New to b&r rig lots of prebend on furling mast

Sep 15, 2025
3
Hunter 38 Mount Sinai
Hi All
I'm new to the b&r rig and also new to in mast furling. I just purchased a Hunter 38 with both and the mast has a lot of bend in it. I estimate 10 inches. Also the outer shroud stays feel very tight. I read that the mast should be almost straight. I am not sure why the previous owner had it rigged this way and the surveyor was not helpful in this regard.
I have always tuned the rig on previous boats I owned but those were standard masthead rigs.
So I have a few questions...
Is this normal?
Should I worry about damage to the rig?
If it's not then how should I approach fixing it?
Thanks
 
Apr 11, 2010
981
Hunter 38 Whitehall MI
I have a 2008 38. I can’t say for certain but 10 inches seems like a lot. Unfortunately my selden manual is on the boat and I’ve already put her away for the season. In fact with the in mast furling I’d think you‘d want mast to be pretty straight to avoid binding of the furler. Perhaps you could go to the selden site and get information from them. I did find in another thread a link to a tuning manual for B&R rig.
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/attachments/hunter-386-tune-b-r-rig-pdf.195788/

I’m not sure how helpful it will be but here are a couple of pictures of out boat and the mast looks pretty straight to me.
IMG_1806.jpeg
 
Mar 20, 2004
1,748
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
I have a 2008 38. I can’t say for certain but 10 inches seems like a lot. Unfortunately my selden manual is on the boat and I’ve already put her away for the season. In fact with the in mast furling I’d think you‘d want mast to be pretty straight to avoid binding of the furler. Perhaps you could go to the selden site and get information from them. I did find in another thread a link to a tuning manual for B&R rig.
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/attachments/hunter-386-tune-b-r-rig-pdf.195788/

I’m not sure how helpful it will be but here are a couple of pictures of out boat and the mast looks pretty straight to me.
View attachment 234622
on our 356 the non-in-mast called for 8" of prebend but for the in-mast is was only 2". you've got way too much. the selden tuning instructions should be followed carefully - probably available for your boat on the forum here
 
Jun 17, 2022
327
Hunter 380 Comox BC
8 to 10 in is about right. It's probably overdue for a rigging inspection by a rigger? The H38 owner's manual has the prebend info in it.

Welcome to the forum!