Why does my boat have a backstay and "side" backstays?

[Rgvkiwi 12]

I think I have wrapped my head around the backstay. Roughly speaking tighten for upwind, loosen for downwind.

But what purpose do the side (aft each corner) backstays do?

Presumably they act more for the headsail shape than the mainsail?

- Overall Im trying to learn how to sail our boat more effectively. She always seems so overpowered, not so much through the tiller but in lean angle. Im told to sail Ross 830's as flat as possible.

The sail shape is (to me) always quite full, I suspect this might be down to age.

Normally I would increase the outhaul tension but this seems to be already max and still too full.

[Young Entertainer 59]

the runners (backstays to the corners) will either terminate at the same height as the forestay,  in which case they add forestay tension which should equal height and speed upwind

of they terminate at the masthead in which case if you have a backstay as well then they are probably more about mast support when using masthead kites or gennakers

[alibaba 67]

How is your traveller set up on the 830? If you have a decent range on your traveller, you should find that, on the wind, dropping the traveller down and closing the slot should allow the boat to sail more upright without losing performance. Worth playing with, particularly in the gusts.

[Vivaldi 45]

How did you get on with your recent sails? Did you get a chance to play with the mainsail, twist etc?