Trailering or loose stays dent mast??

[Matt]

I have just noticed a small dimple on my mast just forward of the spreader. At first I assumed it was just an unavoidable trade off for trailering a boat on rough roads. Yesterday I was out in some VERY fresh breezes and noticed the main laying heavy on the spreader when running. Is it possible that my too loose stays have allowed my spreaders to be pushed forward and dent my mast? My Stays are not “sloppy” loose but I have had an old salt or two recommend I tighten them up a but. Will this make hooking the forestay more difficult when stepping mast?TIAMatt

 

[Michael Bell]

Loosen, then raise

Your comment about your two loose stays bothers me. Other than an old wooden mast on a plywood boat, I’ve never seen loose stays.When I first purchased my H26, I attempted to keep the tension on the side stays set to what they had been previously – and yes, it’s nearly impossible to connect the forward stay.I would highly suggest loosing the side stays, raising the mast and getting the forward stay connected. Then…Having just purchased a tension gauge, you would adjust to specs.What specs might you ask? Check the archives, as there have been much conversation on this topic. You will be amazed how you can shape the mast by the tension (hopefully in an appropriate manner).

 

[Tom]

Shrouds should be tight...

The Hunter manual has a pretty good description of how the rig should be tuned. while sailing close hauled, the leeward shrouds should not be loose. If they are, tighten them up and tighten the other side as well to keep the mast straight.A new boat may require some adjustment during the first few seasons as the stays strech out. After that they shouldn't need adjustment very often.If the rig is tuned properly, you can back off the Forestay buckle several turns to releive tension to allow it to be remove/replaced more easily. Use an easy to remember number like 10 half turns, and maybe make a note in your manual for future reference.Fair winds...Tom