After the purchase of our CDMKII 30 back in march, I happened to site up the sail track only
to realize the spreaders looked as though they were twisted clockwise about six inches.
I called the yard that had tuned the rig , and in fact they had also stepped the mast since
the boat had been brought up from RI to NH.
They told me that since the mast was deck stepped on the original step that had been on
the boat since it had been built in 1989, that it probably had not been aligned correctly
in the first place.
Incidentally it's not the spreaders that are turned, it's the whole mast.
On closer inspection it doesn't look as if the step has moved at all.
Has any owner had this happen and if so what suggestions might you have to solve
the dilemma
Sincerely, Bill McLane
mclanewf@aol.com
Mast alignment
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
john doyle
Re: Mast alignment
Bill, are you saying the entire mast is not straight fore & aft? One thing I can think of is the shrouds are attached to the wrong chain plates. There has to be a simple explination, but it's hard to tell without looking at it. Is the sail track straight, but the mast is twisting?William F McLane wrote: After the purchase of our CDMKII 30 back in march, I happened to site up the sail track only
to realize the spreaders looked as though they were twisted clockwise about six inches.
I called the yard that had tuned the rig , and in fact they had also stepped the mast since
the boat had been brought up from RI to NH.
They told me that since the mast was deck stepped on the original step that had been on
the boat since it had been built in 1989, that it probably had not been aligned correctly
in the first place.
Incidentally it's not the spreaders that are turned, it's the whole mast.
On closer inspection it doesn't look as if the step has moved at all.
Has any owner had this happen and if so what suggestions might you have to solve
the dilemma
Sincerely, Bill McLane
John CD31 #18 Bonnie Blue
redzeplin@yahoo.com
-
Mike Thorpe
Re: Mast alignment
Bill,
Something is very wrong here. When looking straight down at the mast (plan or airplane view)the mast should be oriented fore & aft and the spreaders athwartships (sp?). If the spreaders are cocked or rotated to one side or the other than John probally has it correct, the upper shrouds have been attached to the wrong chainplates. Also, the angles formed where the spreader intersects with the upper shroud should be equal. When done correctly the spreaders will point up. Also, for future reference, which boat yard in RI stepped dyour mast?
Mike Thorpe
CD-36 Journey's End
For futere reference what boatyard in RI stepped the mast
mthorpe@capecod.net
Something is very wrong here. When looking straight down at the mast (plan or airplane view)the mast should be oriented fore & aft and the spreaders athwartships (sp?). If the spreaders are cocked or rotated to one side or the other than John probally has it correct, the upper shrouds have been attached to the wrong chainplates. Also, the angles formed where the spreader intersects with the upper shroud should be equal. When done correctly the spreaders will point up. Also, for future reference, which boat yard in RI stepped dyour mast?
Mike Thorpe
CD-36 Journey's End
For futere reference what boatyard in RI stepped the mast
William F McLane wrote: After the purchase of our CDMKII 30 back in march, I happened to site up the sail track only
to realize the spreaders looked as though they were twisted clockwise about six inches.
I called the yard that had tuned the rig , and in fact they had also stepped the mast since
the boat had been brought up from RI to NH.
They told me that since the mast was deck stepped on the original step that had been on
the boat since it had been built in 1989, that it probably had not been aligned correctly
in the first place.
Incidentally it's not the spreaders that are turned, it's the whole mast.
On closer inspection it doesn't look as if the step has moved at all.
Has any owner had this happen and if so what suggestions might you have to solve
the dilemma
Sincerely, Bill McLane
mthorpe@capecod.net
-
William F McLane
Re: Mast alignment
Thanks for the quick reply. The mast was unstepped in RI for the boats trip north to NH.,and after It was restepped in NH was when I noticed the problem.
As far as I recall I double checked to make sure the shrouds were
in fact connected to the right chain plates.
John the sail track is straight top to bottom, but it too is not
facing true fore&aft, it's as if the whole rig is as I said,
turned slightly clockwise on the deck.
mclanewf@aol.com
As far as I recall I double checked to make sure the shrouds were
in fact connected to the right chain plates.
John the sail track is straight top to bottom, but it too is not
facing true fore&aft, it's as if the whole rig is as I said,
turned slightly clockwise on the deck.
mclanewf@aol.com
-
Larry DeMers
Re: Mast alignment
Hi Bill,
Welcome to the board for Cape Dorians...you sure pose an interesting problem. I cannot imagine the boat leaving the factory with the mast step mounted laterally off center. That would be noticed by the quality control dept for sure..unless the boat is a later model when the QA guys were layed off..like 1986 onwards. To check that mast step is the next step I suppose. You need to create a way to line a straight edge (aluminum yardstick for instance) up on the center line of the mast step, and site along it fore and aft to see if it is truly centered. My bet is that it is centered.
