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Hello!
I’ve just bought a Wayfarer and today was my first full inspection of it. I have a few things i just want to clarify before i go and do something wrong.
Looking at the Wayfarer Book, it talks about how the foresail halyard adds tension to the mast. My mast has a highfield lever on it so i see how that works. My question is what does the forestay do then? What happens if you sail without a Genoa? I tried the Jib sail today and that foresail halyard won’t reach the lever with that sail.
At the base of the mast where it sits in some sort of runner, i have no pins in that. I know I need them, but do you use one in front and behind the base of the mast?
I’m sure there will be more questions and any help is really appreciated.
Thanks again,
The Forestay keeps the mast up if there is no sail on the front, Your jib probably just needs a wire strop fitted to make it the same length as the Genoa. The Track at the base has a pin at the back of the mast(between the mast foot and centreboard case)Hope this helps a little.
You might find the following thread useful regarding the mast-foot pin etc.
http://wayfarer.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=372
On the subject of the wire strop, if you have a new strop made to exactly the right length to equal the effective total length of the wire in your other sail, then you will be able to use the same setting on the Highfield lever whichever sail you use, knowing that this will give the same rig tension in each case. (Remember to allow for the length of any extra shackles etc to join strop and jib).
Thanks very much for the info.
I had looked at that thread, and after looking at the boat its becoming clear.
Mat
How close to the highfield lever does it get ?
Extra shackles or a shroud adjuster plate can add a few inches when put at top of sail .
Another problem with highfield lever is it can move on the mast
Great if you need adjustment,but not so good when it slips under load.
I ended up drilling through sail track and keeping it in place with asplit pin.Roger
Hi,
Its a good way off, i just never really put two and two together and thought about the extra strop.
I was thinking about an extra fixing for that lever.
Hi
We actually did away with the highfield lever, because a) I couldn’t do it b) kept catching my fingers when releasing it. our answer was to fix a hook to a short piece of line which was
sorry didn’t mean to send the last post, decided to try a picture or better description later in the day. will send full description later
😳
Hi,
I know what you mean, im thinking of removing that lever. I’ve seen a couple of pictures on the internet and that lever is facing the other way round.Wayfarer INT Its the 3rd Picture.
You can see how mine has shaped that wire halyard as it pulls it around the mast base blocks. (sorry i dont know all the technical terms)
One other question i have, can you paint the fibreglass (the inside i mean)?
On my boat it looks like it has been painted and its peeling a little. Is it a good idea to do this? Do you need a special type of paint?
The Highfield lever is a source of a certain amount of dark humour due to its finger-catching tendencies. 😮
The “upside-down” arrangement in the photo that you referred to is probably for a halyard which isn’t lead to the base of the mast, but which emerges above the Highfield lever and hooks straight onto it without going 180 degrees around a sheave (which of course is what would happen at the base of the mast).
I was glad to be rid of my H lever and am happy with the muscle box that now replaces it (although the line supplied with it is a bit thin). I’m sure a cascade system would be more efficient, if less tidy-looking.
I love my highfield lever, not literally. Not catching your fingers is merely a simple case of easing the lever down rather than ‘flicking’ and letting go. Also I can’t help but think that releasing that tension quickly must be bad for the boat. It sounds horrible anyway. Highfield levers must also be cheaper than a muscle box and require very little in the way of maintainance, i.e. replacing lines etc. As to the strop, I use some prestretch line at the top of mine. This is cheap and does the job perfectly well. I know it will eventually run out but only cost about 40p. Also if the lever does shift having a line at the top will allow for a little adjustment to be made at the top end easily.
Have fun with the new purchase
Martyn – Jubilee
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