Is my rig too loose

[Nathan Greenland]

I am not sure how tight to adjust my shrouds on my Catalina 22. I don't have a tension gauge. I am not interested in maximum performance, just safety. I have noticed that when closehauled and at about 15-20° heel, the leeward shrouds become slightly slack. Is this normal?

 

[Mike]

Mine does

I also have a Catalina 22, and I noticed that mine does the same thing in that situation. The previous owner said that it is normal but I often wonder myself. I would like to get a professional opinion on that though.

 

[Timm Rivette]

Yes indeed

I recently ordered the rigging video from Catalina Direct.According to the video It is not uncommon.The video gives two ways to adjust and check rigging tension.My advice,spend the money on both the gauge and the video.I figurethe gauge can be used on thenext boat and there was a lot of other good information on the video. No I don't work for them,I figure no one was born knowing this stuff,everyone had to start somewhere.

 

[joe]

A rig tuning guide...

...is part of every catalina owner's manual. Download it from any Catalina owner's association website. Taking up the slack on the leeward shroud will be addressed in the tuning guides. I'm sorry, I don't have the C22 association link, but here is the C27 link to the tuning guide. http://www.geocities.com/catalina+27/ (I just tested this link, to make it work you will have to copy and paste in the address bar)Also, here is a very good link to a number of race tuning guides for the popular one designs. Although the c22 isn't included in the list you can really learn a lot by browsing them. http://www.jworldsf.com/sailboat_tuning_guides.htm Final comment: if you're lucky, Bayard will respond to your query and you won't have to look anything up.

 

[Campy]

Tuning

Mine did the same thing. One year I even lost the port spreader while close hauled on a starboard tack in about 20 knots of wind. The next few seconds were pretty wild as I came up into the wind, lowered jib, lowered the main, started the engine and tried to do it quietly and calmly. I had finally convinced my panicked non-swimming neighbor to come out with me. In response, I tightened up the shrouds on both tacks which resulted with a super tight rig that gave me a heck of a time when I went to break it all down and put her on the trailer.In all, I'll now ensure that the spreaders are properly attached and pinned at the mast and install a head sail downhaul. I'll tighten the shrouds as outlined in the previous articles and this year I'm not going to worry about the loose leeward shrouds nor the spreaders comming loose.Campy

 

[tomD]

manual tuning procedure

Slacken off everything.Using the main halyard as a plumbob with the winch handle tied on it for weight, adusts the forestay and backstay to get 6 inches of rake, measured along the boom, which you have on and pigtailed to the backstay.With the rake set, go from side to side on the sidestays, in mirror image pairs: begin with the back sidestay, then the forward one. Those are the pairs that go part way up. Snug them, but twang them to get the sense of tension. Then do the center sidestay, carefully, 1 turn at a time, or you'll bend the tip of the mast sideways.Get away from the boat with her sitting on her waterline, and look at it. If the mast is centered, back on the boat and snug it down hard in pairs, back and forth, on the sidestays. The shrouds should Thrumm when you twang them.Finally recheck the rake because C-22's really need this 5-7 inch aft rake on the mast to go to wind. Harden them off.Whole procedure takes 30 minutes and guarantees you a good sail.

 

[Don]

C22 Tuning Guide

Click on the "Related Link" below to take you to the North Sails Catalina 22 Tuning Guide.