J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum Racing Tools and Techniques Weather Helm

Taras - you really want to get that extra inch out and make the headstay the max allowable length. Shortening the headstay is ok for heavy air, but you want the full extension of the mast without pressure from the backstay raking back the top of the mast for lighter conditions. I remove one side of the backstay from the transom just to make sure it is loose when setting up the uppers and lowers.