Baby stay

[sailingernie]

Has anyone done away with baby stay and is it needed. Sailingernie

[dmmbruce]

What boat and what rig do you have? The baby stay is there partly for support, but mainly to enable you to put bend in your mast. So, is the rig designed for this and the mainsail cuut accordingly?

They have other uses too, such as setting an inner staysail.

Mike

[sailingernie]

It's a 9 mtr catalac with the stainless steel frame at each side baby stay catches sail at every turn but I think it's to do with rudders there is a gap between skeg and rudder it compromises turning aswell I could be doing 5 or 6 knots and she just stalls it's ok doing a 360 so I need to see to rudders I would think thank for answering. Sailingernie

[dmmbruce]

I think there is a catalac group on facebook and you will probably find answers for what you want there.

Mike

[Baste]

I had the same problem with the genua being cought by the baby stay when tacking. As the stay can be important I didn't want to remove it altogether. Instead I replaced the turnbuckle with a high load block and tackle and a dyneema rope that runs to the cockpit. Now I can remove and reset the baby stay when I want without going up un deck.