So that leaves the mast itself. It sounds like it was maybe stored away with a persistant twist in it..like while shipping on the truck, or even previous to that. A gradual twist over the whole length of the mast would be difficult to spot as the sail track would not have a sudden buckle in it, but a continuous slight curvature going around the mast. It would only be a small angle, so I doubt you would see it if you had not already seen a normal CD30 mast for comparison.
Your twisted mast is definitely not right, and should not be used as is. I would also release the tension on the shrouds , to hand tight only, while you sort out the problem. I would think that the twist could be eliminated thru shroud tension adjustments, bringing the mast into column again.
To start, you will want to see if all equal but opposite shrouds are of equal length. Then set the upper shrouds (Forestay and Backstay to center the mast fore and aft; Port and Stbd. Uppers to center the mast athwartship)to center the mast top. Use the main halyard to measure from mast truck to the deck, at a stanchion base on both sides..using the identical amount of tension of the halyard, and looking for an identical clearance to the same point on both sides. When the mast top is positioned in the center, then tension the shrouds to about 50% of the tension value you will want eventually..using a Loos Tension Gauge (West Marine carries them).
Once the mast head is placed in the exact center, then proceed to finish off with centering the lower shrouds, taking out the S-Bend, and correcting a small twist in the mast.
Start out working on the P/S aft lowers. Tension the starboard side first, only tensioning out the clockwise twist you reported. Depending on how much tension you need to apply to do this, you may be able to proceed to tension the port side now to recenter the mast at the spreaders, followed by tensioning the P/S forward lowers to equalize the tension at the spreaders, using the masts sail track to check for fore-aft S bends. You should be hand tightened here only, as there will be several stages of tensioning this rig due to the twisting.
It would be helpful to have attached 2 equal length lite lines to the spreader tips before starting this whole tuning, but how to get them up there? heh...got a monkey?
Continue tensioning the four points of the lower shrouds in opposite order..Strbd. forward lower shroud first, equal amount on the port forward lower shroud, check centering and s-bends, tension the aft shrouds working clockwise say.. Eventually, you want to have identical tension on all lower shrouds and staysail shroud would be slightly lower.
When the mast is straight and in column, go back to the Upper Shrouds, and do the final tensioning adjustment, looking for equal tension in all shrouds. Double check for S-Bends in the sail track, and then check the lower shroud tension for a last time. They will have had time to stretch a little, and the uppers will be looseing the lowers up a little bit as it was final tensioned.
When you get done, and all is as you want it, put in cotter pins, not split rings..but you may want to wait a while before taping the cotter pins over, as you wil wnat to sail some, stretching the wire rope more, and the boat will take to her shape as the tensioning dictates. You will want to touch up the tension once more in a few weeks time. That will probably last the whole summer now.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
demers@sgi.com
Welcome to the board for Cape Dorians...you sure pose an interesting problem. I cannot imagine the boat leaving the factory with the mast step mounted laterally off center. That would be noticed by the quality control dept for sure..unless the boat is a later model when the QA guys were layed off..like 1986 onwards. To check that mast step is the next step I suppose. You need to create a way to line a straight edge (aluminum yardstick for instance) up on the center line of the mast step, and site along it fore and aft to see if it is truly centered. My bet is that it is centered.
So that leaves the mast itself. It sounds like it was maybe stored away with a persistant twist in it..like while shipping on the truck, or even previous to that. A gradual twist over the whole length of the mast would be difficult to spot as the sail track would not have a sudden buckle in it, but a continuous slight curvature going around the mast. It would only be a small angle, so I doubt you would see it if you had not already seen a normal CD30 mast for comparison.
Your twisted mast is definitely not right, and should not be used as is. I would also release the tension on the shrouds , to hand tight only, while you sort out the problem. I would think that the twist could be eliminated thru shroud tension adjustments, bringing the mast into column again.
To start, you will want to see if all equal but opposite shrouds are of equal length. Then set the upper shrouds (Forestay and Backstay to center the mast fore and aft; Port and Stbd. Uppers to center the mast athwartship)to center the mast top. Use the main halyard to measure from mast truck to the deck, at a stanchion base on both sides..using the identical amount of tension of the halyard, and looking for an identical clearance to the same point on both sides. When the mast top is positioned in the center, then tension the shrouds to about 50% of the tension value you will want eventually..using a Loos Tension Gauge (West Marine carries them).
