Storage with mast up

[Mike Thompson]

What do people do about the tension on the shrouds and backstay?

[Paul D.]

I loosen my aft lowers for haul out with a funky backhoe "crane" system our marina uses. Other than that I leave the tension as I set it up. Having said that, I do tend to tension on the less tight side. Every spring, on the first sail I check tension and adjust if needed.

If you don't set your rig up over tight during the season I think you are fine. I do run messenger lines for the halyards each winter though to extend their life. Wrap them around the fore and back stays for a chafe free winter.

[David van den Burgh]

Most boats spend their lives with their rig tensioned without issue, so I suspect she'll be just fine on the hard. I have to remove the backstay for haulout, so I don't crank it back up to its usual tension when I reattach it. All of the other standing rigging is at its usual tension, however.