Rigging tension settings

[evoke379]

Does anyone have any suggestions for rig tension for a SO 379? In-mast furling if that makes any difference. Not looking for race settings, just want to avoid lee wires and lee back stay from going slack, as they do now.

I have a Spinlock Rig-Sense tool.

Thanks in advance.

[kev]

Hi...there's some very good information on the Selden website under Technical Information on how to set up the rigging on their brand masts.

Depends of course whether you have continuous or discontinuous shrouds. I'm guessing yours are continuous like my 36i. When I asked a local (R Orwell) rigger about my rig tune he said to tighten the cap shrouds just enough to stop the lee side being obviously loose when close hauled.  D1's and D2's are a different kettle of poissons and you need to keep the mast a) vertical, b) in column and c) stop it "inverting".

I suspect that if your D1 is loose then you might find your mast is adopting a slight "S" shape when hard on the wind, which is generally a Bad Thing if too pronounced.

Someone who knows better than me will be along in a minute with detailed advice.

In my experience this is one of those jobs where you can fiddle for ages to get it right because each adjustment will affect the others, whereas someone who does it regularly will instinctively know how much adjustment to make and do the whole lot in half an hour, so probably worth paying a professional rigger.

regards

Kevin

[evoke379]

Thanks for the info. I plan to research properly before I touch it so as not to bugger it up entirely! 🥴

[Charlie-Bravo]

I second the advice of reading the Selden rigging tips, it is probably the best explanation of what is needed and covers just about all you need to know ( and quite a lot you don't ).

Handy to have a rig tension gauge but worth calibrating it by tensioning a pair of shrouds using the selden 'folding rule' technique, ( a 2 meter bit of 20x20 aluminium angle works better than a folding rule as it sits well behaved on the wire) and then test the rig gauge on the same shrouds, PBO did an article on rig tension gauges and found them to be not as accurate as claimed , some by quite a margin, but once you know how much it misreads by, it will make a handy tool.

Worth the effort to understand the rig, a well tensioned rig improves performance by a lot, keeps the mast safe and strong, and gives you the confidence to adjust it as and when required , such as before and after each lift, which many folk ignore.

Most furling masts are straight, some have a very slight curve of about 1" tricky to say what yours needs, start straight, and if the sail looks awful then you might need a little bend to help it, with some masts bending it won't help at all, mast rake is another adjustment but go with what you have to start with, just tensioned properly.

Some riggers are great, some are not, pick and choosing one on recommendations seems the only way , but those who recommend have probably used a rigger because they didn't fancy learning about their rig ...... you choose.

Happy rig tuning, it's not science of the rockets, just needs a bit of study and application ...... and a spanner.

CB