Tuning the rig

[Slogfish]

Hello sailors,

After 6 months of preparation, I've moved my Sirius 21 to a coastal marina for some better sailing conditions on the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound in NC this fall. Ill keep it in a slip until its too cold to bear this winter. Previously I have only sailed it in lakes and was frustrated by the constant shifting winds. Ive had some experiences with it in moderate winds and it seems a bit tender when the wind kicks up. I need to tame the rigging to get the best performance out of my Sirius.
My previous boats didn't have the adjustable backstay or the midstay. Right now, the back and fore stays are very taught but the midstay is pretty slack. Im thinking maybe I should loosen the forestay until the midstay is tight and then tighten the backstay. I know that mast bending can help flatten the sails in heavier wind. Has anybody had experience with this? It seems like tightening the back stay would bend the top of the mast while the midstay holds the lower half, is this the intended design?
Also, I am annoyed by the backstay getting in the way of the tiller. Especially when making tight turns while docking. Has anyone split the backstay and attached at two opposite points on the stern. It seems like this would've been a better design.

 

[TerryAnne]

Slogfish, as I understand and have read on this and other blogs/threads, you can not bend the mast by tightening/loosening the stays, if, they both anchor at the top of the mast. Each one simply pulls against the other. If your fore/jib stay is fastened to the mast 4/5 ft below the top, then bending/tuning the mast is possible.

My backstay does not interfere (pix) with the rudder/tiller. Wonder what is different between our boats?

Maybe you can help me out. My main sail shackles (fastening the sail to the mast sliders - pix #2) are breaking one by one. Ultraviolet doing a number on them. But I can not find replacements on-line and it is a 4 hour round trip to the nearest supplier. What fastens your main to the mast?

Terry

 

[TerryAnne]

Oops, forgot pix.

 

[srust58]

Slogfish, as I understand and have read on this and other blogs/threads, you can not bend the mast by tightening/loosening the stays, if, they both anchor at the top of the mast. Each one simply pulls against the other. If your fore/jib stay is fastened to the mast 4/5 ft below the top, then bending/tuning the mast is possible.

My backstay does not interfere (pix) with the rudder/tiller. Wonder what is different between our boats?

Maybe you can help me out. My main sail shackles (fastening the sail to the mast sliders - pix #2) are breaking one by one. Ultraviolet doing a number on them. But I can not find replacements on-line and it is a 4 hour round trip to the nearest supplier. What fastens your main to the mast?

Terry

this is the stock set up on my oem main. I always though slugs and sewn nylon strap were the usual way.

 

[srust58]

Hello sailors,

After 6 months of preparation, I've moved my Sirius 21 to a coastal marina for some better sailing conditions on the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound in NC this fall. Ill keep it in a slip until its too cold to bear this winter. Previously I have only sailed it in lakes and was frustrated by the constant shifting winds. Ive had some experiences with it in moderate winds and it seems a bit tender when the wind kicks up. I need to tame the rigging to get the best performance out of my Sirius.
My previous boats didn't have the adjustable backstay or the midstay. Right now, the back and fore stays are very taught but the midstay is pretty slack. Im thinking maybe I should loosen the forestay until the midstay is tight and then tighten the backstay. I know that mast bending can help flatten the sails in heavier wind. Has anybody had experience with this? It seems like tightening the back stay would bend the top of the mast while the midstay holds the lower half, is this the intended design?
Also, I am annoyed by the backstay getting in the way of the tiller. Especially when making tight turns while docking. Has anyone split the backstay and attached at two opposite points on the stern. It seems like this would've been a better design.

Get your main set up for easy reefing as the boat is a bit tender in moderate to high winds. On this last trip my main was reefed at least half the time but we had a fair bit of windward work too. The little the manual states about tuning is to keep the mast straight but raked aft to a degree. It recommended tying a weight to the main halyard and have that weight come down to the boom 6 inches aft of the mast. Adjust forward from there depending on weather helm. I don't remember what mine is set at...I was going to measure on this last trip then forgot. I leave my backstay and side stays at the proper setting and only loosen the headstay and inner forestay (babystay) for set up and takedown. We raise the mast and while I push forward on it Jackie attaches the babystray and that holds everything up just fine. I then tighten the babystay and this pulls the mast forward enough to attach the headstay. After all these years with the boat I just have a feeling for how tight it needs to be so I just sight up the mast to make sure it's straight and good to go. Like I said I don't recall how much rake aft I have.