Bungee Cord Splice, Is there such a thing?

[CJV]

Originally Posted by pyrofly73

I have rigged the running backstays on my Creekmore 34 cutter with high tech line spliced directly to stem balls and dropped into the Isomat spreader bases. The runners are lead to the aft corners of the boat through blocks and to the Lewmar 46 self-tailing winches. Although I am pleased with the outcome of this project I saw a modification that I would like to make to the system.

In the book " Offshore Sailing" by Bill Seifert & Daniel Spur they describe a system of making the backstays self retracting by using a bungee and a few small blocks.
The system is basically a bungee with one end attached at the lower spreaders it then comes down to the deck and through a small turning block attached to a stanchion base just aft of the mast. The other end of the bungee has a another small block through which the runner passes. In theory when you tighten the running back the bungee stretches and once you loosen it the bungee returns to it's no- stretched position an thereby retracts the runner.

Seems pretty clever and should avoid some trips forward in nasty weather. Any real world experience with this system? Also is there a nice clean way to splice bungee cord? I think it's important that it not only works well but looks good too.

Hope to hear from you guys.

Xavier

You should be able to bury the bungee in the core of the runner and stitch it in place.
Have seen a similar system but one that pulls the runners back to the backstay instead of down along the shrouds. It worked pretty well, until the bungees wore away. Now the runners flap about and, once, caught the boom, preventing the main from fully jibing and spinning the boat madly-- there were some very confused looks on the crew as the rail suddenly buried!