backstays and gaff rigs

[Ian McColgin]

Assuming that you're not contemplating a drop-down mast on a tabernacle, a mast in this size will stand up just fine if you make the partners and step correctly. While many gaff rigs rake the mast back and some actually use that as if gravity were a backstay, the foreward raked mast of the 24' Wianno Senior pretty much shows what you can do with stout partners and lowers with a bit of follow.

The Wianno has a huge gaff main with a handkerchief jib. Even though flattening the main effectivly acts as a backstay, translating the sheet tension up the leech and through the peak hallyard, Wianno sailors like an even stiffer headstay and use the running back for that. Most will set up the runner a bit more loosely when broad reaching or running, especially with the 'chute up, but that's more to control the sail shapes than to hold the mast in the boat. I've not seen anyone break a mast in a gybe just because they didn't snap in the runner before the sail filled.

Design the rig to stand up and sail without the runners by having some follow in the lowers and by having a stout enough mast. Use the runners for tweaking and for the comfort of redundancy.

G'luck

Ian