Tuning standing rigging.

Nov 21, 2015
6
Seafarer 26 Lake Martin
Ive owned my first boat for one year. I would like to get the tension on my shrouds and stays correct. How do I determine the best tension range for my boat? She is a Seafarer 26'.

Thank you
Terry
 
Feb 10, 2004
3,917
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
First I suggest you get a copy of Rig Tuning by Brian Toss. This video explains how to go about tuning your rig. You will need a Loos tension gauge that will measure the tension in your sized rigging, Then I would try to get the specifications from the factory. Failing to get the actual specifications, I think that the rigging is normally adjusted to 20% of the breaking strength- BUT I COULD BE WRONG. YOU NEED TO CHECK THIS FOR YOURSELF.

What evidence do you observe that suggests that the tension is not correct now? If you don't feel you have the knowledge to make proper adjustments, seek out a qualified rigger. Above all, do no harm.

I have a Loos gauge and I have adjusted my rig in the past. Two years ago I had a rigger with 30+ years experience adjust my rig after being removed for a boom upgrade. I had the rigger do the tuning because I though he could do a better job than the yard personnel. I spoke to him afterward and asked if he used a gauge. He told me no, that he tuned by hand! I checked my rigging with my gauge and found all of the tensions to be right on except one was 200# off. That was an insignificant amount! You can't beat experience!!
 
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Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
I have found lots of mast tuning guides on the various sail maker sites and especially on the spar makers' websites. Selden, Hall, Forespar, etc.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Terry;
I use to tune rigs up to 49 feet by hand never using any gauges due to knowledge and experience being taught by the old timers as a dealer now retired. I will be glad to discuss this with you if you want via telephone if you want to send me a private message. My hands are hurting as I am restoring a pool for a friend of mine after the professionals came in and made a mess out of it. He is reimbursing me for materials only as labor is free. My friend does so much for the church which everyone expects him to do without any return for his work. So my work is free and going into the 8th day as it is indoors and have to be very careful not to get dust flying around. Epoxy paint slung all over that pool for starters and the gel coat finish so dull but now I can see my ugly face where it has been restored.
 

Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Terry;
I use to tune rigs up to 49 feet by hand never using any gauges due to knowledge and experience being taught by the old timers as a dealer now retired. I will be glad to discuss this with you if you want via telephone if you want to send me a private message. My hands are hurting as I am restoring a pool for a friend of mine after the professionals came in and made a mess out of it. He is reimbursing me for materials only as labor is free. My friend does so much for the church which everyone expects him to do without any return for his work. So my work is free and going into the 8th day as it is indoors and have to be very careful not to get dust flying around. Epoxy paint slung all over that pool for starters and the gel coat finish so dull but now I can see my ugly face where it has been restored.
Damn, Dave, you hijacked you're own post.... >>>>>>>Focus<<<<<<<
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
I am not the original poster for this thread. Just trying to help. Not trying to hijack anything. I can hijack out of all of this and as a friend of the family once said, Old soldiers never die, they fade away.
 
Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
Terry,

Will you be trailering each time? Tune "correctly" will probably only happen a couple of times before you give it up. We step our mast, throw the Johnson lever and give the shrouds a strum. Seem OK? Lets go! If you had a 35 footer, spar up for months or years at a time, perfect tuning makes perfect sence. But for us little guys who are rigging and unrigging in a single weekend or maybe an afternoon . . .not so much. Dont get me wrong. They should be evenly taught within the proper range and safe. Keep in mind that they stretch anyway. Tighten them and sail closehauled in a stiff breeze. Look at your leward shrouds. Probably quite loose. Bear into the wind and they tighten up. Normal.
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
If the spreaders are swept back, wouldn't rig tension bend the mast?? If so, shouldn't the main sail design determine the prebend in the mast and therefore determine the rig tension?
 
