Allot of questions

Posted By: Bob Frak
Date: 9/25/07 8:01p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: What is the best way to tune the rig w/ no backstay? (Todd-2023C-SFBay)

The owners manual I have gives no "tuning guide" initial tensions. A general rule of thumb is that the leeward lower shroud should go slack in moderate winds (7-10). If the shrouds are too tight it justs puts unnecessary load on the rigging and compression into the hull. Start with the "knife switch" in the middle. You can start with a straight mast to a slight aft rake (2"). You can tie a weight to your main halyard and let it hang, like a plumb bob with your boat on it's normal waterline, to see the rake. Securely tape a metal tape measure to your halyard and hoist it to near the top then cleat it and measure to the gunnel's on port and starboard. With the lowers slack adjust the uppers so the measurement is the same on both sides even with the mast at the gunnel's, loosen the short side and tighten the long side. Then hand tighten them two more turns from snug. Snug up the lowers equally but not as tight as the uppers (when sighting up the mast it should not hook forward if it does the lowers are too tight). Now sail it on the wind in 5 to 8 knot winds and sight up the mast on both tacks. The top should not fall off to leeward or hook to windward (controlled by upper tension) and the center should not pull to windward, fall off to leeward, or if the lowers are over tensioned cause the top to hook forward. If all of that's good (or once you make it good)and your sails are trimmed properly and you have too much weather helm rake the mast forward, too little rake it back. On light wind days go with a slack fore stay it will put more body into jib and power it up. On windy days go with a tight fore stay it will flatten the jib depowering it. Recheck your tune under higher loads to make sure your mast stays in column. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is for the MAST TO REMAIN IN COLUMN!It won't fail if all the load goes straight down a straight mast. It's when it hooks or bends like a noodle that the load just continues to bend it till the metal fails. If you get a hook to the rear under high main sheet tension that's good as it will depower the main by pulling draft out. Your mast should rest flat on the step to disperse the load equally. Now that I wrote this out please go ahead and comment add or delete as you wish. These are only my thoughts and the process I use. Bob Frak S/V Alegira