Removing the Backstay

[crazycarl]

Keith Scott of the Sailboat Co. and his website shows how one can eliminate the backstay on a 19 by moving the upper shrouds aft.  I'm considering doing this.  I have a track so the bimini can slide fore and aft depending on where it's needed most. (aft shading the pilot, or forward at night to keep the dew out of the cabin when the hatch is slid forward)  As of now, the backstay prevents it from covering the the very rear of the cockpit.  The mainsail could also have a healthy roach without a backstay to get in the way.  I may need longer upper shrouds, but I'm willing to have new ones made if neccessary. 

Has anyone tried this modification and if so, any regrets? 

[Tim Gardner]

I haven't tried it, but that's how the eclipse is stayed. But next you'll be converting to the Mastendr system.  Note though, the lower stays go back to the mast.
TG

[crazycarl]

I haven't tried it, but that's how the eclipse is stayed. But next you'll be converting to the Mastendr system.  Note though, the lower stays go back to the mast.
TG

From what I've read and seen, the lower shrouds remain attached at the original chainplates.  No need for a mastender, I won't be trailering her much and I've never had any problems raising the mast alone.

[MacGyver]

Any pictures of this done on a CP19?

I am sure it honestly wouldn't be hard to accomplish, just placement and attachments overall. I would definitely be interested in seeing completed pictures prior to starting a job overall.

I am listing the jobs I want to do on mine, potentially changing the mast step out for a heavy hinge and through bolting it to help stop the screw pullout issue that is common.

Mac

[crazycarl]

Any pictures of this done on a CP19?

I am sure it honestly wouldn't be hard to accomplish, just placement and attachments overall. I would definitely be interested in seeing completed pictures prior to starting a job overall.

I am listing the jobs I want to do on mine, potentially changing the mast step out for a heavy hinge and through bolting it to help stop the screw pullout issue that is common.

Mac

I too need to start a list of things to be done and place them in the correct order.

I wouldn't thru bolt the mast step/hinge.  The screws are meant to pullout in the event of a dismasting.  Otherwise the cabin top would have significantly more damage to it.

This picture is showing a 19 with the upper shrouds moved back to eliminate the backstay.

[Bob23]

Regarding the mast hinge, Mack. It's exactly what I plan to do to my 23 in the spring. Peter G has done this to his 23, now sold and it worked out fine. I have the parts already picked out- the hinged tabernacle from Ballenger and the mast foot form Dwyer. PeterG also through bolted his plate to the deck just as you discussed. For a beefy 8 stay rig like the 23's have, a dismasting is highly unlikely unless the stays and shrouds have been neglected and are fraying.

Although removing the back stay would give lots of additional room, I don't feel comfortable placing additional stress on the aft chainplate, but not doubting Keith Scott for he is the guru of all things Compac.

Bob23

[Tim Gardner]

Here's the thing: the Eclipse is a 7/8th rig.  The 19 is a full jib rig.  One might want to run the mod by the boys at Com-Pac.

[slode]

One more thing to consider, on the Eclipse, and any other boat with shrouds angling aft, the shrouds do get in the way of letting the main out on a run.  Much past 50 degrees from center the main starts to rub on the shrouds.  You gain some more with the boom vang hard on and the traveler set right.  But I'd think you may loose some downwind efficiency, especially without a traveler.

[brackish]

The limitation on down wind performance would be a deal breaker for me. I run wing and wing a lot due to the prevailing wind conditions on my lake.  Additionally, the first constraint to moving my bimini back, despite having the slides to do so, is the mainsheet.  I think I could move the mainsheet to the bridge deck/mid boom, something I've considered for years, and get far enough back to get the best coverage with the bimini.  Additionally, if I still needed more aft travel, I would consider modifying my bimini cutting the aft hoop, adding a hinged half pipe clamp to make it whole again a with a slot in the fabric. That would be less costly and would keep the boat as designed with regard to standing rigging.

I would also not put a rigid through bolted mast tabernacle.  Even if not dismasted there are significant stresses transmitted to the cabin top in that area that, in my opinion, could damage the structure over time.  The stock plate for the mast is flimsy, allowing the slot sides of the plate to move and flex, taking up any of that lateral movement.  The only real danger is flexing that could cause water intrusion, but a well sealed plate with elasticity in the caulk material should protect.

[crazycarl]

If I remove the backstay, I would also move the mainsheet.  I may do this anyway as I never cared for the way it's rigged.  A midsheet rig with a traveler would be better. IMO.

[brackish]

If I remove the backstay, I would also move the mainsheet.  I may do this anyway as I never cared for the way it's rigged.  A midsheet rig with a traveler would be better. IMO.

I looked back and the last time I looked into that change was 2016 when I started a thread on it.  Back then IIRC, the cost using Garhauer components was about $450 self installed.  I checked recently and it was about $650.  Probably will not do it at this point.  I turn 75 this month and the lack of standing headroom both below and under the bimini is certainly becoming an issue.  Don't want to modify from stock  when I might be considering changing my equipment for being on the water.  May be forced to the dark side.

[MacGyver]

Screwing around in the shop I figured out by the pictures that the top of the rear stay should be at 18 inches aft of the baby stays chain plates when moving the uppers aft to remove the backstay.
If I was to do the mod, I would angle it slightly prior to the modifications by putting the mast up on a non windy day, then after it was up and secure I would take an upper off (Making sure the baby stays were tight and the mast true sighted to the deck to that point) and place the upper in line with that spot on the boat hull, extend that line that the upper would draw in the technical sense onto the hull, and then draw that to the boat, make a template and make the other side the same. Afterward I would take the mast down and then install the proper hardware to complete the process.

I cant remember at the moment if the pictures ever had the upper spreaders installed or not, but those would need to be removed prior to the marking out of the mod "line" so that you had a true extension of the upper stay onto the hull from top of mast to the hull itself.

Hope this helps anyone pondering the idea, I had a few minutes between my boy being good, and tearing stuff up........... what a handful.

Mac

[Wayne J]

I owned the CP19 pictured on The Sailboat Co website for a few years.  He did remove the spreaders and he removed the backstay.

Wayne

[Damsel19]

"  May be forced to the dark side."
No.. not a Catalina!   

[kickingbug1]

   dont badmouth a boat that will sail rings around a com-pac