mast tilt

[garyw]

Hi
I noticed after Ihauled the boat , that the mast was tilted to port by 5-10 degree- never noticed it before but probably was there all the time at least since I owned the boat which has been 1 year.    Is there any way to straighten it out.   I was going to loosen the stays on the port side and tighten the ones on the starboard side but didn't know if there was anything I needed to be aware of .

thanks

gary w
summer breeze
catalina 34  1986

[Jim Hardesty]

I wouldn't tune the mast it till the boat was back in the water.  The yard may have set your boat with some list to port.  I do loosen my back stay for the winter, about 7 turns, seems to reduce the vibration.
Jim

[garyw]

thanks

[lazybone]

I wouldn't rely on your "eye" to set your mast.
Use a Halliard  to measure each side.

[Ron Hill]

gary : Never try to tune a mast unless the hull has been in the water 24 hours.

I'd then take the topping lift and use it to go from the starboard side and measure the length - then go to the port side and measure the length.  You can use the deck by the aft lower shroud on each side.  Then adjust turnbuckles so the length on each side is the same.

A thought

[Noah]

Perhaps a dumb question: but are you sure it is actually mast bend/tuning and not the infamous Catalina 34 port list? Although the port list "issue" wouldn't be a factor on the hard, and probably is just the way boat is positioned in cradle or stands. But once you get it back in the water and settled in check again that the entire boat isn't leaning a bit, before you mess with the tuning.