Proper Shroud Tension Question?

[Herodotus]

Does anyone have an idea to the proper poundage for shroud tensions on a 1987 C34?

I'm going with the advice of a sailmaker who suggests "The tops should be tight and the lowers should be snug."

Anyone know anything different?

Thanks so much.

[Stu Jackson]

Hi,

Rigging.

1.  go to C34 Tech wiki, top of this page

2. scroll down

3.  find Manuals

4.  read or download the manual of your boat

5.  the C34 manuals have very good descriptions of how to tune your rig, all done without gauges - it describes the shroud tension by comparing each one to the other side of the boat

These masthead rigged boats have been the mainstay of Catalina designs for the past 40 years.  They know how to keep it simple and describe it well.  Try their instructions before you spend any $$ on gauges.

Your sailmaker is right.

[Ken Juul]

Or if you have access to a Loos guage.  About 15% for the uppers, 12% for the lowers and someone was nice enough to do the trig...about 600# per leg on the backstay.  With a roller furler you can't check the head stay, so set the rake to slightly forward of where you want it, then adjust the back stay.  I can't remember if there is a write up on the wiki, but a search of the board should find a couple discussions.

[Roc]

You also need to go sailing after you adjust the stays.  Sail to windward in moderate wind, perferably in about 10 knots of wind speed.  Site up the mast and make sure it doesn't hook to one side or the other.  This lets you know if the lowers and uppers are working together to keep the mast in alignment.  If your headstay is sagging, then you can either tighten up the backstay in order to tighten the headstay, as long as you think that adjustment doesn't put your rake or mast bend too far out.  Or, you can disconnect the furling drum, move it up to get to the toggle and tighten the headstay.  Hopefully you can get a view of your furling unit to see how you can do that.  When sailing to windward, your leeward stays should not be loose (waving in the wind).  They should be taught.

[Ken Juul]

I found the attachment in a 2009 post by Jim Price.  I don't think the author, Ken Morton, is a member any longer.  The attachment says it is for a MKII, but the rigging sizes are the same for all the non in mast furling models.

If you are a C34IA member, there is supposed to be a good write up on rig tuning in the Feb 04 mainsheet.

I will add the attachment to the "sails and rigging" chapter of the wiki.

[Herodotus]

Thanks, fellas.

I'm off on Friday so I will let you all know how it goes.