373 mast tuning

Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
Anyone have the procedure for tuning the Charleston spars roller furling mast?

Bob
2004 Beneteau 373
 

DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Try Neil Pryde Sails website. There was one for my 323 that came from that source.
 
Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
Thanks Doug,
Had already looked there - they have good info on sail trim but not mast/standing rig tuning.
The mast mfr sites have info on maintenance of the furling gear but again no info on tuning.
 
Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
Joker,
Thanks for the link.
That is the way I have tuned the mast on all previous boats which had single in line spreaders, fore and aft lowers and adjustable backstay.
However, the 373 has two sets of swept back spreaders, single lowers, uppers from the base of the upper spreaders to the tip of the lower spreaders, a baby stay, and two backstays from the mast head. In addition, I have the in mast furling.
So, this is a new one for me.
Mast is coming down to transport the boat so I need info for when re stepping.
 
Oct 27, 2010
119
E-22 e-22 Stratford
Bob:
Quick and simple:
1. tape measure or halyard to mast head, measure to point at gunwale same ref. point each side of boat to make sure the tip of the mast is centered in the boat. Loosen lowers and then take on and off both sides of caps equally until mast is centered at the tip.
2. Sight up mast and gauge how much prebend is in the rig. Main halyard pulled tight to gooseneck is your plumb line. Mast is about 8" wide fore and aft, so use this as your gauge. Adjust both cap shrouds equally now until you have about 2.5" of fore and aft prebend, max.
3. Bring up the tension on both lowers equally, until the prebend is no more than 1" or less. Make sure there is some prebend, you don't want to invert the mast with the lower tension.

On furling mast, you want to keep prebend to min as too much affects the ability to furl the main.
ON classics, you prebend to set the sailing shape of the main. Windy area, more, light air place, less.

Bob Pattison
NP Sails


Anyone have the procedure for tuning the Charleston spars roller furling mast?

Bob
2004 Beneteau 373
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,658
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Bob,
Check out the video on You Tube entitled "Tuning your Standing Rig", presented by Maryland School of Sailing & Seamanship. Good tutorial on basic rigging & tuning. Here is the link, if it doesn't take directly to the video, then go to you tube & search. I think it is worth the time to watch it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuhVrb1gI04
 
Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
Thanks all,
Some good info that many on the forum should read.
However, I assume that my rig is "unusual" and therefore I am concerned with getting it tuned properly - even by an experienced local rigger.
Here is a page from the owners manual describing the setup.
As you can see the caps do not go all the way to the deck, only to the lower spreaders with a fixed length (ref 3), then connect to adjustable (ref 1) shrouds to the deck. But the intermediates (ref 4) are adjustable. So how is ref 4 adjusted relative to ref 3? And then ref 1 to all this? Also, not clearly shown, twin backstays from the mast head crane.
I assumed that ref 1 is setup initially to center the mast head. But then what? How tight for each adjustment,etc?
 

Attachments

Apr 27, 2010
967
Beneteau 352 Hull #276 Ontario
Your mast setup is the same as mine with only #7 missing.

The attachment above shows exactly how to tune this type of mast and it's from Beneteau.

Good luck
 
Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
Joker,
Thanks again for your help.
Sounds like your attachment is exactly what i need. However, I have not been able to find it. Don't see any share this or an indication of an attachment in your post. Might be because I am using an iPad or because I just don't understand where to look.
 
Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
Like to publicly THANK joker for the detailed info. Gives me the "warm & fuzzy" that I will be able to get a satisfactory mast tune.
Thanks again for bearing with me,

Bob