Can any one help me with tensioning for the first time a 6.67mtr yacht

[cannon]

About a week ago i rremoved my mast and at the moment am about to to varnish the mast, Just over 8 mts long.
It has one set of spreaders and is cutter rigged with running backstaysas well as the normal backstays.
I noticed that my backstays had been twisted around each other before removal and also my Stbd stay had a shackle between the rigging screw and anchor point where my Port screw was directly on to its anchor point, other than this i did not see anything else tat mightbeworrying.
How ever this is my first boat as i said on a mail i posted last year.
I have read Seldons hints and advice on rigging and tuning and found it very helpful and they actually took the fear away from me removing the mast in the first place.
However i really would like some backup on this as i live in France and do not know anyone in my area that can help.
I have ordered all new tensioners and the wire all looks good.
Does anyone have a step by step method from the moment i pick it up with the crane, and more importantly i suppose, any tips on the prep work to save me time whilst the crane is holding it in place, The boat is out of the water at this time.

Thanks in advance for any assistance
cannon

 

[Tranona]

Having just re-stepped my mast - simpler than yours with only one backstay and no runners - the process we follow is- this assumes your mast is deckstepped, but if it is keel stepped just read lower the mast through the deck to the step.

First make sure all the rigging both standing and running is on the right side of the mast. Can be a pain if you find for example the main halyard fall is aft when it should be forward of the spreaders. Lift mast by a strop below the spreaders and lower into the tabernacle/shoe/mast step. Keep tension on the strop until the locating bolt/pin is in. Connect the forestay, then the backstay, then the cap shrouds. The mast is then stable and you can lower the strop and connect the lower shrouds. Runners are not important for static stability so they can be connected later along with sorting out the halyards.

Sounds complicated, but all falls into place as you do it.

Good luck

 

[Lakesailor]

If you put the strop around the mast under the spreaders you need to be aware that the top of the mast may be heavier than the bottom. That is to say you must not let go of the mast foot until it is secured.
I'm not sure if Tranona was saying that, but it's worth repeating.

As he also said it's really important to make sure all the rigging follows the correct path. It's so annoying to find that a cap shroud is twisted as it passes through the saddle on the end of a spreader, or that a halyard comes over a spreader (and between the cap shroud and mast) on it's journey down the mast.

If it is a pivot bolt you may need to have the mast quite loose to line up the bolt in the holes. Putting a similar size mast up recently someone was tensioning the head of the mast against the backstay, using the main halyard and we couldn't get the bolt in. It wasn't until I looked up and realised he was pulling too hard and the lower stays were tight, which as they weren't properly adjusted , was leaning the mast over slightly sideways.

The other thing, if you are loosley connecting the rigging screws before you start, is to make sure they straighten up as the mast is lifted. If they jam on the U bolts they can bend or even kink the shrouds.

If you have mast head instruments, make sure they are properly aligned and secure before raising the mast and make sure they haven't been knocked by the crane or strop before connecting all the rigging, so there is a chance to lower the mast and rectify matters.

Go slow, and watch everything.

 

[SwedishLass]

This works for me but others may know better....

Before crane arrives dress mast with all halyards stays etc. I start with the cap shrouds and spreaders, then the lowers, backstays and forestay. Finally the running rig no partic reason but have been known to run lines the wrong side of the spreaders before. Double check for split pins and empty sheaves. If you can put a 12v battery onto any lights to check bulbs ok, radio aerial secure etc.

With the mast on trestles systematically take each line in turn check it has the correct end fitting and hold it away from the mast in the direction it would normally go, jib halyard hold out forward check for potential tangles make it fast below the gooseneck then check the standing part and make in fast on its cleat, neatly coil any spare and on to the main halyard etc.

Attach tensioners to ends of stays and put clevis pins in place (including a couple in your pocket!) I use paper clips at the deck end of the tensioners instead of split rings at this stage just to keep the pin safe. Make sure the tensioners are evenly threaded and as long as possible I remove the barrels grease with lanolin and reassemble with 5 turns.

When the crane arrives you should lift from above the spreaders, I know this is a pain but the mast will naturally hang down, it is easier to control the heel of the mast if there is a little loading on it and there is no risk of it suddenly inverting if the spreaders are the balance point. I lift from the front of the mast as there are less obstructions but check how the crane lift will lie when upright to decide.

Lift and with one person controlling the heel at all times place the heel on the mast step ( I am assuming deck stepped and no tabernacle) the second person puts standing rig in place putting pins in from outside to in and temp putting paper clips back in for speed. Cap shrouds, then forestay, then backstays and finally lowers. The rig will be very loose at this stage. I then go round replacing clips with split rings or pins and tightening the tensioners evenly on both sides once all is hand tight (turn the bottle not the stay) and before the crane goes, paranoia sets in and I double check for any fouling of lines capsized shackles etc. with binocs.

Once the crane is away the fiddling starts. Check for mast vertical by using the main halyard as a measure (let out the halyard until the shackle touches a fitting on one side then make off. Take the halyard to the equivalent fitting on the other side adjust tensioners so that is even (My guess is that this may explain extra shackle above tensioner) Tighten forestay and backstay for correct rake then forelowers if any prebend required and finally aft lowers. You are unlikely to have got the tension right first time but provided good hand tension on all stays the mast wont go anywhere you can go sailing and adjust so the lee cap just starts to lose tension when beating into a f3 or 4.

It's easy if you take time and double check at each stage. The thought often worries more than the deed.

 

[cannon]

Thanks all for your help i feel more confident now