Shroud tensions, Catalina 27, North sails

[mcollingwood]

If anyone has an opinion on upper and lower shroud tension settings (loos guage) when running a north main and genoa coudl you please post here?

Thanks
Vancouver Catalina sailor

 

[sailboatracer]

Ballpark numbers. Uppers between 12-18% of breaking strength of wire. Lowers between 10-14% of breaking strength of wire. Varies depending upon expected wind speed. It doesn't matter who made the sail.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Get the mast standing straight, use the halyard to measure distance to port and starboard chainplates. They should be the same. Tighten until it feels tight when you pull against it. Assuming you've set your rake and backstay tension properly, take her for a sail, a nice beam reach in somewhere around 15 knots of wind. Watch the leeward turnbuckles. If they go slack, tighten both sides equally just until they don't go slack. Set the sails you wish to sail with and follow the same procedure. Use your eye to sight up the main track to check for any bowing under sail. Tighten the lowers until the bow is minimal. Remember, what you do to one side, do the same to the other.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Jeff2650]

I just purchased a Loos Pro 2 gauge and recently tuned my 3/16th "over-due" rig. My Catalina Capri 26 specs are 500-600 lbs on the back stay, 800-900 lbs on the caps and approx. 550 lbs on the single lowers. I have a masthead rig with sweeping aft spreaders.
I provided these numbers purely as a reference and not to be used on your rig, but it is a reasonable assessment to see the caps are tuned at a considerably higher tension than that of the lowers and the back stay. I forgot to mention, I have a roller furling system and have, as of now, not assessed the tension of the forestay. It seems that purchasing an appropriate Loos gauge is an excellent decision. Good luck.

 

[Meriachee]

Loos should be put to use without the boom on.
We spend a lot of time on it at launch every year and theres a huge difference once the boom goes on.