Lets go over shrouds

[Sublime]

I installed new shrouds this season on my new to me catalina 25 (mast head rig) and so I've been spending time re-tuning as they stretch and settle in. The old ones were original to the boat which will turn 42 years old next year. SMH.
The water was completely flat which is rare where I sail so today, I got out the loos gauge and got the tension where I wanted and equal both sides. First I got the mast settled forward and aft, then started working on the side stays. They had stretched quite a bit. The tension wasn't even registering on the gauge.
So I got them up to what is recommended.

I cleaned and closed everything up as it was time to go home. I looked up the mast just once more and noticed it seems the middle of the mast bows to starboard. Well drats and I was out of time.

This brings me to my question. If they're equal tension then why would the mast not be in column?
Perhaps my eyes and glasses tricked me. It'll be next weekend until I go back.

The good thing is that the shroud adjustment and some sailkote on the slugs fixed my baggy sail problem.

 

[Davidasailor26]

The fact that they're equal tension only means that they're both pulling equally on the mast. It doesn't mean anything about their relative length. The stiffness of the mast might pull a little extra on the shorter shroud, but that pull will be negligible compared to the wire tension. What you want is to get the mast in column, then tighten the shrouds evenly until you get to the right tension.

 

[Will Gilmore]

What you want is to get the mast in column, then tighten the shrouds evenly until you get to the right tension.

Agreed.
Don't worry about the guages until everything looks and feels right.

I got them up to what is recommended.

By recommended, do you mean 15% of breaking strength? If you read some boat's rigging manuals, you will see they recommend that as a maximum tension. With new composites materials, standing rigging can be made lighter and stronger than ever, but it doesn't mean the tension on your mast or chainplates should go up because stronger wire is being used.
Tension just enough that the lee turnbuckle is barely de-tentioned in 15 to 20 knots wind on a beam reach.
The goal is to hold the mast against the forces put on it by the sail, transfer those forces to the hull and have everything stay just tight enough that a sudden jibe won't snap a loose stay tight and part it.
Materials with more stretch may need to be tighter than materials that don't have a lot of stretch.

-Will (Dragonfly)