mast and boom

[trainmanjess]

hello all

i have a masthead on my rig.. the backstay is already fastened to it.. the forestay has a harken furler on it, and i am lengthening it up to the masthead.. i will be moving the shrouds up to the base of the masthead too.. the quick release lever on the backstay is to release the tension on the forstay so i can release it from the deck plate, so i can lower the mast, and ready it for trailering.. there is not enough room to put a johnson lever or turnbukle because of the harken furler.. i have a friend who has rigged and rebuilt sailboats, who is coming over to help me set up the standing rigging on the mast and sailboat.. the way it was set up when i bought it.. nothing quite fit to the right place... the forestay with the harken furler on it, wasn't attached to the mast at the same place the shrouds were attached... the harken furler was attached almost 3 feet above the upper shrouds attachment point.. and still almost 4 feet below the top of the mast.. the person who had this sailboat did some strange things to the standing rigging.. this is why i am changing the rigging to a full masthead set up.. the more i learn about the Mac's, this was not a rigging or mast from a Mac.. this is differant than other Mac's.. all the help i can get, i will welcome.. i know i need help getting this completed..

thanks
Jess

 

[centerline]

well if your going to extend the furler to the masthead, then now is the time to either add a turnbuckle or a johnson lever preferrably....
I already said it, but maybe you didnt catch it so i'll say it again... if you can currently, (or in the future) remove and replace the fore stay by releasing the tension on the back stay on your macgregor, there is a serious problem with the rig tuning on your boat.
it wont, and cant happen if its set up and tuned properly.... only be releasing the tension on the fore stay should you be able to make or break the fore stay connection..... you need a tensioner below the furler

 

[THECUSCUS]

Jess, make sure that if you bring the shrouds up to the masthead, you also move the spreaders(and lowers since they are together) up to keep the same ratios as before the move. Also, check the angle formed at the top, should be 12 to 14 degrees if I recall (check online for rig designs). Error to the larger angle, as our Macs are designed with safety in mind. BTW, the angle changes with the length of the spreader. The factory spreaders on a 25 are 36".