I need to set the tension on my O'Day Saler II. Need to know how many pound of tension to set on each shroud. ron----------
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Tension adjustments for daysailer
I was taught that tension not quite as tight as a banjo string is ok for most daysailers such as ODays. I used this method for 18 years successfully on mine after getting that advice from other owners. The question of proper rake of the mast is most important of course and then proper tension for that amount of rake adjustment. Remember, skyscrapers have a certain amount of "play" and your mast should not be absolutely rigid either. Play it safe and check tension each season along with rake and condition of all standing rigging. You have a nifty boat there....my two cents worth.
I was taught that tension not quite as tight as a banjo string is ok for most daysailers such as ODays. I used this method for 18 years successfully on mine after getting that advice from other owners. The question of proper rake of the mast is most important of course and then proper tension for that amount of rake adjustment. Remember, skyscrapers have a certain amount of "play" and your mast should not be absolutely rigid either. Play it safe and check tension each season along with rake and condition of all standing rigging. You have a nifty boat there....my two cents worth.
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
snug and sloppy
I was told that both shrouds and the forestay should be snug at the dock and the leeward forestay should just go slack when on a reach or beating. If you put too much tension on it you will not get the mast bend you need for sailshape, and may crush the underfoot support under the mast compression post. It is only 145 sq feet of sail so the pressure on the sail is equally,(theoretically) 145 pounds. Your center of effort is only a little over 6 feet up from the boom, add another couple of feet for boom height above the chain plate, and you have an 8 foot lever pulling at the chain plate. I'll leave it to the engineer types to figure out the pounds pull at the chain plate, but in essence you don't want to pre-compress your mast by having having all your stays overstretched to begin with. Common sense would tell you that you are not leaving a lot of buffer in the system.
I was told that both shrouds and the forestay should be snug at the dock and the leeward forestay should just go slack when on a reach or beating. If you put too much tension on it you will not get the mast bend you need for sailshape, and may crush the underfoot support under the mast compression post. It is only 145 sq feet of sail so the pressure on the sail is equally,(theoretically) 145 pounds. Your center of effort is only a little over 6 feet up from the boom, add another couple of feet for boom height above the chain plate, and you have an 8 foot lever pulling at the chain plate. I'll leave it to the engineer types to figure out the pounds pull at the chain plate, but in essence you don't want to pre-compress your mast by having having all your stays overstretched to begin with. Common sense would tell you that you are not leaving a lot of buffer in the system.
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