Once the mast head is placed in the exact center, then proceed to finish off with centering the lower shrouds, taking out the S-Bend, and correcting a small twist in the mast.
Start out working on the P/S aft lowers. Tension the starboard side first, only tensioning out the clockwise twist you reported. Depending on how much tension you need to apply to do this, you may be able to proceed to tension the port side now to recenter the mast at the spreaders, followed by tensioning the P/S forward lowers to equalize the tension at the spreaders, using the masts sail track to check for fore-aft S bends. You should be hand tightened here only, as there will be several stages of tensioning this rig due to the twisting.
It would be helpful to have attached 2 equal length lite lines to the spreader tips before starting this whole tuning, but how to get them up there? heh...got a monkey?
Continue tensioning the four points of the lower shrouds in opposite order..Strbd. forward lower shroud first, equal amount on the port forward lower shroud, check centering and s-bends, tension the aft shrouds working clockwise say.. Eventually, you want to have identical tension on all lower shrouds and staysail shroud would be slightly lower.
When the mast is straight and in column, go back to the Upper Shrouds, and do the final tensioning adjustment, looking for equal tension in all shrouds. Double check for S-Bends in the sail track, and then check the lower shroud tension for a last time. They will have had time to stretch a little, and the uppers will be looseing the lowers up a little bit as it was final tensioned.
When you get done, and all is as you want it, put in cotter pins, not split rings..but you may want to wait a while before taping the cotter pins over, as you wil wnat to sail some, stretching the wire rope more, and the boat will take to her shape as the tensioning dictates. You will want to touch up the tension once more in a few weeks time. That will probably last the whole summer now.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
William F McLane wrote: After the purchase of our CDMKII 30 back in march, I happened to site up the sail track only
to realize the spreaders looked as though they were twisted clockwise about six inches.
I called the yard that had tuned the rig , and in fact they had also stepped the mast since
the boat had been brought up from RI to NH.
They told me that since the mast was deck stepped on the original step that had been on
the boat since it had been built in 1989, that it probably had not been aligned correctly
in the first place.
Incidentally it's not the spreaders that are turned, it's the whole mast.
On closer inspection it doesn't look as if the step has moved at all.
Has any owner had this happen and if so what suggestions might you have to solve
the dilemma
Sincerely, Bill McLane
demers@sgi.com
-
Marc...for M. Larry DeMer
Re: Mast alignment
Hi M. DeMers,
Could you tell me why "put in cotter pins, not split rings.." i use split ring and i just want to know your idea about that.
Marc
adrenaline@vif.com
Could you tell me why "put in cotter pins, not split rings.." i use split ring and i just want to know your idea about that.
Marc
Larry DeMers wrote: Hi Bill,
Welcome to the board for Cape Dorians...you sure pose an interesting problem. I cannot imagine the boat leaving the factory with the mast step mounted laterally off center. That would be noticed by the quality control dept for sure..unless the boat is a later model when the QA guys were layed off..like 1986 onwards. To check that mast step is the next step I suppose. You need to create a way to line a straight edge (aluminum yardstick for instance) up on the center line of the mast step, and site along it fore and aft to see if it is truly centered. My bet is that it is centered.
So that leaves the mast itself. It sounds like it was maybe stored away with a persistant twist in it..like while shipping on the truck, or even previous to that. A gradual twist over the whole length of the mast would be difficult to spot as the sail track would not have a sudden buckle in it, but a continuous slight curvature going around the mast. It would only be a small angle, so I doubt you would see it if you had not already seen a normal CD30 mast for comparison.
Your twisted mast is definitely not right, and should not be used as is. I would also release the tension on the shrouds , to hand tight only, while you sort out the problem. I would think that the twist could be eliminated thru shroud tension adjustments, bringing the mast into column again.
To start, you will want to see if all equal but opposite shrouds are of equal length. Then set the upper shrouds (Forestay and Backstay to center the mast fore and aft; Port and Stbd. Uppers to center the mast athwartship)to center the mast top. Use the main halyard to measure from mast truck to the deck, at a stanchion base on both sides..using the identical amount of tension of the halyard, and looking for an identical clearance to the same point on both sides. When the mast top is positioned in the center, then tension the shrouds to about 50% of the tension value you will want eventually..using a Loos Tension Gauge (West Marine carries them).
