Cutter rig on Swan 40?

I am considering to install 2 forestays, i.e.as a cutter rig, on my Swan 40; one for the roller genua and one for the selftacking jib. Both will have furling gears. Has anybody done similar changes in the rig? I would appreciate any comment or advice.

Leif (Sunniva V Swan40#36)

See John Bailey's post of 24th August, 09  plus replies

Cosmo Little

Also Jankooistra + replies

Dear Cosmo Little,

As I want to place the second forestay as close as possible to the original one in order to keep the  selftacking jib on the second furler as large as possible, I would appreciate to get to know what the distance is between the forestays on your boat (both on deck and on the mast). From your picture as well as the drawings and figures by Guegan Yvon from “Kallinira” it seems that they are much closer than what Matteo talks about on his Swan 38 “Only You” (about 170 cm between the deck fittings). For me it would be an advantage to have it just in front of my hatch to the anchor chain box (see enclosed picture). The distance would then be 55 cm between the centres of the  forestay fittings.

Any comments or advice?

Best regards

Leif

Leif, some photos of what I have done. It has been very good so far in terms of dealing with heavy weather when short handed. 

I used the exsisting babystay and track so only need to buy a light furling system.

John 

Dear John,

Many thanks for excellent photos which helped a lot to see how you solved the problem. I am testing to have the inner forestay closer as I will use it for my selftacking jib even when sailing in the archipelago and the older first forestay for my roller genua. The boat is back in the sea now and the mast with the new forestay added will be on next week.

Best regards

Leif

Hello everyone.

One should be careful that the second forestay should leave sufficient space for the furled genoa, including reasonable sag of the original forestay, especially when sailing in a head sea where it will move around. Otherwise you will risk abrasion on the furled genoa. I remember the owner of Fanny de la Ninon (41)  -sorry, I do not remember his name - having such very annoying problem.

Kind regards. Philippe 41/022

Dear Leif,

 sorry for late reply, only just seen your post.

  I have now fitted a length of stainless track which gives a variable position for the base of the second forestay. I have kept it totally removable, so it can be stowed by the mast. Moving it to the in use position in any sea is really difficult. I have to use a block and tackle to pretension it before I can get the connecting pin in. My jib is only about 200sq ft, Force 5 or above the windward performance is better with the jib, rather than the reefed genoa.

  I will take some photos of the new track when I am next on the boat.

regards Cosmo little

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions about how to solve the modification to a cutter rig on my Swan 40. I enclose here some photos showing my solution. Sailing in the Baltic and the archipelagoes in Scandinavia I was keen on keeping the possibility to have as large as possible area of my self-tacking jib. The question was then how close could I place the second forestay behind the first one. My solution was 400 mm. It is close, but it functions. It is even possible to tack with the roller genua (53.5 sqm) on the first forestay, better than expected.  However it has also meant that I could use the #2 genua jib on the second forestay in case I wanted it as an alternative to the selftacking jib without the need to roll in and out when tacking . And the size of the new self-tacking jib could still be 25 sqm.

Fair winds

Leif /Sunniva V (Swan 40#36)