a. Jack, we chose a staysail without a boom partly because of the ease of removing the stay when not needed. I don’t know how you will handle moving the boom readily or dealing with the bulk and lines of a furler. We also chose to use a hanked on staysail to avoid this situation. We also have experienced the problem of tacking a large yankee through the space in front of the inner forestay. I have been told, and have had some experience to confirm, that tacking the yankee when the staysail is flying results in an easier operation, presumably from wind off the staysail. However, I don’t believe a staysail is recommended when beating. It comes into its own further off the wind. To remove the inner forestay I slacken the turnbuckle (by hand) and pull out the clevis pin which is a light friction fit (only slightly opened) and remove the clevis. Before going further I replace the clevis and pin in the turnbuckle. I have a parking spot for the inner forestay on the port rail (see below). When parked here it is tensioned by tightening the turnbuckle, with the clevis held by a captive pin shackle permanently mounted on the toe rail. [Lester’s Note: The shackle is to the right in the pic but is not shown.] I usually leave the running backstays set at all times, just slackening the leeward one and leading it forward to allow the mainsail boom the maximum travel. I have a Velcro strap holding the excess runner rope to the upper lifeline and another strap, attached to the runner upper block to loosely attach the runner to the aft lower shroud, out of the way (see below). My runners are tensioned by hand, using a 3:1 pulley system and a cam cleat on the lower block. I am sure that leaving the runners set up all the time is overkill unless one is in very high winds but since they are there I use them! Regards, David Salter (s/v #050, Opportunity).
