On 2007-09-25 20:10:10 -0400, "David Martel" said:

Jere,

Thanks. This fellow sets the headstay (fore stay) hand tight and then
devotes a lot of time to the shrouds. I follow that but then he
announces that he's done. I don't follow that. He's backed off the head
and aft stays till their loose and then tightened the head stay hand
tight. He doesn't tighten the aft stays at all and doesn't tune the
stays to attain any sort of rake. Hasn't he left out 1/2 the tune up.
He's only done the shrouds.

Oh yeah, that tuning is less than half the job. Keeps the mast up,
somewhat, but the jib's going to be so baggy that you will have all
sorts of problems.

Our forestay is somewhat more tensioned than the side stays, as I
recall. (Our starting numbers are marked right on the gauge, so I can
and do check the tension a couple of times a season without having to
remember anything. That check caught a crumbling bulkhead a couple of
seasons ago.)

If he didn't sail the boat in moderate air to check the lee shrouds,
that "tuning" might be worse than none at all.

It's even worse if the shrouds are aft of the mast. Gets complicated
then, but it's still possible to do it right.

Also, is a Loos gauge a good thing to have. Would a rental center near
the marina be a place to rent one.

I keep one on board, right by the companionway for ready use. They
saved me money the first time I didn't call on the rigger. Too loose
rigging will break a mast sooner than too tight.

I forget if it's your boat, but they're GREAT gifts for any owner.

For a quick check, ask around the dock. Mine's always available for
loan. [Just leave it somewhere I can find it, please.]

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/