Letters

To stay or not to stay

Owen Brown has done a great job of describing tensions and compressions in rigs with wires (Mastering the Rigging PBO May 2021), but, to my mind, he brushes past the solution that obviates all of those issues. Why not just do away with wire rigging entirely?

He refers to unstayed masts in passing and PBO has occasionally published technical articles on the merits of unstayed rigs, but I think too few cruisers appreciate their advantages.

They reduce the risk of mast failure because with no wires to corrode or break, and no end-of-stay fittings to fatigue or drop off the rig is more simple and reliable.

They enhance sail efficiency: there are no stays for a boom to hit, which allows the sails more angles of attack for the wind. Wishbone booms allow for the sail chord or depth to be adjusted to suit conditions