Please make certain your speed measurements are accurate use your GPS. If
your rig appears symetrical under load on both tacks, it means that your
hull isn't. The boat is plastic and they do change shape over time. This is
not unusual. To test this, the boat needs to be out of the water. Build an
absolutely square rectangle the length of the boat out of scrap and place
the rectanglular frame in the center position around the hull, parallel with
the center line of the hull. Take measurements equidistant along the
longitudinal length of the hull at 90 degrees to the frame rails, both on
the port and starboard sides. When you compare these measurements you will
easily identify the problem. This is a day job on a boat this size and easy
to accomplish. Of course you may not really want to know as ignorance is
bliss, but if it will give you peace of mind, go for it. Of course you
should also realize that it is not economic to correct. So you will either
have to live with the asymetric shape or sell the boat and buy another.
Steve

"mr.b" wrote in message
m...
I'm consistently a kt. slower on the port tack than the starboard and
it's starting to make me nuts. Almost as nuts as the "weather" on the
Great Lakes this "summer".

To start, all the standing rigging is new as of last year with about 40
hours of total sailing time on it.

I measured the mast for plumbness using the main halyard, then tightened
the uppers by hand keeping the mast in column. Then snugged the forestay
hand tight. Then attempted to induce some prebend by tightening the aft
stay, first hand tight, then with a wrench. Sighting up the main track
shows a slight aft bend, maybe an inch over my 34' mast height, then
checking again for straightness athwartship. Finally hand tightened the
single inner shrouds.

Out for sail testing and on the starboard tack the boat falls into the
groove and runs right up to hull speed with a #3 and the full main in
about 12-15kts of breeze. Slight weather helm and I can trim her for
hands off at hull speed.

Tack to port and we have to fall to leeward a bit to get her to
accelerate and she never really gets into a comfortable groove. More
pronounced weather helm and she seems to be struggling to come to hull
speed.

On both tacks the inner shrouds flop loosely and I know that will need to
be dealt with next time out. As well, the forestay sags at least 5-6
inches from the centreline. I've read that "hand-tight" is good enough
for shrouds and stays but this can't be right. My pointing ability can't
be what it could be with such a loose rig.

I'm looking for tuning hints here. It's just a conventional masthead rig
with single lower shrouds and no backstay tensioner installed. Headsails
are hank-on. Main has 3 full battens.