Sailing last week in 15-17knot winds I had only the 110 jib up on my H22. My leeward shrouds were lose. Is this normal with just the head sail up. When I sail with main & jib (in same wind cond) they do not appear as lose?? Should they be tighter??
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shroud tension
Hi Ron - I would take up the slack on the leeward shrouds when sailing. Then make sure your mast is in column (both sides should be at about the same tension). If you know someone with a Loos Gauge at your marina, see if you can borrow it to measure tension. Otherwise, just making sure the mast in in column (fore-aft and port-starboard when siting from the base at anchor or at the dock) should suffice. Best, Trevor
Hi Ron - I would take up the slack on the leeward shrouds when sailing. Then make sure your mast is in column (both sides should be at about the same tension). If you know someone with a Loos Gauge at your marina, see if you can borrow it to measure tension. Otherwise, just making sure the mast in in column (fore-aft and port-starboard when siting from the base at anchor or at the dock) should suffice. Best, Trevor
shroud tension
I am no expert, but I have been paying attention to this issue after I purchased a Loos gauge this year. It is true that the lee shrouds are supposed to be loose, but I understand that there should not be any slack until the wind is at about 10mph. Someone else may correct me on this. You write that you were in 15 - 17 knot winds, so your lee shrouds should be loose in those conditions. The question is how loose? That's where the gauge comes in handy. Until I got the gauge and checked my shrouds, my lee shrouds flopped all over the place with very little wind. Not good. If you do not have a gauge, you can check the set of your mast with the main halyard. Take enough out to touch the deck on one side, and it should touch the deck on the other side without adjusting the length. To check for and aft, the halyard should hang down pretty close to parallel with the mast, or maybe a little aft, or for, depending on the rake. Of course, that just verifies that the mast is set properly. It does not test the tension on the shrouds. Trevor, I've seen your posts and respect your opinion, but I question whether it is a good idea to take up slack in the lee shrouds while sailing, at least without the benefit of a gauge to test the tension. If they are set correctly, they will be slack at 15-17 knots, and if you take in the slack, wouldn't that throw out the balance? Again. I'm asking for information. (Also, I am assuming cruising like I do, not serious racing with the wheels that adjust tension during the race.) I cannot offer an explanation for slack in the shrouds with the head sail and not with the main up. I will leave that to the experts, but Larry's explanation makes sense to my limited brain power. Again, that is the little I know about it, and many others here know much more and will correct me (I hope) if I'm wrong. I think there are some good descriptions of this process in the archives. Good luck Alan
I am no expert, but I have been paying attention to this issue after I purchased a Loos gauge this year. It is true that the lee shrouds are supposed to be loose, but I understand that there should not be any slack until the wind is at about 10mph. Someone else may correct me on this. You write that you were in 15 - 17 knot winds, so your lee shrouds should be loose in those conditions. The question is how loose? That's where the gauge comes in handy. Until I got the gauge and checked my shrouds, my lee shrouds flopped all over the place with very little wind. Not good. If you do not have a gauge, you can check the set of your mast with the main halyard. Take enough out to touch the deck on one side, and it should touch the deck on the other side without adjusting the length. To check for and aft, the halyard should hang down pretty close to parallel with the mast, or maybe a little aft, or for, depending on the rake. Of course, that just verifies that the mast is set properly. It does not test the tension on the shrouds. Trevor, I've seen your posts and respect your opinion, but I question whether it is a good idea to take up slack in the lee shrouds while sailing, at least without the benefit of a gauge to test the tension. If they are set correctly, they will be slack at 15-17 knots, and if you take in the slack, wouldn't that throw out the balance? Again. I'm asking for information. (Also, I am assuming cruising like I do, not serious racing with the wheels that adjust tension during the race.) I cannot offer an explanation for slack in the shrouds with the head sail and not with the main up. I will leave that to the experts, but Larry's explanation makes sense to my limited brain power. Again, that is the little I know about it, and many others here know much more and will correct me (I hope) if I'm wrong. I think there are some good descriptions of this process in the archives. Good luck Alan
Loose leewards
The concept is to not adjust your turnbuckles when they are under load. Therefore, the best way to do that is to only adjust your leeward turnbuckles when you are under sail if your leeward shrouds are too loose. Stu
The concept is to not adjust your turnbuckles when they are under load. Therefore, the best way to do that is to only adjust your leeward turnbuckles when you are under sail if your leeward shrouds are too loose. Stu
Rig Tuning
Several people have stated that it is "normal" to have slack leeward shrouds. My experience is that when the shrouds are set to 20% of nominal breaking strength on a properly rigged boat, there is virtually no discernable difference between the windward and leeward shrouds.
