shroud tension

[Barry]

My head stay and back stay seem rather loose, I know the head stay is way too loose. The problem is, if I thghten up on the head stay, it may rake the mast forward, which I don't think should happen. The adjuster on the back stay only has about 1/2 inch of room to adjust. What to do? Also, my shrouds seem to be a bit loose. I tightened them a bit, but they apear to have become loose again. they have about 1/2 inch of play. Does anyone know what the tension should be on these older 30's Mine is a 1975 vintage. I don't want to overtighten. Should there be considerable slack on the leward side? or should the tension be relatively the same on both sides under sail? Thanks ahead of timeBarry

 

[Henry Weber]

rig tension

Hi Barry-on my h30-1977 I try to carry about 1100lbs on the stays and 900 on the shrouds.Cap shrouds should carry a bit more than the lowers. Basically I adjust so that the lee side in say 12-15kts still has some tension and does not go totally slack. The mast should not bend to lee either. That is what I do but it probably could be done more precisely.Good Luck,Henry

 

[Ed Schenck]

Mast compression?

Not familiar enough with the H30 to know if you are deck-stepped or keel-stepped. If deck-stepped you can loose tension due to "settling" or worse, rotting! From the online Cherubini Hunter manual(link below) it appears the H30 has a compression post. Make sure all is right with the post and it's cross-member under the sole before tackling rigging tensions.

 

[Peter Albright]

Cabin Top Compression

I have a '77. The area under the compression post was filled with epoxy by a previous owner.I had problems with rot in the plywood, and balsa coring under the mast step, from water damage.If the cabin top,under the mast step is not flat, you may have the same problem.

 

[Barry]

Thank you for the inputMy mast is keel stepped so I know that the cabin top and compression post is not the problemBarry

 

[Ben]

carry allot of tension

It is better to carry as much tension as structurally possible then it is to worry about overtensioning. you will damage fittings more by being slack and having them snap tight when tacking or going over waves. a 1/4 inch wire has a breaking strength over 7000lbs. On my 33 I run 1800 on shrouds and 1600 on back stay, which will tighten the forestay a bit more. The gauge mentioned of lee shroud slack in 12-15 knots is a very good gauge of proper rig tension.