Once the mast head is placed in the exact center, then proceed to finish off with centering the lower shrouds, taking out the S-Bend, and correcting a small twist in the mast.
Start out working on the P/S aft lowers. Tension the starboard side first, only tensioning out the clockwise twist you reported. Depending on how much tension you need to apply to do this, you may be able to proceed to tension the port side now to recenter the mast at the spreaders, followed by tensioning the P/S forward lowers to equalize the tension at the spreaders, using the masts sail track to check for fore-aft S bends. You should be hand tightened here only, as there will be several stages of tensioning this rig due to the twisting.
It would be helpful to have attached 2 equal length lite lines to the spreader tips before starting this whole tuning, but how to get them up there? heh...got a monkey?
Continue tensioning the four points of the lower shrouds in opposite order..Strbd. forward lower shroud first, equal amount on the port forward lower shroud, check centering and s-bends, tension the aft shrouds working clockwise say.. Eventually, you want to have identical tension on all lower shrouds and staysail shroud would be slightly lower.
When the mast is straight and in column, go back to the Upper Shrouds, and do the final tensioning adjustment, looking for equal tension in all shrouds. Double check for S-Bends in the sail track, and then check the lower shroud tension for a last time. They will have had time to stretch a little, and the uppers will be looseing the lowers up a little bit as it was final tensioned.
When you get done, and all is as you want it, put in cotter pins, not split rings..but you may want to wait a while before taping the cotter pins over, as you wil wnat to sail some, stretching the wire rope more, and the boat will take to her shape as the tensioning dictates. You will want to touch up the tension once more in a few weeks time. That will probably last the whole summer now.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
William F McLane wrote: After the purchase of our CDMKII 30 back in march, I happened to site up the sail track only
to realize the spreaders looked as though they were twisted clockwise about six inches.
I called the yard that had tuned the rig , and in fact they had also stepped the mast since
the boat had been brought up from RI to NH.
They told me that since the mast was deck stepped on the original step that had been on
the boat since it had been built in 1989, that it probably had not been aligned correctly
in the first place.
Incidentally it's not the spreaders that are turned, it's the whole mast.
On closer inspection it doesn't look as if the step has moved at all.
Has any owner had this happen and if so what suggestions might you have to solve
the dilemma
Sincerely, Bill McLane
adrenaline@vif.com
-
William F McLane
Re: Mast alignment
Gentlemen Three,
Thanks for your sound suggestions, obviously I won't be able to proceed
until spring, but what you all have done in the mean time is reassure me that
this problem with my mast if attacked logically can be solved.
I'm assuming my enthusiasm last year of just owning our new CDMKII 30 clouded
my normal judgment when accepting the yards explanation that the best
they could do.
One positive thing about winter, it gives one a chance to rethink situations
that seemed impossible to deal with at the time
With renewed vigor, Bill McLane
wclanewf@aol.com
Thanks for your sound suggestions, obviously I won't be able to proceed
until spring, but what you all have done in the mean time is reassure me that
this problem with my mast if attacked logically can be solved.
I'm assuming my enthusiasm last year of just owning our new CDMKII 30 clouded
my normal judgment when accepting the yards explanation that the best
they could do.
One positive thing about winter, it gives one a chance to rethink situations
that seemed impossible to deal with at the time
With renewed vigor, Bill McLane
wclanewf@aol.com
-
Larry DeMers
Re: Mast alignment
Hi Marc,Marc...for M. Larry DeMers wrote: Hi M. DeMers,
Could you tell me why "put in cotter pins, not split rings.." i use split ring and i just want to know your idea about that.
Marc
Rings tend to be very convenient, but will distort when in the turnbuckles, over time. That distortion tells me that the material was not srong enough to withstand the unwinding force that a turnbuckle has. I have had this happen on my backstay, as well as one upper, so that changed my mind over to cotter pins. They are quite a bit stronger for a given diameter compared to the split ring.
I have also decided to replace the split rings on our lifelines too, since snagging the top lifeline turnbuckles split ring at the bow. This allowed the clevis pin to pull out, and I found it barely hanging in the turnbubkle..it was caught by the backwrds pressure on the lifeline. If someone had bumped the line, allowing it to move much, that whole forward section would have given way, and that could be a problem some windy night. So those suckers are out for that service also.
There are some things where the split rings excel though. As a finger-grab on my speed transducer, it is great for pulling the whole transducer out of the thru hull fitting. On other non critical fittings not subject to sail or sheet interference, and not subject to loads above a few ounces, it works nicely.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Sailing Lake Superior...getting closer now..55 deg. out! Snow is a melting away..and it's still Jan.~!!
demers@sgi.com
-
D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: Loos guage............
