Shrouds are a litle loose

[Mougly]

Hello all

After going out for the first time, I noticed that the shrouds had loosened up, when I attempted to tighten them I noticed that the outer shrouds did not have much more room for adjustment, is there a way to shorten the shrouds...one segetion was to rias the must by inserting an alumenum spacer under the foot of the mast....

Any segestion on another way to do this without having to unstep the mast to add the spacer?

Are there shorter turn buckles I can purchase which would solve the problem?

1981 Sonic 23'

Cheers

 

[Douglast]

first option would be shorter turnbuckles but as well if they have jam nuts they could be removed if your inner and outer shroud turnbuckles are close enough together to put a pin through to prevent loosening...are both sides limited...??...if the mast is creeping (bowing) toward your short side then you can loosen and tighten on side with more adjustment and straighten your mast at same time..but really check the integrity first and foremost of the cable/etc...the lack of adjustment could be an early warning sign of something serious

 

[Ross]

It is posible to bend the boat by over tightening the standing rigging. It is also possible that the mast support is deteriorating depending on the design by rot on the foot of the compression column or by bending of the beam that supports the mast foot.

 

[Mac Daddy]

Ross is probably right. The shrouds will stretch over time but not enough to cause a problem like you describe. Check the deck under the mast step for rot in the core or signs of settlement and also the compression post. Every component that supports the mast from keel to deck needs to be inspected.

 

[jibes138]

Why do you think they are loose?

What are the symptoms you are seeing? Is it when you are sailing and the boat is heeled? Or are they loose at the dock under no load?
You can use swageless fittings to shorten your shrouds, you will need to cut the cable to install the fittings.

 

[Roger Long]

Are you sure there are cotter pins in the turnbuckles? If they are the kind with lock nuts instead of cotter pins, be sure these are tight. When the turnbuckles stretches slightly under load, the nuts can easily become loose. It's amazing how quickly unsecured turnbuckles will unwind under load.

This is the first thing to check.

 

[Mougly]

Thank you for all the suggestion. I've been checking with the previous owner and found out that the mast had been cut at the foot by 5/8" ..I believe this is the cause for the longer shrouds.... fortunately I have enough room with the for and aft stays as well as the inner shrouds...the only problem seems to be with the outer... the turnbuckles I have are the lock nut type and do not have cotter pins.

I have about 1/2" of adjustment on either side if I remove the lock nuts...