After searching for a while I realized that there are many good tips. So, making one thread with many tips for new owners... Tip #1 - I like to remove stays when I trailer. So, I added 6 carabineers (the $1 ones for key chains). Two at the top of the mast support, one on the right, one on the left. These are used to pass the stays. The other 4 are used to clip onto the adjustor. These are secured to the trailer by small line. Once all the stays are clipped in, I pull the mast back so there is a little bit of tension on them. From there, I tie down the rest of the mast. The mast always ends up in the same place making rigging / unrigging a habit. Tip #2 - Replace the gooseneck split ring pin with a ball detent type. About 20 to 25 dollar upgrade, but makes it very easy to attach the boom. I think I am going to do the same at the roller furling drum where the jib attaches. Tip #3 – Bungee from chain plates, under spreaders, to above mast to help support the mast. This also helps keep the spreaders and shrouds off the deck. Anyone else?
Tips / Tricks for rigging / unrigging
- Thread starter John Radcliff
- Start date
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
Rigging Tips
Here area few tips that have now been tested and I whole heartedly recommend to all H-170 owners. 1) Replace the roller furling pins with Ball Lok Quick release pins, 1" x 1/4". I replaced both the upper and lower. At 20 bucks a crack, tie a lanyard to these and secure to the roller furling so you don't drop them into the bottom of the deep blue!!! 2) As John listed above, replace the gooseneck pin with a 1 1/4" x 1/4" Ball Lok Quick Release pin. A 1" pin was about 1/16" too short to work. The 1 1/4" is a bit long, but it is the next size in length. Cost is $20. Don't forget the lanyard! 3) My biggest recommendation to trailer sailors. Pull off the 4 chain plates on the shrouds and throw them away right now!!! I mean it ...right now!!!! Replace them with 4 Johnson Marine lever type shroud adjusters, small size, Johnson part number 15-212(see link below). Secure them to the boat with 4 Ball Lok Quick Relase pins, 3/4" by 1/4". Mount them so that the upper and lower shroud adjusters open opposite one another...uppers should open forward and the lowers should open rearward. Cost is about $23 per adjuster and $20 per pin. This is a $160 upgrade ($200 if the Roller Furling is also dealt with), but after rigging the boat once with this setup, as well as the change to the Roller Furling, I noticed that the time is GREATLY reduced and MUCH easier as you no longer have to fight with any of the tensions. Open all the adjusters. Attach the Lowers to the hull mounting bracket with a Ball Lok pin. Lift the mast. Secure with the Main halyard tied off to a bow cleat. Slide the Ball Lok pin into the roller furling securing the jib. Attach the Uppers to the hull mounting bracket with Bal Loks. Squeeze the adjusters closed (which tensions the shrouds)and lock the adjusters closed with the included fast pin. Release the main halyard. Thats it! Time 2 minutes!!! What more can I say. I don't want to hear from others that the screw type adjusters give better tensioning control (they do) because this is not about making fine adjustments... this is about rigging ease. I have calibrated screw type adjusters on my racing scow and all they lead to is the temptation to make constant adjustments that do nothing but screw up the skipper and crew. If you talk with the majority of scow racers (or any boat racer) they will agree. Factory and sponsored teams have all the neat stuff because they can afford it! Use the Levers and ignore the calibrated screws. Do not forget to tie a lanyard to both pins on each shroud adjuster and secure in the lanyard hole on the adjuster. 4) Lastly, not really a rigging issue, but add a Clamcleat CL 257 Quick Release cleat to the tiller to affix the rudder downhaul to. I left the original Clamcleat on the tiller and use that for the uphaul. I have them mounted opposite of each other. Cost is about $25. I am running out of time but have made several other minor changes to my boat which we can discuss later. I am looking forward to other's ideas. If you haven't noticed, I love to tinker with this stuff!!! Godspeed, Rusty (or sometimes RJS)
Here area few tips that have now been tested and I whole heartedly recommend to all H-170 owners. 1) Replace the roller furling pins with Ball Lok Quick release pins, 1" x 1/4". I replaced both the upper and lower. At 20 bucks a crack, tie a lanyard to these and secure to the roller furling so you don't drop them into the bottom of the deep blue!!! 2) As John listed above, replace the gooseneck pin with a 1 1/4" x 1/4" Ball Lok Quick Release pin. A 1" pin was about 1/16" too short to work. The 1 1/4" is a bit long, but it is the next size in length. Cost is $20. Don't forget the lanyard! 3) My biggest recommendation to trailer sailors. Pull off the 4 chain plates on the shrouds and throw them away right now!!! I mean it ...right now!!!! Replace them with 4 Johnson Marine lever type shroud adjusters, small size, Johnson part number 15-212(see link below). Secure them to the boat with 4 Ball Lok Quick Relase pins, 3/4" by 1/4". Mount them so that the upper and lower shroud adjusters open opposite one another...uppers should open forward and the lowers should open rearward. Cost is about $23 per adjuster and $20 per pin. This is a $160 upgrade ($200 if the Roller Furling is also dealt with), but after rigging the boat once with this setup, as well as the change to the Roller Furling, I noticed that the time is GREATLY reduced and MUCH easier as you no longer have to fight with any of the tensions. Open all the adjusters. Attach the Lowers to the hull mounting bracket with a Ball Lok pin. Lift the mast. Secure with the Main halyard tied off to a bow cleat. Slide the Ball Lok pin into the roller furling securing the jib. Attach the Uppers to the hull mounting bracket with Bal Loks. Squeeze the adjusters closed (which tensions the shrouds)and lock the adjusters closed with the included fast pin. Release the main halyard. Thats it! Time 2 minutes!!! What more can I say. I don't want to hear from others that the screw type adjusters give better tensioning control (they do) because this is not about making fine adjustments... this is about rigging ease. I have calibrated screw type adjusters on my racing scow and all they lead to is the temptation to make constant adjustments that do nothing but screw up the skipper and crew. If you talk with the majority of scow racers (or any boat racer) they will agree. Factory and sponsored teams have all the neat stuff because they can afford it! Use the Levers and ignore the calibrated screws. Do not forget to tie a lanyard to both pins on each shroud adjuster and secure in the lanyard hole on the adjuster. 4) Lastly, not really a rigging issue, but add a Clamcleat CL 257 Quick Release cleat to the tiller to affix the rudder downhaul to. I left the original Clamcleat on the tiller and use that for the uphaul. I have them mounted opposite of each other. Cost is about $25. I am running out of time but have made several other minor changes to my boat which we can discuss later. I am looking forward to other's ideas. If you haven't noticed, I love to tinker with this stuff!!! Godspeed, Rusty (or sometimes RJS)
More Detail
The link shows some carabineers from EMS. These have a load rating. If you head towards the check out line of a hardware store or Home Depot they you will see ones that have no working load rating. These are the ones that I used. Mine look very similar to the upper left one. Describing the set up looking at it from the side: There is a carabineer just below the mast crutch. This is to support the wire. There are two that are tied to the tongue of the trailer. These attach to the shroud adjustors. Next time I am home I will snap a pic of the set up.
The link shows some carabineers from EMS. These have a load rating. If you head towards the check out line of a hardware store or Home Depot they you will see ones that have no working load rating. These are the ones that I used. Mine look very similar to the upper left one. Describing the set up looking at it from the side: There is a carabineer just below the mast crutch. This is to support the wire. There are two that are tied to the tongue of the trailer. These attach to the shroud adjustors. Next time I am home I will snap a pic of the set up.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.