Check out the Harpoon page...

Posted By: Jay Levy - Indianapolis, IN 5.2 #35
Date: 5/25/07 5:07p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: new boat owner's questions (Paul)

... if you haven't already at http://www.ruach.net/Harpoon.shtml. In this section: http://www.ruach.net/HarpHist.html, you will find a pdf of the original Harpoon owners manual. It describes pretty well how to rig the boat from trailer to water and especially how to set up the forestay and shrouds. The tension on each of these is critical not only for keeping the mast upright under the enormous forces of the wind, but also for how the boat handles at the helm. I would also carefully inspect all the standing rigging - the shrouds, forestay, mast and boom - for signs of fraying wire, rust (even on things that are supposedly stainless steel), corrosion (esp. where two different metals are in contact), bad rivets and/or screws and the area where the tabernacle meets the centerboard trunk. If any of these fail during your maiden voyage, your free boat might become a very expensive project boat. You're actually lucky that the guy hook ripped out when you tried to board the boat. If you had tried to sail it with the shrouds attached there, the whole rig probably would have toppled in about 10 seconds! Good luck with your boat and congratulations on getting it. As you can probably tell by the fast response you got from all of us, we are very anxious to help and are always around. Fire as many questions at us as you want and you'll always get a prompt reply. We have all "been there and done that". Also plan now to join us at the Harpoon National Regatta next April in Ocala, FL. Even if you don't plan to race, it's a lot of fun.