V-42 Staysail Stay and Staysail Boom

   I have had some significant problems with the staysail stay on my V-42.  One day while furling the genny, a whipping jib sheet hit the staysail stay and the staysail wire broke at the top of the lower swage fitting - dropping the whole mess to the deck with the staysail still neatly flaked on its boom. People often consider using the staysail in heavy weather. With a 1/4 inch wire, I considered it too weak for storm conditions. After all, mine broke and the sail wasn't even up! I re-engineered the whole stay and attach point:

1) The staysail stay was upgraded from 1/4" to 5/16" wire.

2) A larger turnbuckle was installed with a T-fitting top and bottom (same turnbuckle as on the lower shrouds).

3) A Staylock fitting with an eye at the lower end was used as a terminal on the staysail stay. This allows the turnbuckle to twist and flex independently of the stay. The SS swivel attachment that the staysail boom is attached to no longer rides on the stay, but instead rides around the top of the threaded portion of the turnbuckle. Twisting motions are now limited to the rather beefy turnbuckle and the staysail stay is free to swivel above the T-fitting.

4) The swivel configuration (from bottom to top) is: the turnbuckle body, two regular SS nuts to lock the threaded portion, the SS staysail swivel, the old SS washer welded to the turnbuckle, the T-fitting, then the Stalock fitting and stay.

    This has worked well for the last 30,000 miles. Also, watch out for corrosion inside the SS swivel fitting where it joins the Isomat gooseneck for the staysail boom. Dissimilar metals are in contact here (SS on aluminum). Mine had corroded solid and contributed to the stay failure. I had to buy new washers (the 2 or 3 inch ones from Isomat) - the old ones crumbled into dust. I now flush this religiously with fresh water after going to sea.

    Lastly, I noticed corrosion and wear on the fitting where the staysail boom attaches to the stay swivel with a couple of washers (see photo). This is a confusing bit of engineering from Isomat. You don't attach the boom by pinning it through a hole. A large open-ended area holds the boom on by using some unique geometry around two large washers. Unless you see the photo's or disassemble one, understanding it is difficult. I won't even attempt to explain it. When I lifted the rear of the boom about 15 degrees, the staysail boom separated from the stay swivel, crashing to the deck. By lifting your boom and watching the play, you can see any slack and probably determine its condition without disassembly.

Wayne Strausbaugh

     wstrausbaugh@suddenlink.net