stepping mast on beneteau 461

[sgiarc]

Just recently purchased a Ben 461. The marina stepped the mast but didn't adjust the rig. I started by tightening the lowers then the uppers followed by fore and then back stays. Since I had no guide I returned the rig to the approx previous settings. (Tape marks, oxidation marks etc). The rig has a significant amount of preen. Is this normal?
Thanks
Craig

 

[Davidasailor26]

Not sure I've heard of a rig having preen before. Maybe I've just never heard the term, or you mean prebend?

Do you have in mast furling or a conventional main? If in mast the amount of bend should be minimal (maybe 2-3 inches). If it's a conventional main you can have more bend to whatever amount matches the design of you mainsail. It may be that your uppers are too tight, lowers are too loose, or backstay is too tight. To tell, you could try going through the tuning steps recommended in the Selden Tuning Guide. Sorry I don't have a direct link but Google the term and it should be a PDF in the top couple of results. Works for more than just Selden masts.

 

[sgiarc]

Yes the word was preen. we have a conventional main. I am going to try returning the mast this week when the wind is light.
Thanks

 

[NYSail]

Is your rig discontinuous??

 

[sgiarc]

Not sure what that means

 

[NYSail]

Do you have stays that are a single price running from the deck to the top of mast (continual) or are there separate section terminating at spreaders (discontinuous).

 

[sgiarc]

I'll look tomorrow

 

[sgiarc]

The rigging starts from the deck to the first spreader and then continues up to the second spreader and then to the top of the mast. (Separate pieces).

 

[joker460]

This came with my boat and may help. It's for a furling main but still could be used and you can adjust for prebend.
I set the tension to 13% using a Loos gauge.

 

[sgiarc]

Thanks for the guide. Next calm day with a temp under 90° I am going to start the tuning all over. I don't have a loos Guage so I will play it by ear.
Thanks

 

[DrJudyB]

The rig has a significant amount of preen.

Could you please define "preen"? I'm not familiar with that term and I can't find a definition online. Thanks.

Thanks for the guide. Next calm day with a temp under 90° I am going to start the tuning all over. I don't have a loos Guage so I will play it by ear.
Thanks

May I suggest that you look at the Selden guide to tuning? It's applicable to non-Selden rig tuning. It has instructions for tuning many different types of rigs. Read P32 on how to measure rig tension without a Loos or similar tension gauge.

http://www.seldenmast.com/files/595-540-E.pdf

 

[Ron20324]

Could you please define "preen"? I'm not familiar with that term and I can't find a definition online. ...

As I thought, and my dictionary says, preen is to groom oneself, as cats who lick their fur or birds their feathers. Must be a foreign word or usuage?