[Public-List] Rig Tuning

[Dave Terrell]

John

I use the second generation Loos tension gage. Loos suggests tensioning the rig at 10 to 12 percent of the breaking strength of the wire. I settle in the middle at 11. I find that using these guidelines works well for a cruising boat. One thing I did this year was to start with all the rig loose and to gradually work up to the goals going from side to side till the goals were met. The result was a very straight mast. The biggest problem I have had is that top of the mast bowed forward. The solution was to loosen the fore stay (I have roller furling -this was easy with Profurl). Aside from doing this, if you have roller furling, the best you can do is assume that the tension on the back stay and the fore stay are identical. 

One thing remains a little mysterious to me. Many people put somewhat less tension on the lowers, particularly the aft lowers. If my eyes can be trusted, I think the having the aft lower tensioned like the forward lower has pulled the mast a little aft at the spreaders. I am going to reduce the lower shroud tension a bit and see what happens. I am interested in what others say on this issue.

Racers often tune for the day's predicted wind speeds and conditions. Recently the Mainsheet had story about one racer to out performed his opposition by tuning for the day, much to the surprise of some of his competitors. I do not know how they make these choices and would like to learn about they make these decisions. 

There is a fair amount of material on our website tuning the rig. A survey was taken some years ago and results of that survey can be found there. If I recollect correctly, there is some discussion of the reasons for tuning choices.

Peter Nielson's Sail Power has a good discussion of rig tuning. 

David, 432, Scholarship II

>>> <JIRVING104 at aol.com> 07/05/08 7:50 AM >>>

I'd like to see some pictures of Matthew's boat mainly to see how the  dinghy 
fits on the forward deck.  Does anybody have suggestions on how to  rig an 
Alberg 30 regarding fore/aft tilting of the mast and shroud  tension?
John Irving
Vermont
 






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