' (gold rope). Just in case.
Fine tuning mast bend is a secondary role for the backstay. Its main function is to hold the mast up. In conjunction with the forestay and shrouds. (Inset, top right of diagram). On Stargazer, the backstay splits twice, between masthead and deck. (Main diagram). Were any part of this assembly to fail, whilst under sail, only a combination of luck and swift action would save the rig. Prevention, of failure, being much the preferable option.
Fortunately, Le Havre, home town of Vendee Globe winner Charlie Dalin, is a hotbed of racing activity. Amongst performance sailors, Dyneema is de riguer. Dyneema is a high-tech textile rope, lighter and stronger than steel wire. Like any rope, it can be knotted to form a loop. Making it a useful, if specialist, material for a DIY rigger.
Accastillage Diffusion, on the waterfront, have Dyneema in stock. I select 5mm. The diameter of the gold safety rope, which I know to fit the sheave. The Dyneema has a breaking strain of 2.7 tonnes, to the gold rope's 0.5 tonnes. Should the wire eye fail, Stargazer has a robust backup rigged. Which makes her skipper feel more at ease.
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