Captain McLane,
IF, the mast step is in fact in line, and the mast is NOT twisted, then, I would first buy a Loos guage and properly tension ALL the shrouds. Do NOT rely on a yard to do this, take the time and do it yourself! Those turnbuckles at the ends of the shrouds can and will do all kinds of crazy things to your rig. Cheapest fix - - try the Loos guage. I bet, if you record the "as found" readings, they will be all over the place! FWIW...........
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30C
CDSOA, #1
By the way, Hanalei's rig was tensioned with a Loos guage before the RACE last year, it took me two hours to do it, and I have never seen her beat to weather better!!!!
IF, the mast step is in fact in line, and the mast is NOT twisted, then, I would first buy a Loos guage and properly tension ALL the shrouds. Do NOT rely on a yard to do this, take the time and do it yourself! Those turnbuckles at the ends of the shrouds can and will do all kinds of crazy things to your rig. Cheapest fix - - try the Loos guage. I bet, if you record the "as found" readings, they will be all over the place! FWIW...........
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30C
CDSOA, #1
By the way, Hanalei's rig was tensioned with a Loos guage before the RACE last year, it took me two hours to do it, and I have never seen her beat to weather better!!!!
-
D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: By the way......
Captain McLane,
I will NOT let a yard tension my rig EVER again. I don't care who the "rigger" is! You are the person that cares, not some 22 year old (sorry 22 year olds) that does it as part of "Launching" the vessel. The yard I use will only 4 point the rig, ie. I want it standing up semi straight all shrouds connected, and I will take it from there!
Captain Commanding, Hanalei
I will NOT let a yard tension my rig EVER again. I don't care who the "rigger" is! You are the person that cares, not some 22 year old (sorry 22 year olds) that does it as part of "Launching" the vessel. The yard I use will only 4 point the rig, ie. I want it standing up semi straight all shrouds connected, and I will take it from there!
Captain Commanding, Hanalei
-
Warren Kaplan
Re: Loos guage............
Dave,
I am in the process of getting a Loos guage for the reasons you mentioned. These guages, as I understand it, read out in pounds. Is there a reference somewhere as to what, in pounds, the rig should be set at? I realize it may vary under different conditions, but as a starting point, for Long Island Sound conditions, what tension should the rig be set at? I wouldn't dare ask you for the specific setting that turned Hanalei into a legendary speedster. I'm sure that's a closely guarded secret. But perhaps you can give me a ballpark figure. Of course I'm sailing a CD27 so it may differ from the CD30.
Thanks,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Setsail728@aol.com
I am in the process of getting a Loos guage for the reasons you mentioned. These guages, as I understand it, read out in pounds. Is there a reference somewhere as to what, in pounds, the rig should be set at? I realize it may vary under different conditions, but as a starting point, for Long Island Sound conditions, what tension should the rig be set at? I wouldn't dare ask you for the specific setting that turned Hanalei into a legendary speedster. I'm sure that's a closely guarded secret. But perhaps you can give me a ballpark figure. Of course I'm sailing a CD27 so it may differ from the CD30.
Thanks,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Setsail728@aol.com
-
D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: Loos guage.....12 - 15%.......
Warren,
Search the site on "Loos Guage" and you will pull up the conversation I had with Captain Heintz last year. I stated that I had tensioned Hanalei's rig to 12 - 15 % of breaking strength. Not what someone else on this site suggested, for I thought the suggestion was much to high and Loos agreed. The 12 - 15% will be pretty standard for all size wire, but will be a different lbs/foot for different size wire. The guage will tell you.....Of course, the reason for doing this is two fold, the rig is tensioned properly, and EVENLY, so no twist or other weird things.......
Hanalei
Search the site on "Loos Guage" and you will pull up the conversation I had with Captain Heintz last year. I stated that I had tensioned Hanalei's rig to 12 - 15 % of breaking strength. Not what someone else on this site suggested, for I thought the suggestion was much to high and Loos agreed. The 12 - 15% will be pretty standard for all size wire, but will be a different lbs/foot for different size wire. The guage will tell you.....Of course, the reason for doing this is two fold, the rig is tensioned properly, and EVENLY, so no twist or other weird things.......
Hanalei
-
Warren Kaplan
Re: Loos guage.....12 - 15%.......
