This is the first year that we have taken the mast down on our 1982 30ft Catalina and need help with adjusting the rigging. We are usinga Loos guage and really have now idea as to what we are doing. Any help, suggestions, or numbers????
Rigging Adjustment
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Hire a Rigger
I had the same problem with a 89 Cat 30, had the mast down this winter and did not know where to start. Instead of lost sleep, I hired a professional Rigger. Might have been the best $100 I ever spent. He replaced all of the clevis pins, cotter pins and tuned the rig. He also went over the rigging pointing out some minor issues I need to keep an eye on. I watched him very closly, and could do the job myself next time; this said I would still bring him back just for the piece of mind. Just for the record I tend to do most projects on the boat myself. This past spring I completly re-built my steering system, replaced my rudder, installed new wind, speed and depth and the list goes on. My point, I enjoy doing my own work, but the rigging is too important to leave to chance. This guy did not even use a guage, it was like he was tuning a piano.
I had the same problem with a 89 Cat 30, had the mast down this winter and did not know where to start. Instead of lost sleep, I hired a professional Rigger. Might have been the best $100 I ever spent. He replaced all of the clevis pins, cotter pins and tuned the rig. He also went over the rigging pointing out some minor issues I need to keep an eye on. I watched him very closly, and could do the job myself next time; this said I would still bring him back just for the piece of mind. Just for the record I tend to do most projects on the boat myself. This past spring I completly re-built my steering system, replaced my rudder, installed new wind, speed and depth and the list goes on. My point, I enjoy doing my own work, but the rigging is too important to leave to chance. This guy did not even use a guage, it was like he was tuning a piano.
I agree with Chief. Hire a rigger. To explain
how to use the Loos gauge is fairly straight forward but that's not going to make sure your mast is straight up and down, port to starboard. If you're not used to sighting up the mast for straightness, no matter how well you adjust the tension on the shrouds, your mast still may not be right.
how to use the Loos gauge is fairly straight forward but that's not going to make sure your mast is straight up and down, port to starboard. If you're not used to sighting up the mast for straightness, no matter how well you adjust the tension on the shrouds, your mast still may not be right.
Rig
is not that hard If you took the mast off the frount stay should be the same and the shrouds on one side should still be the same as they where the last year You should have marked the shrouds when you took them off and It would be easer to rerig . I mark mine with tape . Your rig is adjusted to boat feel and how the mast stays on the leward side of the boat look .When you start adj your rig use a 50 ' tape measure and I pull one end of the tape up on the mainsail hailyard and then measure down to the chain plates and get a even measurement .Then tighten the headstays an even number of turnes on both sides untill your loss gage reads 800lb for a1/4" wire I use two small wrenchs that fit the stays It hard to over tighten when you hit 800lb you feel the rig get tight and its harder to turn the small wrench.Then I tighten the lower stays its easier to line up the mast with the boom off I tighten the frount lower stays to 450 lb then tighten the rear lower stays stays to about350 the back stay I adj until there is just a small amount of sag in the head stay with sail rolled up. Go for a sail when going to windward there should be just a small slight sag in the leward stays and when you look up the mast it should look straight with a slight bow to the front.Mast rake should be set from last year.But my boat likes to have the mast about 3" raked back out of plum use fishing line and clip one end to the main hailyaard and put a plum bob on the bottom. At boom hight there should be about 3" between the mast and the fishing line mast rake couses weather helm the more rake the morethe boat turns to thewind when the wind gusts .850lb is about 25% breaking stranth of 1/4" SSwire this should be max I start at 800lb and then need about 11/2 turns on each side of the headstay to get it wright .The lower stays stay about 450 and 350 once the head stay is tuned. 500lb is25% of breaking strainth for 3/16 ss wire these numbers come from the loos bookletand they worked great on my boat but all boats are not the same so go slow .look at your stays under sail.That will tell you how to adjustyour rig check your mast from your dingy and you can see If Its evenfrom top to bottom and lay on the deck looking up in 16 Knts of windand see if the rig looks good and straight I feel that this is part of sailing and the only way to learn it is to do it.In the winter you should lousen your rig becouse of wind and becouse the hull changes shape when its not siting in the water this can put presher on the rig and hull My moter vibrates if my rig is not adjusted to the right tention.Where I sail most of the guy dont have a clue as to how to rig there boat and I think Half of them sail it the way the yard leaves It when they drop it in the water.There are alot of books on this at west marine that will help Good luck John
is not that hard If you took the mast off the frount stay should be the same and the shrouds on one side should still be the same as they where the last year You should have marked the shrouds when you took them off and It would be easer to rerig . I mark mine with tape . Your rig is adjusted to boat feel and how the mast stays on the leward side of the boat look .When you start adj your rig use a 50 ' tape measure and I pull one end of the tape up on the mainsail hailyard and then measure down to the chain plates and get a even measurement .Then tighten the headstays an even number of turnes on both sides untill your loss gage reads 800lb for a1/4" wire I use two small wrenchs that fit the stays It hard to over tighten when you hit 800lb you feel the rig get tight and its harder to turn the small wrench.Then I tighten the lower stays its easier to line up the mast with the boom off I tighten the frount lower stays to 450 lb then tighten the rear lower stays stays to about350 the back stay I adj until there is just a small amount of sag in the head stay with sail rolled up. Go for a sail when going to windward there should be just a small slight sag in the leward stays and when you look up the mast it should look straight with a slight bow to the front.Mast rake should be set from last year.But my boat likes to have the mast about 3" raked back out of plum use fishing line and clip one end to the main hailyaard and put a plum bob on the bottom. At boom hight there should be about 3" between the mast and the fishing line mast rake couses weather helm the more rake the morethe boat turns to thewind when the wind gusts .850lb is about 25% breaking stranth of 1/4" SSwire this should be max I start at 800lb and then need about 11/2 turns on each side of the headstay to get it wright .The lower stays stay about 450 and 350 once the head stay is tuned. 500lb is25% of breaking strainth for 3/16 ss wire these numbers come from the loos bookletand they worked great on my boat but all boats are not the same so go slow .look at your stays under sail.That will tell you how to adjustyour rig check your mast from your dingy and you can see If Its evenfrom top to bottom and lay on the deck looking up in 16 Knts of windand see if the rig looks good and straight I feel that this is part of sailing and the only way to learn it is to do it.In the winter you should lousen your rig becouse of wind and becouse the hull changes shape when its not siting in the water this can put presher on the rig and hull My moter vibrates if my rig is not adjusted to the right tention.Where I sail most of the guy dont have a clue as to how to rig there boat and I think Half of them sail it the way the yard leaves It when they drop it in the water.There are alot of books on this at west marine that will help Good luck John
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