Does your rig already have fore and aft lowers? If you do a baby stay may not add that much extra support.
When I re-rigged Calypso I used Briton Toss’s rigging book to calculate the loads on various shrouds and rigging elements. IIRC the aft lower shrouds can carry more load than most other elements. One of Calypso’s past owners removed the aft lowers (to allow the boom to travel farther forward) making the baby stay much more important for rig stability. This is especially true when sailing in choppy seas to prevent mast pumping. (Some boat racing long downwind races, Transpac for example, rig temporary forward lowers to support the mast in case the pole gets stuffed into a wave.) Calypso’s mast section is massive compared to more modern rigs. I have always assumed Bruckmann’s had a C&C 61 section hanging around the shop, cut it down, added some taper towards the top and called it good. Calypso’s baby stay uses a hydraulic tensioner with a fast-pin to release it for spinnaker gybes. The deck fitting is similar to a chain plate. Originally it terminated to the bulkhead just below. (A C&C 39 I raced several Transpacs on with it’s baby stay anchored to the same bulkhead we could lock someone in the head by pumping up the baby stay and distorting the deck/bulkhead.) Today Calypso’s baby stay is anchored to the hull with a tie rod/turnbuckle combo through bolted to the hull. When we recently rebuilt the bulkhead owing to rot issues we found indications of stress damage from the original baby installation. Martin DeYoung Calypso 1971 C&C 43 Port Ludlow/Seattle > On Nov 23, 2022, at 7:23 PM, Macdara Vallely via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > > So, I believe that my 82 C&C 32 had the option for a babystay. It's listed > in the brochure, and there is a fitting for what looks to be a t-ball fitting > just above the spreaders. > > No deck fittings on my boat though. > > Has anyone gone to the bother of installing the deck fitting? If so, would > you mind advising me on how you went about it? > > Did you go for a fixed point, or track? Chainplate to bulkhead; transfer the > loads through deck to stringers below or beef up deck? Also, how did you > tension? How was it stowed? > > I'm interested in installing the babystay to beef up the rig a little. The > rod-rigging is of indeterminate age, and while it has been professionally > inspected and passed muster, I am a belt for braces guy and I was thinking > the babystay might offer some redundancy. > > I appreciate all advice and speculation offered. > > Thank you. > Macdara > > > Don't forget to show your appreciation and help pay the bills. Make a > contribution at: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > Thanks for your help. Don't forget to show your appreciation and help pay the bills. Make a contribution at: https://www.paypal.me/stumurray Thanks for your help.
