[Rhodes22-list] Failed Stays

[jbconnolly at comcast.net]

I hauled the boat yesterday and was a bit shocked to find that in the two weeks since I last saw her both starboard lower stays were badly damaged.  The aft stay had about one strand left intact, with the rest failed at the top of the upper swage with signs of rust.  The forward stay had about half the strands failed above the swage, and had untwisted to about two feet up.

I had a bit of anxiety over lowering usingthe remaining stays, but eventually rigged a snubber using a dock line and the forestay (in case the remaining stays failed), and got the mast down safely.

Since the forward stay particularly untwisted so obviously, I am guessing I had a twist in it that stressed it,  There was no sign however of untwisting on the aft stay, even with only one strand intact, so I don't quite understand what happened there.  That one failed at the top of the swage.

Guess I am buying some new stays.

Anyone else suffered this sort of failure and figured out why?

To keep from twisting the stays, I usually let them hang loose to find their referred orientation, then attach.  I always hold the upper swage when adjusting the turnbuckles to keep from inducing a twist.

I never quite got the lowers adjusted to my satisfaction this season.  They always seemed a bit loose.  Could this have been a factor?  Maybe it was a symptom (i.e., strands failed and stays stretched and loosened).

Also, still looking for ideas on tiller and cabin hatch finishes that are compatible with one Stan did for me in 2003.

Jim Connolly
s/v Inisheer
'85 recycled '03