Rig Tension

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camusterrach

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I am about to restep the mast on my Beneteau 343 and am thinking of investing in a rig tension guage. The loos guages go up to 7mm but most of my rigging is 8mm, will they still work or should I get a more expensive guage?
 
I've used one and can't see how it would. Is there a model suitable for 8mm, I wonder. Dig around for Saltyjohn on this forum - he sells them and can advise.
 
There is a larger one for 7,8,9 and 10mm wire although it is not normally stocked in the chandleries so either ring around first or order one direct.
 
Welcome to the forum. I believe you contacted me earlier today and I was able to explain that the Beneteau 343 and a few other boats have standing rigging that spans two sizes of Loos gauge.
The 343 has 6mm and 8mm rigging. The PT2M and Standard type B gauge cover 5,6 and 7mm. The PT3M covers 7, 8, 9,and 10mm. So, unfortuantely, you need two gauges to cover all your rigging.
The PT3M was recently upgraded to add the 7mm wire size because it was recognised that several boats use 7mm and 8mm wire. It's a pity that the PT2M can't be upgraded to cover 8mm wire but the tensions involved require the larger PT3 body.
 
I have the same problem, I have 5,7 & 8mm rigging so I use the PT-3M for the 7 & 8 and use a 2m ruler and measure the stretch on the 5.
 
I am interested in the comment from Flyingscampi reference measuring stretch to determine the tension. I have 10mm rigging and would like to determine the tension on the backstay without going to the expensive of a gauge at 160 quid. Are there reference charts showing stretch/tension as a percentage of wire strength?
 
camusterrach said:
I am about to restep the mast on my Beneteau 343 and am thinking of investing in a rig tension guage. The loos guages go up to 7mm but most of my rigging is 8mm, will they still work or should I get a more expensive guage?
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I have access to loos gauge PT3. Can anyone tell me what the shroud and back stay tension should be on a Benatau343
 
Start with 15% of break load of wire on shrouds, 20% of break load on backstay.
Actual figures depend on wire size, of course, and there doesn't seem to be a tuning guide available for that boat with standard factory rig.
 
KellysEye said:
When a rigger replaced the rigging on our ketch he didn't use a tension gauge he just tigthened the rigging until he couldn't tighten it anymore.
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Kelly eye and me never see eye to eye :) . But when my boat then new was commission , a well known Suffolk rigger and racer , did mine by hand , never used a garge , I was told to go away and sail it four some weeks then he would reajusted it . Again the second time no garge was used but we did take it out and fine tune it under way .
 
sailaboutvic said:
Kelly eye and me never see eye to eye :) . But when my boat then new was commission , a well known Suffolk rigger and racer , did mine by hand , never used a garge , I was told to go away and sail it four some weeks then he would reajusted it . Again the second time no garge was used but we did take it out and fine tune it under way .
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Yes ..... I don't disagree with an experienced person not using a particular gauge ...... I very rarely use a torque wrench on cars because I know from experience when a nut is tight enough to do a particular job ...... it's the "couldn't tighten it anymore" that I find unprofessional.

Richard
 
My rig is mostly 10mm with some 8mm, and I bought the bigger size Loos gauge from Salty John. The riggers who re-rigged my boat last winter set the rig up and I did not see them use a gauge, but they took great care to get the mast straight and I think they must have used a gauge because when I checked all round with the Loos gauge not only were the tensions equal port and starboard, but they were also very close to the figures that I maintained on the previous rig.

I regard the gauge as an essential tool as I slacken the rig very slightly for each winter and restore the tension before sailing each year.
 
Norman_E said:
My rig is mostly 10mm with some 8mm, and I bought the bigger size Loos gauge from Salty John. The riggers who re-rigged my boat last winter set the rig up and I did not see them use a gauge, but they took great care to get the mast straight and I think they must have used a gauge because when I checked all round with the Loos gauge not only were the tensions equal port and starboard, but they were also very close to the figures that I maintained on the previous rig.

I regard the gauge as an essential tool as I slacken the rig very slightly for each winter and restore the tension before sailing each year.
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I think the tensions port and starboard are always equal as they self-equalise.

Richard
 
Norman_E said:
My rig is mostly 10mm with some 8mm, and I bought the bigger size Loos gauge from Salty John. The riggers who re-rigged my boat last winter set the rig up and I did not see them use a gauge, but they took great care to get the mast straight and I think they must have used a gauge because when I checked all round with the Loos gauge not only were the tensions equal port and starboard, but they were also very close to the figures that I maintained on the previous rig.

I regard the gauge as an essential tool as I slacken the rig very slightly for each winter and restore the tension before sailing each year.
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Norman I would had through as I do if you slacking the bottle screw X amount of turn on one side and the same on the other side you not going to be far off if you do them up the same come the spring .
I reset all mine rigging last year , as it not been done since the boat was new in 2009 .
I unscrew each bottle screw and then counted the turns and screw the other screw the other side up the same , make sure the mast I'd straight .
Once I did then up and I was happy , we took the boat out in 12 kts of wind first on one tack then on the other and tighten up any slackness , taken the Same amount of turns at the same time while on any tack making sure the mast stay up right .
This works for us ,
It's also what I have done with all my other boats in the pass .
Maybe one day I will buy a garge .

One other point , I don't know how true this is , I was once told by and experience rigger , just useing hand tools ( spanner and screw drive or wench ) it not possible to over tighten rigging . ( at the time we was talking about my rigging 8mm , not sure if the same would be with 4 or 6 mm )
On the other hand if you use a bar on the wench , it could easly be a very different story .
 
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