Hate to bother you again, but I have a question about handling the tension for the shrouds. First, our Prindle manual states that the shrouds MUST be loosened after each sail. Is this really the case and do most cat sailor follow this practice? Second, is there a way to assure that the mast will not fall on our heads as we try to increase or decrease the tension of the shrouds by moving up and down the clevis pins in the shroud adjusters -- like a safety line of some sort? (The other day the mast almost came down while we were messing around with the adjusters on the beach.) Being new to cats, your advice would really help us.



At the end of my other post, please see my thanks for your help with naming our Prindle.



Regards,

Andrew

There are two easy ways to control the mast while adjusting the rigging:

#1:Remove the trap handle from the shock cord on the side you are tightening, and have a partner stand away from the hull a few feet and hang on the trap wire, this will bend the mast a bit which enables an easy adjustment and it cannot fall the other way while being held.

#2:Put the traveler all the way out on the side you wish to adjust, sheet in ALL the way (block to block), then go ahead and make your adjustments. Note how this will only work with the sail up, which is always a bit sketchy. I get nervous sheeting in the main while the boat is on the trailer or sittting on the beach. This methode DOES allow you to do all of this without help, but I would strongly recomend method #1.

As far as I have been able to figure out, the only truly bad thing that can happen in Cat sailing is having the mast come down, so always do whatever you need to make sure that does not happen!

Another thing you can do when you are short handed is make a small tensioning rig. All you need is about 5' of small diameter line 1/4" or less, two small micro blocks, D ring shackle, and a carabiner. Put the Dring shackle on one of the micro blocks, put the caribiner on the other. Thread the line through pullys with a knot on one end that dead-ends on the micro block and put a small foot loop in the other. When you are done, you will have 2:1 tensioning rig. Clip the carbiner on one of your trapeze wires and fasten the dring on the chainplate and pull. You can put your foot through the loop and apply pressure which will hold up the mast and allow you to tension your rig easily without any help. Email me if you want a drawing.



Don S.

I20 236

I have used a ratchet tie down hooked to a trap wire and rear beam or side chain plate when by myself. You can also put a lot of tenison in the rig without help.

Put your harness on and hook up to the trap wire. Sit down to tension. Then adjust it yourself - take as much time as you need.

Michael,

Thanks for your fine advice.

Andrew

Don,



I would very much like to see a drawing of your tensioning rig. Please send me one.



Andrew

Andrew--



I agree with all the advice given. No one has answered your question about leaving the rig tensioned when you're not sailing. I sail in a club that has the luxury of leaving our boats up all the time, and can't think of any of our folks who losen the rig tension after each sail. I think you're save leaving the tension on.



Fair winds,



Tim J.

David,



Another good idea.Thanks.



Andrew

Mike,



With my 210 pounds, it should work. Thanks.



Andrew

Tim,



That news is a relief. I too keep my Prindle on a trailer in a boat yard and leaving the shrouds alone on each occasion sounds very appealing. Thanks.



Andrew

Here is my approach, followed by my opinion on shroud tension during storage.



Secure the back end of the main halyard so that it can not escape; either use a stopper knot/stopper ball, or tie it off to something.



With the main block and tackle on the boom and traveler, raise the boom untill the block and tackle are fully extended. