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Rigging question

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/16/2006 : 15:01:13

When I raised my mast on my recent trip to Puget Sound, I screwed up and bent the T-bolt on the backstay. It was the 4th of July, and West Marine did not have a proper replacement part, but a rigger happened to come in the store at just the right time, who had one in his truck. Since he was there, and had time to help, I paid him to help me properly rig the boat, according the rigging instructions in the manual, with the proper Loos gauge, etc. When we got done, inner shrouds seemed too loose, and he told me to "bring them in" while sailing if they still seemed to loose.

Well, I am too clueless about sailboat rigging to know what "too loose" is, and in 20 knot winds with 1' - 2' seas, my crew was not enthusiastic about either steering or going forward and tightening turnbuckles. So we sailed it as it was. On a best, the innner shrouds were indeed quite loose.

When we took the boat apart, the port inner shroud seemed VERY loose, but it had both cotter pins in it still. As I was looking at the boat from the ramp, before we pulled it out, I noticed that the port spreader was a couple of inches lower than the starboard spreader.

I put the boat back together, carefully loosening the shrouds 2 turns, then tightening them back 2 turns after the mast was up, but now:

1.) All the rigging seems looser than I remember.
2.) The port spreader is still a couple of inches low (I looked at it when the mast was down, and could see no problem with it).

I am going to buy a Loos gauge, and check the rig tension again, but I am puzzled as to why the spreader is lower. How could this happen? Why would the whole rig get looser (other than me miscounting, which I swear I did not ;-)?

And most importantly, what should I do to fix it?

Thanks as always.

Kevin Mackenzie
Former Association Secretary and Commodore
"Dogs Allowed"
'06 C250WK #881
and
"Jasmine"
'01 Maine Cat 30 #34

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2006 : 21:13:46

My spreader did that once. The small rigging wire that ties the shroud to the spreader end should be loose enough so the shroud will slid through the rigging wire and not bind. That's what caused mine to be off set. Try to make sure the shrouds are even on the spreaders when you go to raise the mast again.

Edited by - Tom Potter on 07/16/2006 21:16:41

welshoff
Captain

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USA
253 Posts

Response Posted - 07/17/2006 : 10:31:51

Kevin,
I had one spreader that was low after raising the mast the last time. I just stood on the deck and pushed it up back in place with my boat hook.

The first time I set my rigging up, the lowers also were too loose when sailing. I took them up a 1 to 1-1/2 turns and took out some of the slack. The lowers should be tight enough so the mast is in column when sailing (look from the back, no sag to leeward in the middle). My leeward lower shroud is not completley tight, it has just a little sag in it when sailing. My mast stays is column, so I haven't worried about the slight sag/loose leeward lower.

Note: I haven't used the loos gauges before. I just set the mast rake first (about 4"), then set the prebend in the mast with the uppers (I think that was 1 -1/2"?), then adust the lowers to keep the mast in column (see above as to how tight I adjust them). Note, if you get the lowers too tight, they pull out the pre-bend in the mast (design issue due to swept back spreaders). I have only adjusted the rigging once this year - I will probably do this once a year?

Note: When I trailer, I just loosen the back stay (count the turns) enough to pull one of the pins on the split back stay. Pull the forstay pin and lower the mast. When raising the mast I pull the mast up, hook the forstay pin, put pin in the one side of the split backstay, and tighten the backstay turnbuckle the same number of turns I loosened it previously. I try to keep it simple.

I am not sure if any of the above is the best method, but it has worked for me.

Edited by - welshoff on 07/17/2006 10:34:24

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.