Upper lower shrouds

Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
800lbs on 3/16 wire is 18% of breaking strength, pretty much perfect.
That is good to know. So, does that sound right for a 24'-25' mast on a 23.7' boat? You're saying the OP had it right to begin with? My 19' footer with 24' mast isn't nearly that hard to setup. Of course, I have a backstay. I'll have to check to be sure, but I think I only have 1/8" cable.

If I went up to 3/16" do I need to increase the tension?

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
That is good to know. So, does that sound right for a 24'-25' mast on a 23.7' boat? You're saying the OP had it right to begin with? My 19' footer with 24' mast isn't nearly that hard to setup. Of course, I have a backstay. I'll have to check to be sure, but I think I only have 1/8" cable.

If I went up to 3/16" do I need to increase the tension?

- Will (Dragonfly)
I'm only saying that 800 lbs of tension is correct for that wire. I have no idea what's up with his rig.

Rigging is sized to create a balanced and stable platform between sailplan and righting moment. There is usually no good reason to upsize, only bad ones.
 

Jimmy

.
Jan 28, 2018
176
Hunter 26 lake Powell lake mead
Even with these extra links I can adjust up to more than 800 lbs found some stainless climbing links to replace these cheap ones. I could not get the mast rake right with out them.
 

pateco

.
Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Thank you sir most everyone else thinks I’m doing something wrong your post is what I was after
Since I am not an H26 owner I cant say who is right or wrong, but the toggles I posted should be much better that what you are using now. Good luck.
 
  • Like
Likes: Jimmy
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
most everyone else thinks I’m doing something wrong
Not true Jimmy. I'm sorry if that is the impression we are giving you. We are just feeling like you are right to feel there IS something wrong, but we don't have enough information to simply suggest a way of extending your shrouds without confirming that is the real issue. It is an unusual situation and, for us who don't own or know your boat, we need understanding to feel like our help was appropriately given.
After a few back and forths, your responses remain consistent with your assumption, so please take our hesitancy to go directly to an answer as real caring for your and your boat's safety.

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
  • Like
Likes: Jimmy

Jimmy

.
Jan 28, 2018
176
Hunter 26 lake Powell lake mead
Not true Jimmy. I'm sorry if that is the impression we are giving you. We are just feeling like you are right to feel there IS something wrong, but we don't have enough information to simply suggest a way of extending your shrouds without confirming that is the real issue. It is an unusual situation and, for us who don't own or know your boat, we need understanding to feel like our help was appropriately given.
After a few back and forths, your responses remain consistent with your assumption, so please take our hesitancy to go directly to an answer as real caring for your and your boat's safety.

- Will (Dragonfly)
Thanks Will
 
  • Like
Likes: Will Gilmore
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I had it like that for the 5 times I raised the mast but I had to pull the Mainsheet with everything I had to pin for stay. my tension I measured today and the upper and lowers were at 800 lb it maxed out the Loos Gauge so I knew something wasn’t right.
Your lowers should be NOWHERE near as tight as your uppers. And if you tighten them in the wrong order, you'll end up with zero pre-bend in your mast.
 
  • Like
Likes: Jimmy

Jimmy

.
Jan 28, 2018
176
Hunter 26 lake Powell lake mead
Photo won’t load but I have the forstay attachment at bow u bolt with Turnbuckle adjusted midway I measured rake and I had six inches of rake.
 
Dec 14, 2003
1,393
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
Crazy Dave has a very good point. Your spreaders are swept back. If turnbuckle on headstay is screwed all the way in,or secured at the wrong place, top of mast will be too far forward, thus raising the tips of the spreaders upwards and consequently shortening the length of the shrouds. I would make sure all turnbuckles, including headstay are only engaged a couple of threads and try again. Forget about rake & tension for now, the issue is securing the mast properly. You can tune it later. Good luck
 

Doug J

.
May 2, 2005
1,192
Hunter 26 Oceanside, CA
Even with these extra links I can adjust up to more than 800 lbs found some stainless climbing links to replace these cheap ones. I could not get the mast rake right with out them.
Regarding mast rake. With the boat in the water and no wind, hang a weight on the main halyard as a plumb bob. At the goose neck you should have 4-6 inches between the mast and the halyard. Do you?
 

Jimmy

.
Jan 28, 2018
176
Hunter 26 lake Powell lake mead
Yes not in the water But I measured where it sits in water last time I was out.
 

Fred

.
Sep 27, 2008
493
Catalina 28 mkii 745 Ottawa, Ontario, CA
If your forestay is connected to the front eye bolt you will likely require some type of extenders to keep the mast raked back. If the 260 is the same as the H26 the forestay was designed to connect to the tang in the bow. A picture of the bow connections would help.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Jimmy,

Because your boat has no backstay, it's spreaders are very long and swept back at 30 degrees, as opposed to the normal fractional angle of 18. This means that the mast and shrouds will be very sensitive to rake. Therefore, read this and let us know where what you did or what happens differs.

First, take off the extra loops/links. ;^)

Loosen all the turnbuckles so the top of the screws are even with the inside of the bottle body (most open).

Raise your mast to vertical, holding it forward. Mast should seem 'loose' but will not fall sideways

Pressing the mast forward, pin your forestay. This might take a bit of pressure but not a huge amount.

Tighten your forestay to say 80% of the turnbuckle

Tighten your uppers to around 400. Measure your rake. Loosen your forestay to get it to 4 inches

Tighten your UPPERS to 800 (20% breaking strength)

You SHOULD have a nice (pre)bend in your mast, with rake.

Tighten your lower diagonals until they snug, tight but not trying to pull the mast straight.

As other point out, excess weather helm can be caused by many things, including an overpowered main cause by bad rig tune! If you can get to this state, try sailing again.
 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Claude, Doug and Jackdaw pretty much hit it on The nailhead. There is a mast raise system for that boat but a little different. There is some pretend bu along the line of the rest of the small Hunter boats.
 

Jimmy

.
Jan 28, 2018
176
Hunter 26 lake Powell lake mead
Jimmy,

Because your boat has no backstay, it's spreaders are very long and swept back at 30 degrees, as opposed to the normal fractional angle of 18. This means that the mast and shrouds will be very sensitive to rake. Therefore, read this and let us know where what you did or what happens differs.

First, take off the extra loops/links. ;^)

Loosen all the turnbuckles so the top of the screws are even with the inside of the bottle body (most open).

Raise your mast to vertical, holding it forward. Mast should seem 'loose' but will not fall sideways

Pressing the mast forward, pin your forestay. This might take a bit of pressure but not a huge amount.

Tighten your forestay to say 80% of the turnbuckle

Tighten your uppers to around 400. Measure your rake. Loosen your forestay to get it to 4 inches

Tighten your UPPERS to 800 (20% breaking strength)

You SHOULD have a nice (pre)bend in your mast, with rake.

Tighten your lower diagonals until they snug, tight but not trying to pull the mast straight.

As other point out, excess weather helm can be caused by many things, including an overpowered main cause by bad rig tune! If you can get to this state, try sailing again.
This is what I did with extensions on I’m going to go to the lake in a few weeks and try it I will keep you updated. Thanks everyone
 
  • Like
Likes: Will Gilmore