Ok please don't laugh, I'm new at rig tuning. I need to know how to adjust the turnbuckles on my rigging. Do I start with the body of the tb loosely extended to the ends of the threads all the way out? I know I need to have a wrench to hold the shrouds from turning but don't have a clue of where to start. Or should I start at the center or the ends of the threads? Which way to turn the body so rig tightens up.Where do I start please? A newby tutorial would sure help about now! Slack Rig Anna here.
shroud turnbuckle help please
- Thread starter annamariaslim
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Suggest that you start here: http://briontoss.com/ . You will get lots of advice from the board here. But the videos are worth the cost. There is probably someone in your area who would lend you the videos. Sorry, mine are in Ohio and I am in Florida.
Ed's suggestions are good, Anna. Let me try it with words:
Start with the turnbuckle barely threaded on the shroud and deck ends. You should have the turnbuckle with the end up that threads on to the shroud in a clockwise direction. Yes you will need to hold the shroud with a wrench- you should see a little flat spot just above the threads that the wrench slips on to. Use a thick screw driver -stick it in the opening and turn-to turn the turnbuckle so that it turns onto the shroud and onto the deck threaded ends at the same time. You will need to turn it until it is pretty tight. Compare the sides and get each as near same as possible.
Now you get to the tuning part. Basis is that you get the mast exactly straight side to side ( use your main halyard to measure from a spot on each side) and straight up and down as viewed from the side. There is a lot more to it than that if you want your boat to sail it's best. I suggest a book or as Ed suggests. Good luck
Start with the turnbuckle barely threaded on the shroud and deck ends. You should have the turnbuckle with the end up that threads on to the shroud in a clockwise direction. Yes you will need to hold the shroud with a wrench- you should see a little flat spot just above the threads that the wrench slips on to. Use a thick screw driver -stick it in the opening and turn-to turn the turnbuckle so that it turns onto the shroud and onto the deck threaded ends at the same time. You will need to turn it until it is pretty tight. Compare the sides and get each as near same as possible.
Now you get to the tuning part. Basis is that you get the mast exactly straight side to side ( use your main halyard to measure from a spot on each side) and straight up and down as viewed from the side. There is a lot more to it than that if you want your boat to sail it's best. I suggest a book or as Ed suggests. Good luck
Depending on the rig matters how it is tuned. I'm not sure whats on your boat. A fractional rig with no rear stay is first bend using the diamond cables. Does this make sense? Then it's tuned on the boat.
Get a LOOS gauge as you will need to know the tension on each wire. I have tuned small boats by sight and feel but is best if done right. Just lightly loosen your wires some by turning the turnbuckle body in the opposite direction of the lay of the wires. You don't have to back em up all the way back unless either top or bottom were independently adjusted making one shorter than the other. Make sure the boat is on even keel and using a weighed halyard as a pedulum make sure the mast is centered and straight. Measure the thickness and identify the type of wire to determine the number of pounds it needs to be tightened to. Start by gradually tightening in steps the shrouds over the spreaders, alternating from one side then the other. Then move on to the other shrouds alternating sides in a similar fashion. When done with the shrouds fine tune the tension on the headstay and backstay insuring you have the desired mast bend for your boat and type of sailing. Replace all cotter pins which wereremoved.
Ok, the boat is a fractionally rigged Hunter 216, so no adjustable forestay, or backstay. Let me see if I understand this. Starting with the threaded parts as far out as they can go out of the body of the turnbuckle so only a few threads are showing on the top and bottom. Attach a wrench to the top of the shroud wire where the flat is to hold it, then turn the turnbuckle until it starts taking the slack in on the wire, alternate sides, and use a screwdriver in the body of the tb and tighten everything up, is this correct?. Do I turn clockwise or counterclockwise to tighten? Seems like there were wire rings in the holes at the end of the threaded parts, now gone. Are these to keep the wire from turning/unscrewing when the adjustments are finished? Where exactly do they go, thru the hole and then around the body of the tb, or...? I just bought a Loos gauge and will tighten up per Hunter's tensioning specs. How far above the turnbuckles do I take the readings? Thanks all, slack rig Anna
Me Too!
I'm with you. I always have a senior moment when adjusting my turnbuckles especially because I don't do it that often. I have found it useful to buy an old cheap turnbuckle and keep it as a reference tool when tightening the ones on my boat. You have to use a wrench or vicegrips on the shroud part above the turnbuckle to hold it when you turn the turnbuckle. I then hold my little reference part next to the turnbuckle to verify whether I need to turn the body clockwise or counter clockwise. It seems to get confusing when you switch from one side of the boat to the other. You can turn the body with a wrench or screwdriver or with your hand. You should lubricate the threads from time to time.
The split security ring goes around one side of the turnbuckle body. Some people use a large cotter pin or anything else that can keep the screw parts from turning and loosing your adjustment. These can be sharp so cover them with rigging or electrical tape.
I'm with you. I always have a senior moment when adjusting my turnbuckles especially because I don't do it that often. I have found it useful to buy an old cheap turnbuckle and keep it as a reference tool when tightening the ones on my boat. You have to use a wrench or vicegrips on the shroud part above the turnbuckle to hold it when you turn the turnbuckle. I then hold my little reference part next to the turnbuckle to verify whether I need to turn the body clockwise or counter clockwise. It seems to get confusing when you switch from one side of the boat to the other. You can turn the body with a wrench or screwdriver or with your hand. You should lubricate the threads from time to time.
The split security ring goes around one side of the turnbuckle body. Some people use a large cotter pin or anything else that can keep the screw parts from turning and loosing your adjustment. These can be sharp so cover them with rigging or electrical tape.
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