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New owner E 27 couple of questions

sailinggiant

Junior Member
Hello all, I recently purchased a 1973 e 27 and have a few questions. I got the boat for a song $500, And i joined the yacht club i bought it form (also very reasonable). The boat is equipeed with a roller fuler and a 150 genoa, and a standard mainsail. I noticed there appears to be a block on the backstay to add tension. What do you call this and when would i need it? does the jib require a block or can you sail without it? (the rails are empty) This is an inboard model converted to outboard, will a 25' SHAFT WORK RIGHT ON THE TRANSOM? OR DO I NEED TO HAVE A BRACKET? thanx in advance for your input.
 

Capt. Max

Member II
Well You have a few questions. Lets try to address them.
Your backstay; its a backstay adjuster . pull it down pretty tight.
6" of rake. Hang something heavy from main halyard/ it hangs around 6"
back from mast at boom.
The jib block I dont understand. Do you mean the genoa car/ block running on side of boat for jib sheet?
You probably cant just hang a motor on transom without cutout or bracket.
I have cutout on my '73.
What hull are you.
Its not alot of info but better than none.( I dont type well)
Just a try. Good Luck
We will try to help you.
 

AleksT

Member III
A few words on the Backstay adjuster. It is there to adjust the camber of your sails by bending the mast and tightening or loosening the tension of your headstay.
If you don't want to muck about with all of that just have your rigger tune your rig to the appropriate rake without using it.
Thats what I did on my boat since I am not planing to race it. Perhaps if I change my mind i will replace it.
 

sailinggiant

Junior Member
Thanx for the quick reply the transom is cut for the outboard. The jib car block is what i'm missing,
 
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bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Congratulations on your E27!
Most boats have the Hull Identification Number molded into the transom. But they didn't start doing that consistently until the early 70's (not sure exactly what year). Check the rudder plate in the cockpit. My hull number (1972 hull #195) is stamped there.
Doug
 

jkenan

Member III
You will definitely want a genoa car, which will keep the clew where it generally should be. I have the Sheafer 32-88 on my E29 (which has a 2500Lb SWL), but if I were buying new, I'd probably look at the Garhauer Low Lead Car LLC-2. The Scheafer is nice because it can accomodate 2 lines, allowing you to rig a headsail change while one is still flying (probably more important for racers). The Garhauer is much less expensive, and they make a great product.
 

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
Welcome sailinggiant.

Post some pictures of you back stay adjuster, outboard cut out transom when you can. Yes, you will need jib car blocks on both sides. Hopefully you boat has jib car tracks. I think most of your questions have been answered above. I have often thought about adding a aft stay adjuster, but I don't think I could gain that much rake with my standard rig E-27. In fact I have had riggers tell me that.
 

Mark F

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Welcome Sailingiant,

I think the track for the genoa cars on your boat are 1" but you should check. Then you will need something like this Garhauer,
 

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Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Effectiveness of a back stay adjuster on an E27???

Jeff and all, Correct me if I'm wrong but I've been told that an adjuster doesn't serve much purpose on a masthead rigged boat. Now take the E25+ for an opposite example with its 7/8 ths fractional rig, then the adjuster would have something to bend. Wouldn't the forces of a stay adjuster on an E27 or for that matter, my boat just tend to drive the mast into the deck or keel? I need a clarification here from others waaay smarter than me. As a point of interest, my boat came to me with one fitted. It was the double sheave design attached to my split back stays, I took it off and gave it away. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
 

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
Well I had a aft stay adjuster on my old MacGregor and it work quite well in assisting in sail trim. It was also a nice feature on a trailer sailor as it assisted in easily in tuning the rig. It was easy to rake that little mast.

I do have a spilt aft stay so adding a block and tackle purchase system would not be that difficult to install.

Here's a nice link form the San Jaun 21 site that I think explains the function better than I understand it. http://www.sj21fleet1.org/tips-and-tricks/backstay-adjusters

Here's a shot of the very simple system I had on the MacGregor 22. That's Anacapa & Santa Cruz Islands on the horizon back in 2002 btw.
 

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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
You will find that the Backstay tensioner on a masthead rig is used to tension the headstay. This lets you point higher and let your head sail take it's designed-in shape when going to windward.
Our masthead-rig boat does not start to bend the spar until the load gets up to about 1500 to 2000 pounds.
The change in the headstay sag is very noticeable, however.

FWIW, I have indeed put about a 6" inch deflection (bend) in our mast, but our main sail is cut flat enough that there is not a lot of draft change to be had that way for us. (...at least not for the type of sailing I do nowadays...)

Just remember to slack off most of that BS pressure when you get back to the dock, and not leave the boat with huge static loads on the rig/boat.

Loren
 

PDX

Member III
Does having a deck stepped, as opposed to keel stepped, mast enter into this? Glyn's boat has a deck stepped mast. Yours (Loren's) has a keel stepped mast I believe. It seems to me it would be easier to get the mast to actually bend, as opposed to just getting it to rock back, if it is keel stepped. On the other hand, if you're mainly trying to tension the headstay, maybe getting an actual bend in the mast isn't that important.
 

AleksT

Member III
A keel stepped mast is much stiffer and harder to bend. Design of the mast itself also contributes (wall thickness, aluminium or carbon fiber)
If your backstay adjuster is tightening your headstay your mast is bending, granted perhaps not enough to make a noticeable difference. Also in whether your lower shrouds are in line with the uppers or there are four of them, two forward and two aft, will have an effect on how your mast bends.
 

PDX

Member III
Aleks:

I'm not sure I understand your final sentence. My boat is single spreader with only three lines on each side, one upper, two lower. Glyn's is the same and I think Ericson 27s are the same as well. Is this a good arrangement for bending the mast, or is double spreader better?

Thanks.
 

CaptDan

Member III
Aleks:

My boat is single spreader with only three lines on each side, one upper, two lower. Glyn's is the same and I think Ericson 27s are the same as well. Is this a good arrangement for bending the mast, or is double spreader better?

Thanks.

I think there are two dynamics being confused here. A double spreader rig is designed to allow tighter jib sheeting angles and - hopefully - higher pointing performance. (I say 'hopefully' because, sometimes, it's not this simple.:))

Loren is correct; a backstay adjuster on a masthead rig is primarily used to harden headstay tension which, in turn, trims the jib and adjusts the main'sl camber so the two rags can function in unison better. Lacking proper adjustment machinery, taking up on the backstay tension accomplishes the same thing, albeit in a static, non adjustable fashion.

Now the question: is it desirable to use an adjuster on a masthead boat - particularly many Ericsons with stout Kenyon spars? I say: yes AND no. 'Yes' if you intend to induce a 'smile' onto the sheer of your fiberglass boat. If the port/starboard view tends to droop or frown, crank hard on that adjuster until the effect looks 'happy' enough to you. And 'No' if you're not an avid racer and don't need to stress your yacht accordingly. :)

I believe in the old sailing maxim: 'If it doesn't bend easily, why break it?'

Flamesuit on; fire away.:egrin:

Capt Dan G>E35II "Kunu"
 

AleksT

Member III
It is not a number of spreader thing but where the shrouds are lead. In the 27 and other boats the lower shrouds (the ones that don't go over any spreaders) are led forward and aft of the mast. This keeps the center (up and down) of the mast stable. If you tried to push the center of the mast forward the aft led shrouds would be pulling the center of the mast aft. This makes the mast harder to bend.
If you look around at you neighbors boats you will see some with only two lower shrouds (one on each side). They are usually in line with the upper shrouds give or take an inch. Now if you push the middle of this mast forward there is nothing extra pulling aft making this mast easier to bend.
 
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