Dave,D. Stump, Hanalei wrote: Warren,
Search the site on "Loos Guage" and you will pull up the conversation I had with Captain Heintz last year. I stated that I had tensioned Hanalei's rig to 12 - 15 % of breaking strength. Not what someone else on this site suggested, for I thought the suggestion was much to high and Loos agreed. The 12 - 15% will be pretty standard for all size wire, but will be a different lbs/foot for different size wire. The guage will tell you.....Of course, the reason for doing this is two fold, the rig is tensioned properly, and EVENLY, so no twist or other weird things.......
Hanalei
Thanks for the information. Just something for others interested . Our wise friend Capt Bill Goldsmith posted some stats for breaking strength for wire rigging back on 6/26/01 under the title "replacing standing rigging". In the archives. Here is the posting (if it works)
http://www.toolworks.com/cgi-bin/tw/wwb ... i?cd&27241
Thanks again,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Setsail728@aol.com
-
Bill Goldsmith
Re: Loos guage............
Guys,
My recollection is that the CD27 manual just recommended "about 1 inch" of play in the lowers and "slightly less" in the uppers, fore and backstays. The copy I have doesn't discuss actual tension settings.
If I recall correctly, Brion Toss recommends that for boats like ours with double lowers, the lowers should be set at 10 to 12% of breaking strength and the uppers, fore and backstays at 12 to 15%. When I tuned Second Chance to these numbers, it seemed to be consistent with the less scientific method recommended in the manual. Remind me to bring a TV and VCR to the next NE fleet meeting and we can all view the Brion Toss rig tuning video. Very informative.
The Loos guage is a great idea. Contrary to comments I've gotten at my marina it's not only for racers and anal-compulsive cruisers. As Capt. Stump wisely noted, as a captain it's a good idea to be aware of your rig tension and to be able to tune it yourself. Usually the tune will need to be tweaked a couple of times a season.
One problem with getting a Loos Guage for the CD27: You have to buy two!! The smaller one goes up to 3/16 and the bigger one starts with 3/16. If you want to tune both 5/32 and 7/32 wire, you have to buy both! (Unless there's a model the salesman didn't tell me about!!)
The guage is easy to use. It has letter gradations on the guage, and a chart right on the guage translates that tension to lbs for each of the diameters that guage is designed to test.
Bill Goldsmith
CD27#173
Second Chance
goldy@bestweb.net
My recollection is that the CD27 manual just recommended "about 1 inch" of play in the lowers and "slightly less" in the uppers, fore and backstays. The copy I have doesn't discuss actual tension settings.
If I recall correctly, Brion Toss recommends that for boats like ours with double lowers, the lowers should be set at 10 to 12% of breaking strength and the uppers, fore and backstays at 12 to 15%. When I tuned Second Chance to these numbers, it seemed to be consistent with the less scientific method recommended in the manual. Remind me to bring a TV and VCR to the next NE fleet meeting and we can all view the Brion Toss rig tuning video. Very informative.
The Loos guage is a great idea. Contrary to comments I've gotten at my marina it's not only for racers and anal-compulsive cruisers. As Capt. Stump wisely noted, as a captain it's a good idea to be aware of your rig tension and to be able to tune it yourself. Usually the tune will need to be tweaked a couple of times a season.
One problem with getting a Loos Guage for the CD27: You have to buy two!! The smaller one goes up to 3/16 and the bigger one starts with 3/16. If you want to tune both 5/32 and 7/32 wire, you have to buy both! (Unless there's a model the salesman didn't tell me about!!)
The guage is easy to use. It has letter gradations on the guage, and a chart right on the guage translates that tension to lbs for each of the diameters that guage is designed to test.
Bill Goldsmith
CD27#173
Second Chance
Warren Kaplan wrote: Dave,
I am in the process of getting a Loos guage for the reasons you mentioned. These guages, as I understand it, read out in pounds. Is there a reference somewhere as to what, in pounds, the rig should be set at? I realize it may vary under different conditions, but as a starting point, for Long Island Sound conditions, what tension should the rig be set at? I wouldn't dare ask you for the specific setting that turned Hanalei into a legendary speedster. I'm sure that's a closely guarded secret. But perhaps you can give me a ballpark figure. Of course I'm sailing a CD27 so it may differ from the CD30.
Thanks,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
goldy@bestweb.net
-
Mark Yashinsky
Re: Loos guage
The instructions w/ the Loos gauges come w/ tables of various wires, their breaking strength, and recommended tension. Second Chance needed two different gauges, because of the different wire used and was set up using these tables (and some sighting up the mast). Plan on spending some time.