Stay Tensions

[Norris Palmer]

Became the proud owner of a 25.Been sitting long time rigged in a slipI have a Loose (spelling) guageHow much tension should be on all of the wires?Thanks.

 

[Don Evans]

Conservative #'s

Norris, assuming you have 3/16" wire, the numbers for average cruising is: 10 - 12% breaking strength for the lowers and 12 - 15% for the uppers. From my catalogues, 4700 lbs nominal breaking strength. Therefore for lowers is 12%=564 lbs., uppers is 15%=705 lbs. Dial in these #'s with your Loos guage. Incidentally, the percentages are from Brion Toss's Complete Riggers Apprentice. Take a real good look at all the swages, tangs, turnbuckles, eyes, especially the deck fittings. Replace all suspect rigging. IMHO the most important and cost effective upgrade to any sailboat. Congratulations on the purchase.Don

 

[Justin - O'day Owners' Web]

Standing Rigging

Congrats on your new boat!Don has provided some good basic numbers from the Toss book. I'd only add encouragement to his recommendation that you replace suspect rigging. To me, that means any rigging that you don't know for certain is less than ten years old. This is particularly true in warmer climates - here in Maine we can get a bit more life out of the fittings. Resist the temptation to under tension the rig. It seems that if the rig is suspect then it makes sense to tension it only lightly. This is not the case. Lightly tensioning the rig will make it more susceptable to shock loads when tacking and jibing. Justin - O'day Onwers' Web