Mast and 20 knots

[Dennis]

This is bound to be a re-hash on this, but I thought it may help some. I have sailed my 216 in light to 25 knots of wind and have done the same all along with no bad side effects. I will put 3-4 inchs of pre-bend in my mast every time I sail with the mast in the second hole on the step. I have never used the chock and think it kind of silly that the two eye straps are going to help keep the mast from pulling back. I only had that happen with a solid vang, now that I use a boomkicker and 8-1 vang I can flaten the sail without the mast pulling back. Try this to set up your rig: On the trailer I will put up the mast, attach the shrouds and put the boom on. Attach the main halyard and pull the mainsheet untill about 3-4 inches of pre-bend is visable, snug your lowers and tighten the uppers very thight so when the mainsheet is let off the pre-bend remains. Use zip-ties on the turnbuckles so they don't come loose. Doing this I have been in winds so strong that I watched the top of the mast bend off, and last week, flying the spinnaker in 20 plus, we broched the boat, but the mast held fast and did not pull back.  I am not a rockstar of sailing and not saying this is the only way, but as long as we can post our ideas and give other ways a try, we can tune our boats to the way we want to sail.

 

[Stephen Hardy]

I'm unsure of what hole we are supposed to use for pinning the mast at the base. I have read some use the first hole and some others use the second.There is a email in the archives from the designer of the H216 Glenn Henderson in 2005 that says to use center hole, but Lind at the Hunter factory had told me to disregard and use the first hole.I have been using the first hole with the factory wedge on the deck. I have also experienced the pin backing out of the wedge after a while.Help anyone?ThanksSteve

 

[Gary]

H216 Mast setup

Dennis, I'm going to be sailing my H216 for the 4th year this summer and originally I also had concerns taking the boat out in winds over 15knots. Last year however things changed, I also have a boom-kicker and used the same mast set up procedure as you did except that I use the last hole in the mast step plate. What a difference, in addition to being much easier to setup, the boat stood up well in much stiffer winds while maintaining reasonable control. I use the mast chock with no problems; mind you I have a slip for the boat all season long so raising and lowering the mast is not a problem. This is truly an amazing boat, a real blast to sail and people are always stopping by to look at it. Mind you some guys shake their heads at the B&R rig, most often when I sail right by them.Gary *5

 

[Jeff Prideaux]

last hole?

Gary,When you say you use the "last" hole in your mast step plate, are you referring to the most forward hole or the one most stern?thanks,Jeff

 

[Gary]

Last hole?

Jeff,I've always used the rear or stern most hole for the mast setup. Like its says in the manual. By using the technique that Dennis described, its easy to tune the shrouds and there's probably more mast bend than the manual describes. I haven't tried to set the mast further forward. I wanted to keep the forward shroud tight, and using the aft most hole in the sole plate you don't have to pull the mast aft as much by tightening the uper shrouds I generally sail the boat a few times before making the final shroud adjustment once things have stabilized a bit. I don't have a tension guage. I just set it up acording to what feels best. Performance is great. I hope to have my first sail of the season this weekend. Just launched my boat today.Gary