Sailboat Standing Rigging Tension

Release the tension in the backstay check that you are happy with fore and aft and sideways deflections.

Sailboat standing rigging tension.

Here are some general guidelines for tuning your mast s standing rigging please see our blog on how to properly adjust a turnbuckle before you begin. It is easy to think of standing rigging and running rigging as two different parts on a sailboat but in fact they both share the same goal. Once the rig is set up as described here tensioning the backstay whilst sailing will affect the curve in the upper part of the mast only as the area around the spreaders is fixed by the opposing forces of the shrouds. To get the mast to bend more easily ease off the lowers.

Before you loosen any rigging mark its tension with a piece of tape or a cable tie on the thread above the turnbuckle. To make backstay tension affect the headstay tension as much as possible tighten the lowers. Running rigging is thought of more often with sailing as sailors use them to set trim and adjust the sails. Once the correct tension is known the gauge can be used to maintain the value.

Get the mast s standing upright in the boat 2. The standing rigging on the other hand is left standing there. No stainless steel cables in stock i have checked. That way if you stuff up you can at least return to this setting.

Planning on using eye and turnbuckle studs at the ends of the cables as i do have turnbuckles left from another boat. Allow your yacht to sail. The initial rigging tension should be high enough that the leeward shrouds do not go slack when sailing close hauled in a reasonably brisk breeze. The second is the tricky one.

I am finishing a homemade sailboat. As always we recommend seeking the advice of a professional rigger for more specific tips and tricks regarding tuning your boat s rigging. The rig is now tuned for maximum headstay tension which is often difficult to achieve. There is a simple criterion for shroud tension.

Willing to order the 1 x 9 1 8 316 cable and do the swaging myself. Backstay tension will bend the mast and add some headstay tension. They are especially designed for accurate repeatable tuning of a sailboat s standing rigging. The proper value for your boat can be found by a few trial runs under sail.

Even new boats are not immune from problems they inevitably deform under the considerable loads of their rig and therefore will need to be re tuned after a period of use. The steps to adjusting rigging are 1. Many yachts have poorly adjusted standing rigging that can impair performance and handling as well as threatening the security of the rig.