Cheap Loos Rig Tension Gauges

[Baddox]

Although I’m loathed to suggest shopping on Amazon, they do have various versions of Loos rigging tension gauges at about 2/3rds of the normal price.
They’re being sold under the title “Loos-Co-Professional-Hands-Free-Tensioning”

 

[Topcat47]

I've had a quick look. The sellers seem to be US based (I've not gone through the whole list). Remember you'll need to add 20% VAT and a Handling charge (Typically £8.50) to the price. Watch out you're not charged VAT on the delivery costs too, it's happened to me twice.

 

[Baddox]

There is definitely a UK supplier. I ordered a metric PT-2 last night and it was delivered today, free P&P without needing Amazon prime, for £103.

 

[Daydream believer]

There is definitely a UK supplier. I ordered a metric PT-2 last night and it was delivered today, free P&P without needing Amazon prime, for £103.

Cannot imagine that with a max wire diameter of 1/4 inch it will be much use to the majority of cruiser owners.
The PT3 (£191-09) is considerably more expensive
Oddly enough the cheaper PT2 ( £82-33) does a thicker wire, 1/4 inch, than the more expensive PT1-1M (£100-20) which does 4mm

Am i reading that correct, or has the OP found a different source?

 

[pvb]

Cannot imagine that with a max wire diameter of 4mm it will be much use to the majority of cruiser owners. The next size up is considerably more expensive

The £103 PT-2 will work with 5, 6 and 7mm wire.

 

[Concerto]

I have purchased 2 Loos gauges, a PT-2M and PT-3M, both from eBay at about half the retail price. You just have to set up a search on eBay and wait for one to be listed.

 

[Daydream believer]

The £103 PT-2 will work with 5, 6 and 7mm wire.

I stand corrected
i was quoting from the spec with the amazon link that the Op gave in his post at the start of the thread
In any event, raising the point might forewarn a prospective purchaser to check first in case he is sold an incorrect model or possibly a clone
I quote from the advert:-
Sailboat Rigging Tension Gauge from Loos & Co., PT-2 Professional Hands-Free Force Gauge for Tensioning and Tuning of Shrouds, Cable Rigs, Wire Rope Standing Rigging, and Forestays, for 3/16, 7/32, and ¼ inch Cable Diameter
£82.33


Sailboat Rigging Tension Gauge from Loos & Co., PT-1M Professional Metric Hands-Free Force Gauge for Tensioning and Tuning of Shrouds, Cable Rigs, Wire Rope Standing Rigging, and Forestays, for 2.5, 3, and 4 milimeter Cable Diameter
Price: £100.20 & FREE Delivery in the UK

 

[pvb]

I stand corrected
i was quoting from the spec with the amazon link that the Op gave in his post at the start of the thread
In any event, raising the point might forewarn a prospective purchaser to check first in case he is sold an incorrect model or possibly a clone
I quote from the advert:-
Sailboat Rigging Tension Gauge from Loos & Co., PT-2 Professional Hands-Free Force Gauge for Tensioning and Tuning of Shrouds, Cable Rigs, Wire Rope Standing Rigging, and Forestays, for 3/16, 7/32, and ¼ inch Cable Diameter
£82.33


Sailboat Rigging Tension Gauge from Loos & Co., PT-1M Professional Metric Hands-Free Force Gauge for Tensioning and Tuning of Shrouds, Cable Rigs, Wire Rope Standing Rigging, and Forestays, for 2.5, 3, and 4 milimeter Cable Diameter
Price: £100.20 & FREE Delivery in the UK

The OP didn't give a link, and I can't seem to see the £82 one you've quoted.

 

[Daydream believer]

The OP didn't give a link, and I can't seem to see the £82 one you've quoted.

I copied the description he gave into google & went from that into amazon
So no it was not a link - my mistake --but I followed his lead
ie
quote
They’re being sold under the title “Loos-Co-Professional-Hands-Free-Tensioning”

 

[Skylark]

I have purchased 2 Loos gauges, a PT-2M and PT-3M, both from eBay at about half the retail price. You just have to set up a search on eBay and wait for one to be listed.

Good advice..........but you’ll need patience to find yourself a deal as they seem to be going for ever increasing prices.

I bought a PT-3M a few years ago. Boxed and with little use (same as it is today ) and paid around £80. Nice piece of kit.

 

[eddystone]

I bought a SureCheck from Jimmy Green for about £80 - goes up to 8mm

 

[Salty John]

Amazing, with Loos & Co's relentless price increases and the worsening exchange rate, these gauges have gone up about 50% in the past year or so. Surely electronic gauges will soon become viable.
By the way, the Amazon ad says they are stainless steel, they're actually aluminium.

 

[pvb]

How often do Loos Gauge owners check their rigging? Wouldn't it be just as cheap to get a rigger to set it up?

 

[Topcat47]

No, Last time I had my ride set up it was £70 + VAT.

 

[Daydream believer]

How often do Loos Gauge owners check their rigging? Wouldn't it be just as cheap to get a rigger to set it up?

I do mine at start of season launch & again mid season after the mid season scrub.
I find my boat reacts very well to quite small "tweaks" & it has taken a long time to get it dead right. New sails every 2/3 years normally means another set of changes

 

[pvb]

New sails every 2/3 years normally means another set of changes

Why would new sails need the rigging tension to be changed?

 

[Skylark]

How often do Loos Gauge owners check their rigging? Wouldn't it be just as cheap to get a rigger to set it up?

I have to remove my backstays for haul-out. Not ideal but I don’t have an alternative. Hence I refit and check their tension at the start of every new season.

Despite owning a Bendytoy, the shrouds haven’t lost any tension in the 5 years since she was launched. It’s a 2 minute job to check and I do it at the same time as inspecting the rigging, again, at the start of the season. When hard on the wind in a F4 I like to “hit with my palm” both windward and leeward shrouds pretending that I know what I’m doing after having read the sailmakers rig tuning guide

 

[Daydream believer]

Why would new sails need the rigging tension to be changed?

Because I have found that each mainsail responds differently to mast bend.
I have a 11/12 fractional rig & uppers are set to get a pre bend. (50mm on current sail)
the mids support this pre bend & the lowers (which are thicker wires)do also
However, when back stay is applied (mine is 32:1) the tension on mids & lowers have to be properly matched to get the required bend to flatten sail a bit
But that also reflects on forestay tension
So if mids & lowers are too slack, I cannot get enough forstay tension as I get too much mast bend
But depending on what jib I have, forstay tension does not always have to be rock hard
Some jibs are cut for a more luff curve & are easier to sail to windward as such.
There is a slight difference in ease of helming to windward between a sail that has the flow well forward & one that has the flow back a tiny bit.
But then one does not always sail to windward so mast off wind has to be considered.

 

[doug748]

Amazing, with Loos & Co's relentless price increases and the worsening exchange rate, these gauges have gone up about 50% in the past year or so. Surely electronic gauges will soon become viable.
By the way, the Amazon ad says they are stainless steel, they're actually aluminium.

Looks like they are climbing into the same hole as Eberspacher. They will be £15 apiece when the Far East sniffs the profit on the wind