All - Does anyone have any good books or tips on tuning a rig? I have a Catalina 30 I keep on Eastern LI - I do not know of any reputable riggers in the area and most of the marinas near my boat service mainly power boaters. Is this something I should do myself or have an expert look at it? Last year I had the mast unstepped...the yard stepped it for me this year but did not tune it...nor did they have anyone come in to do it. They mainly service powerboats. I tightened everything down and eyed up the mast to make sure it was straight. I am not sure how tight or loose it should be though while sailing. Seems very loose on the leeward side. Thanks in advance - Rob
Rig Tuning
- Thread starter Rob19574
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C30 Association web site
Rob, Since you are looking to tune a C30....go to the Catalina 30 association web site...on the left side go to "table of contents" then select "technical library"...then scroll down until you see "new mast tuning"....after reading, you can see if you are comfortable with this undertaking. If not, you will have good information if you have someone do it for you. There is a lot of other great information on the web site. I highly recommend that you join the assocaiton if you are not already a member.
Rob, Since you are looking to tune a C30....go to the Catalina 30 association web site...on the left side go to "table of contents" then select "technical library"...then scroll down until you see "new mast tuning"....after reading, you can see if you are comfortable with this undertaking. If not, you will have good information if you have someone do it for you. There is a lot of other great information on the web site. I highly recommend that you join the assocaiton if you are not already a member.
Pro work - or buy the book
Rob, Sail tuning is pro work unless you understand the dynamics of rig loads and adjustments. If you wnat to do it yourself.... Buy this book. It is the by far the best book I'm read for do it yourself tuning -and- Sail theory, control and trim. It will become your best reference for all sail trim and tuning. The illustrations, explanations and examples are outstanding. It can be had for $13-20. Sail and Rig Tuning (Paperback) by Ivar Dedekam Paperback: 80 pages Publisher: Wiley; New Ed edition (July 31, 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 1898660670 ISBN-13: 978-1898660675 Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 0.2 inches BobD Boston
Rob, Sail tuning is pro work unless you understand the dynamics of rig loads and adjustments. If you wnat to do it yourself.... Buy this book. It is the by far the best book I'm read for do it yourself tuning -and- Sail theory, control and trim. It will become your best reference for all sail trim and tuning. The illustrations, explanations and examples are outstanding. It can be had for $13-20. Sail and Rig Tuning (Paperback) by Ivar Dedekam Paperback: 80 pages Publisher: Wiley; New Ed edition (July 31, 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 1898660670 ISBN-13: 978-1898660675 Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 0.2 inches BobD Boston
Get the book .... and
a Loos . etc. tension gauge. examples:http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MPS&Category_Code=TENGAU With a tension gauge you will always know exactly what is going on, will know when to look for problems, can quickly return to previous tensions, etc. Without a rigging tension gauge you will never have 'repeatability' in your settings. Sure you can set up a rig without a gauge ... but without a gauge your settings are not 'repeatable'.
a Loos . etc. tension gauge. examples:http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MPS&Category_Code=TENGAU With a tension gauge you will always know exactly what is going on, will know when to look for problems, can quickly return to previous tensions, etc. Without a rigging tension gauge you will never have 'repeatability' in your settings. Sure you can set up a rig without a gauge ... but without a gauge your settings are not 'repeatable'.
A case for the not too tight gauge.
With the gauge you really can reduce the anxiety of wether your cables are too tight or not. You will always know whentheyare too loose by the sag, but the nagging thought of them being too taught and the damagé that that can cause is always there. When tuning mine even on the lowest setting seemed awfuly tight. Just reducing that anxiety is worth the $45 for the gauge. Frank
With the gauge you really can reduce the anxiety of wether your cables are too tight or not. You will always know whentheyare too loose by the sag, but the nagging thought of them being too taught and the damagé that that can cause is always there. When tuning mine even on the lowest setting seemed awfuly tight. Just reducing that anxiety is worth the $45 for the gauge. Frank
Taking hold of the shroud or stay
and pulling it out of line is as good as most of us need. Tight as a banjo string is not needed. You can tell the difference between "bar taut" and "slack" with only a little experience. Beyond that you are picking gnats.
and pulling it out of line is as good as most of us need. Tight as a banjo string is not needed. You can tell the difference between "bar taut" and "slack" with only a little experience. Beyond that you are picking gnats.
I recently was in the dark also on this, I don't want it to loose or to tight. The loos gauage pretty much spells it out. I set mine to the minimum setting for 1/4". Then I went around the marina with the gauage and checked other rigs. I was suprized that all of them were set pretty close to the same. I set mine at the minimum setting and now when I take it out I adjust the shrouds up one turn at a time until theres no slak on the leeward side. that as I understand it is the perfect setting. Unless I'm racing and I don't... I may still be in the dark but I feel like its close and I'm not damaging anything...
Rob: If you have any doubts about the increase in your standing rigging's safety factor to be gained from a proper tuning, get Ivar's book (see BobD's post below). Ivar has illustrations showing graphically why you should use a guage and get the rig as tight as it was designed to be tuned. When we got a new 306 from Hunter in the fall of 2004, the dealer prepped it properly according to Hunter's instructions, and the shrouds were TIGHT, tighter than I would have believed could be correct. The whole shrouded mast assembly was like a rock!!! One year later it was sloppy loose, and I bought 2 guages (2 required by different wire sizes). Don't let anyone tell you that your mast system was designed to be sloppily supported, or just tuned until the leeward shrouds are no longer loose. Do it by the book!!! If you think your hull won't support a proper rig tuning, that is a whole 'nother problem, but I sure wouldn't want to be out in 20 kts of wind with sloppy shrouds. That is setting yourself up for possible loss of a mast.
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