Hunter 340 forestay tension and adjustment

[Robert1224]

Hello,

What is the procedure for tensioning the fore stay on a Hunter 340 with a B & R rig?
Decided to leave the mast up this winter and observed the fore stay (which has roller furling) seems a bit slack. A bit slack is a subjective initial observation in absence of putting a tension meter on it. (This will be done)
So, lacking a back stay how does one go about increasing then tension on the fore stay? Are the lower turn buckles connected to the upper shrouds the place to start for the initial adjustment and is there a documented procedure for mast bend that a fellow sailor would care to share? (It wasn't part of the Hunter manual that came with the boat).

Thanks,
Bob

 

[justsomeguy]

Your forestay will set the rake of your mast, and once that desired angle is obtained, you can tension the forestay via the upper shrouds.
I think.

 

[John T1594]

You need to contact a professional rigger to adjust your B & R Rig. The Mast rake is set with the mast off the boat using the diagonal shrouds - like stringing a bow for an arrow. In winter, the aluminum mast contracts more than the stainless steel rigging and everything will seem to be loose until the temperature is more summer-like.
I have never done it but North Sails says to check tuning of the B & R rig: Sail in 8-10 knots, hard on the wind. Look up the mast to see if the mast is bending one way or the other at each of the spreaders, and then check the leeward shrouds to see if they are slack. Change tack and repeat. If there is little or no problem then the rig is tuned OK. Record the findings and report then to a rigger if he comes to tune the rig.
To loosen the headstay the you can loosen the V1 or outer shrouds. Then retighten them so that the main halyard hangs at ~8-10' from the mast at a level above the gooseneck. Tightening the cap (V1) shrouds will bend the mast aft and move the hanging halyard further from the mast. Then you tighten the intermediates (V2) and that will bring the end of the hanging halyard back to the mast again. Playing this back and fore game will increase the headstay tension. Finally you sight up the mast and make small adjustments to keep the luff grove in line.
Seems too complex with the B & R rig so I leave it to a professional.

 

[Bill19233]

Robert, It also depends on whether it's a roller furling mast or not. In non roller furling, you need 5 or 6" of prebend in the mast. I found a rigger to do my 340. I would try to find someone who is experienced with B & R's, someone who knows what "prebend" is. Mine was way off, big improvement in pointing and performance after tuning. Selden has some great .pdf's on their website about tuning.

 

[Alan]

You need to keep in mind that mast rake is the ONLY thing that the forestay length can adjust. Tensioning the forestay is done with the shrouds if you don't have a backstay. The backstayless rig has some inherent problems and this is one of them.