Sep 6, 2015
110
Unknown snipe delaware bay
Terry,

Will you be trailering each time? Tune "correctly" will probably only happen a couple of times before you give it up. We step our mast, throw the Johnson lever and give the shrouds a strum. Seem OK? Lets go! If you had a 35 footer, spar up for months or years at a time, perfect tuning makes perfect sence. But for us little guys who are rigging and unrigging in a single weekend or maybe an afternoon . . .not so much. Dont get me wrong. They should be evenly taught within the proper range and safe. Keep in mind that they stretch anyway. Tighten them and sail closehauled in a stiff breeze. Look at your leward shrouds. Probably quite loose. Bear into the wind and they tighten up. Normal.
Along these lines....
Being a new guy I have been thinking of correct tuning vs. what I have been doing. Step, looks o.k. go. should I/we at least tune close on the hard to set a base line for the adjustments offered, or just continue to wing it? A loos gauge is pricey, but is it needed?
Eric
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Waterpirate, if you are sailing a Snipe, I'd recommend you go looking for the Snipe association web page and see if you can find any tuning guides. One design racing classes tend to have a tuning guide (or several guides,) usually developed by some reasonably successful racers in the class. It will get you close, but while good racers tend to share to help bring other up, they don't always share all their secrets. :D That being said, the tuning guides for GP14 class tend towards the newer composite boats, and if I tried to increase rig tension on my '66 wood boat to these modern standards, I'd drive the mast through the bottom. The Loos gauge is fairly standard, but not considered to be the most accurate, what with being thrown into gear bags or flopping around in the bilge. This model could be more accurate: http://www.apsltd.com/pro-tension-gauge-3-32-quot-5-32-quot.html but for a daysailer it's probably overkill for your needs. It's nice to have a one design boat, so you can follow what racers are doing and adapt to your needs from there. The rig directions for my O'day, on the other hand, are so vague as to be somewhat meaningless. Basically, the O'day needs to be not too tight, and certainly not as tight a rig as I would normally tend towards from a racing standpoint. It's a problem trying to sail fast on boats which really aren't fast oriented...
 
Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
WaterPirate,

If you're a trailer sailor, dropping the mast often, you're a smaller boat. Tuning by eye and feel will be safe and effective. Your rigging should be close to correct anyway. If you need to loosen the shrouds to step, count the turns. If you loosen the stays, don't. Get a Johnson Lever installed. Then it's 1) step 2) put the pin in the loose stay. 3) close the lever and pin. We have a Johnson Lever and never touch our stays. They stretch enough to pivot the mast so up it goes!
 
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Sep 6, 2015
110
Unknown snipe delaware bay
Thanx Guys,
That answers my querry for the most part. A Johnson lever is on my short list for spring to aid in lot to water time. I will race anything that is willing, lol but it not my focus. Ripping around for my own amusement is my passion vs. organized events.
Eric
And thanx for that link!
 
Nov 21, 2015
6
Seafarer 26 Lake Martin
Yes 'i will be trailering. Seems to be trial and error with an eye towards "tight is not always right."
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
I will race anything that is willing, lol but it not my focus. Ripping around for my own amusement is my passion vs. organized events.
Remember the definition of a yacht race: Two or more vessels in sight of on another. :D:D:D

It's funny how some people don't seem to realize they are in a race. This past summer it was funny, a friend of mine who used to race Flying Scots decided he wanted to live a more civilized life, and bought a Catalina 22 Sport. We went out sailing on it, and he talked all kinds of talk about being relaxed, loving the cruising life, etc. until I was on the tiller and this other boat behind us was gaining a little bit. He was all "Don't let that guy catch us!" and I was all "But you're not a racer anymore..." and he was like "Yeah, right. Trim for speed!" Hahahaha.
 
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Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
Remember the definition of a yacht race: Two or more vessels in sight of on another. :D:D:D
My family fails to comprehend that concept. We'll be out on the lake, and I'll be chasing down some boat and the DW is like "leave them alone". I try to explain to them that is just what you do, but they don't get it. Had a guy on a Hobiecat chase me down. They don't understand its a compliment to be a worthy opponent, even if you loose.
 
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Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
My family fails to comprehend that concept. We'll be out on the lake, and I'll be chasing down some boat and the DW is like "leave them alone". I try to explain to them that is just what you do, but they don't get it. Had a guy on a Hobiecat chase me down. They don't understand its a compliment to be a worthy opponent, even if you loose.
I get that part, but when you have strange boat 20 feet off your port quarter in 20 knots winds, gusting to 25, approaching an area that you know you're going to have to tack to port because of the ledge that extends out 1/2 mile from that island right there . . . Fortunately they tacked before I had to cause problems . . . just before.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I get that part, but when you have strange boat 20 feet off your port quarter in 20 knots winds, gusting to 25, approaching an area that you know you're going to have to tack to port because of the ledge that extends out 1/2 mile from that island right there . . . Fortunately they tacked before I had to cause problems . . . just before.
Thats why in the entire RRS, there is only TWO places were boat-boat communication is prescribed. One is calling PROTEST. Thats the other; calling for water.