Dan Dare
New member
This is a bit of a newbie question. Can the standing rigging be set up / tuned with the roller headsail on or do I need to take it off first? This is the first boat I've owned that has roller furling.
Standing rigging tensioning
- Thread starter Dan Dare
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Daydream believer
Well-known member
OK to leave the sail on, but the halyard with only light tension. You should never leave a furled sail under tension when not ready to use. You will probably find it easier to furl older kit if you ease the tension prior to furling anyway, as it eases the weight off the rollers. But not so slack that the halyard wraps around the forestay as you furl the sail
fjcruiserdxb
New member
If you want to do a good job, remove the headsail to be able to adjust forestay and shrouds. Two things to adjust: mast rake and rig tension. Then you will have to do additional adjusting at sea with both sails on, ideally at around 10knts of wind upwind and keep notes of the numbers. That will be your basis from which you can tension further for higher winds. Tuning is takes time but not impossible to achieve. Ideally if you can find what others have done on same model of boats, even better. If you are not sure, worth paying a rigger for advice.
geem
Well-known member
You don't need to remove a headsail to set the tension on a forestay
Rappey
Well-known member
Its dependant on what furler you have . Some can be tensioned easily whereas others need the drum releasing and raising to get to the bottle screw
fjcruiserdxb
New member
You do if you want to have the exact tension as per manufacturer tuning guide. Otherwise will be approximate and you won't be able to get the correct mast rake.
geem
Well-known member
Some forestays don't even have a bottlescrew. Tension is set using the backstay. Mast rake will then be set by the wire length. You can't get a tension guage on a forestsy if it has the furler extrusion in place so again, mast tension is set by the backstay.
coveman
Active member
Setting the tension varies depending on the type of rig you have - for example a fractional rig will need greater shroud tension. On this type of rig the cap shrouds will impart tension on the forestay.
This link to the Selden website explains rig tensions for different types of rig under "Hints and Tips" Rigging instructions & sailmakers guide : Seldén Mast AB
This link to the Selden website explains rig tensions for different types of rig under "Hints and Tips" Rigging instructions & sailmakers guide : Seldén Mast AB
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Daydream believer
Well-known member
My old furler (Facnor ) had a fixed length stay so no point removing the sail. That being said , I had 4 new forstays in 15 years in an attempt to get the best mast rake.
My latest furler ( profurl) has an adjustable stay. I can release the furl mechanism & slide it up the foil with the sail in place. This is because the sail does not sit in the foil for the first couple of feet. As with most foils the sail needs that space to allow it to feed in.
I have a rig tension tool & do not set the rig tension from the forestay, but from the shrouds. The forestay Does not need it as the backstay has a 32:1 adjustment which affects forestay tension.
I would never adjust tension at sea. This is done at the dockside.
Rig is 11/12 fractional
fjcruiserdxb
New member
To make myself clerarer: adjust your stays at the dock and fine tune at sea and make notes of numbers at different wind speed. This is common knowledge in racing. I don't pretend to be an expert in anything but I have some knowledege about racing, rigging and trimming sails that I am happy to share with others. I sometimes feel these threads are hijacked by know it all experts. This will be my last contribution. Been nice to learn some good stuff about cruising boats, fixing problems, an area where I have little knowledge and wishes to know more. My plan is to buy a 30-31ft cruiser. I may come back from time to time to read about cruising and will refrain from commenting.
geem
Well-known member
Well we are setting up the rig for cruising. I guess that makes a difference. I did leave the caps without the split pins in until I had done a brisk bash to weather so I could check the cap tension and tighten up if necessary but they were perfect so now they are pinned shut.
Dan Dare
New member
Thank you for all the replies, it is obviously a bit complicated but it has given me plenty of info to at least go down to the boat and have a go at it.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Perhaps you could share your knowledge. It would help.
In what way do you take " numbers " at different wind speeds of the rig tension. How do you do this & how do you apply the changes for the future. .ie how do you use these "numbers"
Would be nice to know for our own use.
Snowgoose-1
Well-known member
Having had various rigs over the years I
still find adjusting and tensioning the rig difficult. The racing boys don't seem to have a problem . If only there were sensors like you get on tyre pressures to keep things right.
I'm guessing that most cruisers like me get the riggers do it and that's it for the season . I do make regular checks though. With hank on sails and masthead rigs I found the whole business much easier .
still find adjusting and tensioning the rig difficult. The racing boys don't seem to have a problem . If only there were sensors like you get on tyre pressures to keep things right.
I'm guessing that most cruisers like me get the riggers do it and that's it for the season . I do make regular checks though. With hank on sails and masthead rigs I found the whole business much easier .
Daydream believer
Well-known member
A rigger will just set a standard tension on a rig. That is unless he is used to that class of boat & actually sails on it. If it has multiple shrouds you will get a mast ( or should do) that sits in the centre of the boat. You should not get a boat that ends up like a banana with heads doors that do not open. However, do not expect the best performance from it as it will not be absolutely right.
Mast rake, for instance, has an effect, as does the amount of pre bend, which affects the set of the mainsail. It should also stop mast pumping. A rigger should allow a standard for these but cannot be expected to give you the best set up.
What I belive that you should not get, is slack floppy rigging when sailing up wind. Something that some seem to think is OK.
Mast rake, for instance, has an effect, as does the amount of pre bend, which affects the set of the mainsail. It should also stop mast pumping. A rigger should allow a standard for these but cannot be expected to give you the best set up.
What I belive that you should not get, is slack floppy rigging when sailing up wind. Something that some seem to think is OK.
trbt
Member
Laser310
Well-known member
typically, a tuning guide will specify forestay length.., not tension
billyfish
Active member
Did I read, never leave the halyard under tension when not I use. I have been pulling mine up in the spring and letting it off in the autumn only sweating it tight, no winch.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
What do you think that leaving it under tension does to the sail?
flaming
Well-known member
Depends on the boat and also the seriousness of the racing....
What he almost certainly means by numbers would be rig tension readings, loos gauge readings, on various of the stays for settings that you have found to be fast in various wind strengths. These are static loads, with no sails set.
What the tuning is, is another matter and is very dependant on the boat. On some boats, especially boats with well swept spreaders, you start slackening the inners as the wind rises to allow more bend to be imparted by the backstay and thus more flattening of the main. On others you just wind everything on as the wind increases.
We've got to a point with our rig tune where we feel the benefits of messing about with caps, inners and diamonds, are really rather marginal, and you run the risk of getting very lost. So we tune via the forestay, slackening to allow more headstay sag in the light and tensioning in the heavy.
I'm saving my pennies for a Cyclops smart tune smarttune Archives - Cyclops Marine for the forestay so we can really understand what's happening as we sail, not just dock tune.