In order to easily rig (and un-rig) my Capri 18’s mast for
trailering, I developed a tensioner setup that allows me to have enough slack in the backstay to be able to easily pin in the forestay/roller furling unit. The first tensioner consisted of a Harken 1 ½” single block, a Harken 1 ½” block with becket and cam cleat, a short section of ¼” Spectra line, and an assortment of small shackles and pins to fit the unit between the mainsheet/backstay ‘tang’ and the transom fitting. This setup worked satisfactorily for a few voyages, but I didn’t like the numerous components (more chance for failure), and it was excessively complicated for what it did. It also had a bit too much elasticity in it.
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The second, and current tensioner unit is simpler, has no ‘give’ in it, and probably has less chance of failure. Most of the components I used for the tensioner are available from West Marine. One of the parts was obtained from an Orchard Supply Hardware store, though it might be available from another place, too.
One of the main components is a Johnson Marine ‘Quick Release Shroud Lever’, Johnson #14-205/West Marine Model 246167. The cost was $42.99. The other main component is a Ronstan ‘Shroud Adjuster’, #RF444/West Marine Model 188995. It cost $16.29. The Ronstan part is used to extend the lever device so that it adequately spans the distance between backstay end and transom fitting. At first, the Ronstan part appeared to need modification in order to fit to the shroud lever. On the articulating part of the lever, there are two closely spaced clevis pins, secured by a common cotter pin. The end on the longer side (the one with more holes) of the Ronstan part was trimmed off at the bottom of the first hole and filed-off smoothly. This was necessary to be able to fit the Ronstan part to the Johnson part in the correct hole. I used the standard clevis pin from the Johnson part, instead of the fancy pin from the
Ronstan, to secure the two together. The picture of the adjuster shows the correct pin/hole placement. Shortly after assembling the two parts, I realized that I could have just removed the other pin for clearance, installed the pin through the second to last hole in the Ronstan part, and it would not have required cutting it. Oh well.
The part from the OSH store is a bronze bushing that is installed in the transom fitting hole. It allows a ¼” cotter pin to fit snugly in the fitting’s hole and not ‘slop around’ in it. You could get away with not using a bushing, but it will not fit in the transom fitting snugly. The bushing needed to be trimmed shorter on the non-flanged end (one end is slightly flanged to keep it from passing through the hole), as the bushing is longer than the fitting’s thickness. I don’t happen to have the part number, but you can find it in one of the yellow slide-out trays of special hardware. The
O.D. is approximately 3/8” and the I.D. is ¼”. Also, you may be able to find a substitute part at another hardware store.
The tensioner setup can also be used as a backstay adjuster, but it must be untensioned (opened), and a pin must be removed, moved, and replaced. This might be difficult in certain conditions. I have only sailed with the setup once, but plan to mess with it more this summer to see if it needs any refinement. It currently works very well, though, so it might be fine the way it is. |
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