Slack jibstay on gaffer

[benz]

I just did a longish passage in my home-built gaff-headed cutter, and everything seemed to work fine, but I have a question for those who know more about tune than I. When the running backstays are not set up (like when I'm at anchor), the jibstay goes really slack. Is this normal and acceptable? If I try and tighten it, the masthead bends forward: in fact, I can make the masthead bend forward by pulling aft on the jibstay. Does this mean that my mast is too bendy? I wouldn't imagine so, since it stayed upright sailing through a near gale, but this is all very new to me.
Thanks for any help.
Ben
SV Ganymede, 9 1/2 ton 31' pilot cutter, Sea of Cortez

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
You have two things going for you. First, the jib on a gaffer is nearly always only for light-to-medium airs, when you actually want some luff sag. Second, those runners are the only thing opposing the pull of the jibstay (unless you have or install aft-swept topmast backstay spreaders, but that is a whole other can of variables. If your Bermudian neighbors cast off their standing backstays, you can bet that their masts would bow forward, too. So if the mast is scaled appropriately for the compression loads, and if you use your runners correctly, all is well.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[benz]

Thanks, Brion. You may or may not remember that I consulted with you over the phone about this rig a couple years back. Anyhow, it's got me around into the Sea of Cortez from San Francisco and like I mentioned earlier, she sailed pretty well in all conditions.
Time to go explore.
Ben

[Ian McColgin]

It's possible that the tenion in the mast step should be wedged foreward or the wedges at the partners adjusted to shift the mast aft to get the jibstay at least not floppy slack when the runners are not set up - assuming that there's some reason for not just tightening the headstay a little.

But on boats that I've had with runners, I always set them when at anchor, dock, under power or on the drift. Just seems better to keep some opposition to the jibstay.

G'luck