Backstay with sheave and 7x9 wire OK?

[Ian McColgin]

I'm with your rigger. The back stay to a triangular plate that serves as the splitter would be far far better.

Better yet is one backstay. Why's it split? On some double-enders it's split to get the backstay around a tiller. But depending on the boat, it may be just a well to have but one, slightly off-set. On some yawls and more ketches it's split to get around the mizzen. Again, it's often perfectly possible to make a tie a bit off-center from the horn timber up to connect on deck or cockpit sole if the stay can be located back far enough and still pass the mast at or below the mizzen gooseneck.

A third option, rarer to say the least, was found on my Granuaile, an LFH Marco Polo. The fore and main backstays came to the main and mizzen respectivly at about the spreaders where the aft lowers could oppose. The stays went through a turning form to get down the foreward side of the mast to get the turnbuckle to a convenient height. This is best in rigs with raked masts and lots of follow to those lowers.

Whatever but I say get rid of the split by pulley.

G'luck

Ian