Tuning the rig - does anyone use a Loos Gauge?

[Geoffreykwright]

I've got a 34 Mk II (Hull 1494, Year 2000).  Does anyone out there use a Loos Gauge to tune the mast?  If so - what tension do you shoot for?  I know how they work (the gauges) but have never used one before...always tightened until the stays seem 'tight enough'.  When I drop my mast in the winter I mark the turn-buckles with electrical tape - but never occurred to me whether I had the right tension to begin with.  I'm a cruiser - not a racer - so not looking for performance.  Just want to ensure i'm not too tight or loose for fear of doing some damage.  Your collective thoughts and experiences would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

[Stu Jackson]

Geoff, if you do a search on loos gauges you'll probably find some discussions.  For me for the 20+ years we've owned our boat, I use the superb Catalina tuning guide in the owners manual, which comes with all boats and is in the tech wiki.  I used it just last month to straighten out my mast wiggle.  That guide was written soon after Columbus landed and is applicable to all single spreader masthead sloops Catalina ever produced.  I used it on my C22, my C25 and this boat.  Never bothered with gauges.  It is simple.  It is well written.  It works.

[Ron Hill]

Geoff: Do as Stu suggested. 
I found the best use of a Loos gage was to get each side equally tensioned!!

A thought

[Ed Shankle]

Geoff,
I use a Loos gauge and like Ron says, it's good to get equal tensioning. To that I'd add that it helps to get you in the ballpark of appropriate tensioning if you are not comfortable with your own sense of what feels right. If you search the site, someone posted a spreadsheet of tensions plus other useful info by each stay and size. I keep a hard copy of that with my gauge.

Regards,
Ed

[Geoffreykwright]

Thanks for all the advice...I did a Google Search on Loos Gauge Catalina 34 and found the post on this forum from years back with specific tensions for each stay.  Helpful.  As I said, I've been following the instructions in the manual but never knew how tight was right.  I'll see if I can borrow a gauge from a friend...thanks again.