Several people have stated that it is "normal" to have slack leeward shrouds. My experience is that when the shrouds are set to 20% of nominal breaking strength on a properly rigged boat, there is virtually no discernable difference between the windward and leeward shrouds.
Never loose!
Your leeward shrouds should never be loose! Loose shrouds result in shock loading of the rig during a tack or gybe. With loose shrouds, the rig can move a fraction of an inch during these maneuvers. Then the slack shrouds have to take up the stress of the rig on the new course, and, at the same time very quickly stop the substantial momentum of the moving rig. Shock loads can easily be multiples of the normal sailing load, leading to a much higher chance of catastrophic failure. The slack of loose shrouds should be taken up equally on both sides to keep the mast in column, and straight up. There is no problem with adjusting turnbuckles underway, as long as the crew is safe. In fact, that is one way to set rig tension. (The other way is to tighten the shrouds to a tension target using a Loos guage.) David Lady Lillie
Your leeward shrouds should never be loose! Loose shrouds result in shock loading of the rig during a tack or gybe. With loose shrouds, the rig can move a fraction of an inch during these maneuvers. Then the slack shrouds have to take up the stress of the rig on the new course, and, at the same time very quickly stop the substantial momentum of the moving rig. Shock loads can easily be multiples of the normal sailing load, leading to a much higher chance of catastrophic failure. The slack of loose shrouds should be taken up equally on both sides to keep the mast in column, and straight up. There is no problem with adjusting turnbuckles underway, as long as the crew is safe. In fact, that is one way to set rig tension. (The other way is to tighten the shrouds to a tension target using a Loos guage.) David Lady Lillie
Tension target
I'm thinking of getting a loos gauge. But in using it: How do you determine the target tension? Dick
I'm thinking of getting a loos gauge. But in using it: How do you determine the target tension? Dick
Tension Target
The included instructions with the gauge will explain how much tension and the order of setting for either mast head or fractionl rigs. HTH Ellis
The included instructions with the gauge will explain how much tension and the order of setting for either mast head or fractionl rigs. HTH Ellis
Tuning procedure
Ron, the tuning procedure we learned for our '77 h27 could easily be adapted to your h22. It's at the link below. As to why flying the jib alone puts more strain on the masthead, causing the leeward shrouds to loosen: Without the main, the lateral forces from the jib are the only forces on the top of the mast. When the main is also up, it loads the whole length of the mast, especially the lower third. The lower shrouds hold the mast to windward, so the leeward pressure on the lower mast is results in a windward leverage on the upper mast. This partially balances the lateral force of the forestay at the top of the mast, reducing the chances that it will be deflected enough to loosen the leeward upper. That's one reason why sailing with only the foresail puts more stress on your rig than reefing both sails for a balanced sail plan in higher winds. David Lady Lillie
Ron, the tuning procedure we learned for our '77 h27 could easily be adapted to your h22. It's at the link below. As to why flying the jib alone puts more strain on the masthead, causing the leeward shrouds to loosen: Without the main, the lateral forces from the jib are the only forces on the top of the mast. When the main is also up, it loads the whole length of the mast, especially the lower third. The lower shrouds hold the mast to windward, so the leeward pressure on the lower mast is results in a windward leverage on the upper mast. This partially balances the lateral force of the forestay at the top of the mast, reducing the chances that it will be deflected enough to loosen the leeward upper. That's one reason why sailing with only the foresail puts more stress on your rig than reefing both sails for a balanced sail plan in higher winds. David Lady Lillie
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