Angled Mast Step

[Guest QueenMary]

I recently bought an 85 J22.  I'm in love, but the boat definitely needs some attentjon. The one actual upgrade I'd like to do (beyond replacing all running rigging) is to replace the flat mast step with an angled one. Searching the forums, my understanding is that I need to buy the correct casting side, and that the base is the same for both styles.

Maybe I'm just bad at googling, but I cannot figure out where to buy one. The only step I can find appears to be the flat style from Sound Boatworks. Anyone have a good link? Many thanks! So glad to be a member of club 22!

[j22forum2]

You might try rigrite.com, they have an angled mast step listed on https://www.rigrite.com/Spars/A_spec_classes/H_J22_mast.php

Mast Step Upper SS plate, Angled

HS PR-11178UA

$ 159.

KT

[ghurwitch]

On 11/17/2021 at 7:08 PM, Guest QueenMary said:

I recently bought an 85 J22.  I'm in love, but the boat definitely needs some attentjon. The one actual upgrade I'd like to do (beyond replacing all running rigging) is to replace the flat mast step with an angled one. Searching the forums, my understanding is that I need to buy the correct casting side, and that the base is the same for both styles.

Maybe I'm just bad at googling, but I cannot figure out where to buy one. The only step I can find appears to be the flat style from Sound Boatworks. Anyone have a good link? Many thanks! So glad to be a member of club 22!

I had the same question, ironically for an '85 that I just acquired, and I asked Sound Boatworks and it seems like they have the angled bases depending upon which mast you have though I can't figure out how that would matter. 

[ElCapitan]

Does upgrading from a flat step to angled require buying a longer headstay, or will the original still work?

[cdoyle]

You can usually extend the turnbuckle or add a toggle to get the right length for the headstay.  The more difficult problem is often that the backstay is so long that you can't adjust it.  The best fix for that is cutting about 6 inches off the long (upper) part of the backstay at the bottom, and then cut the ring off of the part where the three parts of the backstay intersect.  Swage (professionally) a new fitting onto the bottom of the upper section and use spectra line to connect the three sections of the backstay.   The added benefit is that it makes it super easy to remove the backstay for launching/hauling. 

[ElCapitan]

Thanks, hadn't even thought of the backstay issue! Now I've just got to find someone who can swage the fitting for me.  

Overall will there be a difference in performance with the angled step, or is it just easier to get the rig tuned properly without overly stressing the boat?

 

[Cole]

@ElCapitan The difference when racing upwind is very noticeable. Would recommend the Vela Sailing supply forestay. If you try to extend your existing forestay, you may run into issues with the bottom jib hanks not going on.