Re: Quick Release Shroud Levers

Mac Davis (mcmd@innet.com)
Fri, 13 Aug 1999 09:13:22 -0400


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Hi Carl:
Installing a shroud lever on the head stay was one of the first changes I
made to my new (then) 1995 P19. I had difficulty in getting proper tension
without a lot of pushing, grunting and straining. I used the smaller of the
levers made by C.S. Johnson. Installation required shortening the stock
headstay, and putting in a new eye, but was straightforward. I used
crimp-on copper sleeves and a stainless thimble to fashion the eye at the
new shorter length, and then everything went together smoothly. I also
installed a plastic ball, called I think a "bobble" above the eye to give me
something to push against when connecting the eye to the shroud lever. I
rigged a leash, secured to the bow pulpit, for the pin out of a 16"
stainless fishing leader. This prevents "oops" at an inopportune moment.
With the installation complete, I can erect the mast either at the dock or
underway without assistance, and the forestay is tight enough for acceptable
sail shape.

As for the side stays, I usually leave them attached to the mast and boat
unless I want to remove the mast completely. Another early mod was to
install a second set of rudder gudgeons so that the mast crutch can be used
with the rudder in place. With all this done, the headstay is the only
piece of standing rigging that that has to be removed to lower the mast.
Just remove the fron pin from the mast step, undo the headstay, let the mast
swing aft until it rests on the crutch, and then I can negotiate the fixed
bridge that block the channel from my canal to the Gulf.
Hope this helps,
Mac Davis, Kelpie, WWP19#804, Aripeka, Fl

----- Original Message -----
From: Carl Bostek, CRNA, FNP <aurorahs@sinbad.net>
To: Potter Mailing List <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 12:10 AM
Subject: Quick Release Shroud Levers

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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Does anyone have any experience with quick release shroud levers on
their stays? I saw some in the West Marine catalog (but not in the
store here in Anchorage). They look as though they could be quite
useful for speeding up the process of stepping/unstepping the mast. I
would like a quick release connector for attaching the stays -- is this
it, or does anyone have experience with another system?

Thanks,

Carl (#1803)

PS -- thanks for the great response on how, or whether, to straighten my
mast!