Rig Tuning Hunter 33.5

[Glenn8732]

I am a new owner of a 1990 Hunter 33.5 and I need some help tuning my rig. My boat went in last week and I struggled getting my mast up. The below decks forestay pin below the furler is a real pain.

Being used to a mast head rig, I am scratching my head a little to tune this thing.

1. Attaching the rear stay put a good aft bend in the entire rig, and was not possible until I tensioned the upper shrouds. Is that normal?

2. My lower spreaders are not level, port side its a few degrees low and starboard a few degrees high. My plan was to loosen the rig and try to move the spreaders. Any suggestions?

3. What is the recommended method for tensioning this rig?

4. Has anyone added running backstays for down wind? ( I am planning on adding a spinnaker)

Glenn Hunter 33.5
Shadowland

 

[Ed Schenck]

Here is one thread that might get you started: http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=481420&highlight=tuning . There are more found in Search with just "tuning" and "33.5". Being the owner of a single spreader masthead rig I can't help much. But I do subscribe to the "on the water take the slack out of the leward shrouds" technique.

 

[Alan]

Tuning

The rig on your 33.5 is almost exactly the same as the 35.5. I spent many hours of trial and error refining the rig tuning of my boat. I now have it dialed in about as good as is possible.
To start with, the first thing you need to do is set the mast rake. For most boats it is set at between 1% and 2% of mast height. I prefer a better pointing ability so I set mine at 2.8%.
You will definitely need to make both sets of spreaders equal and set at the correct angle to the mast. Tensioning is best done with a tension gauge such as a Loos gauge.
As for running backstays, they are not used for downwind sailing. They are used for upwind sailing. I opted for a jumper strut on the mast in place of runners for the sake of simplicity and handicap points.

 

[Glenn8732]

Thanks for the good information.
When I get back out on the weekend I will start by leveling the lower spreaders, and then tension the cap shrouds. I may add a link plate to my rear stays because I am still concerned that I could not attach them without pulling them into place with a line and adding mast bend.

Jumper strut: Did you get it made from stock parts?
I assume that it stiffens the upper part of the mast and allows the rear stay to improve forestay tension thus improving upwind performance. Can you still depower the main with the back stay adjuster, doesn't it defeat the point of going to a fractional rig?

I have the original Hood below decks furler, so I have not looked at how I can adjust the forestay to set the rake. My assumption is that the previous owner had the forestay length set correctly. but I will measure to be sure.

 

[Alan]

Glenn,

The beauty of the jumper strut is that it does both at the same time. It allows the backstay adjuster to tension the forestay for better entry of the genoa and bends the mast to flatten the main. Both things need to be done together as the breeze builds going upwind. If you check the archives there was a discussion very recently about a couple of skippers who were going to place an order for a jumper strut and split the setup cost among all buyers.

I may be wrong, but I suspect that you don't have enough mast rake dialed in to the forestay which would account for the backstay seeming to be too short. The turnbuckle that adjusts the rake is at the bottom of the forestay. Set it at about half way for your initial setting and then fine tune it. If I may suggest, do your rig tuning with the backstay completely removed (the swept spreaders will keep the mast up, no fear!) and when all the rest is complete you should find it very easy to install the backstay. I leave my backstay completely loose until I drive upwind or need to control mast pumping.

The spreader tips should face slightly above horizontal (2 degrees I believe)