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wrote:
I have been experiencing a problem when beating in moderate+ winds. My
foresail is a masthead rig(?)a large genoa & really 'bangs' when
sailing close to the wind, this in turn is transmitted down the mast. I
know that the rigging is probably on the slack side, particularily the
forestay (its at the end of its adjustment at the bottlescrew), would
this be the likely cause or should I be looking elsewhere?

I'd have your standing rigging tunned by someone familiar with the work.
You can buy tension testers.
As far as your 'turnbuckle'??....I read that they should be screwed in a
certain percentage of the length of the bolt. My modest 19 footer calls
for 3/8" . My rigging manual says "the exact amount of tensioning is a
matter of experience and personal preference"...but "should be increased
until the slack is reasonably tight, but not as tight as a drum".
I'm assuming you have the mast 'raked' forward/aft properly and is
'plumb' side to side.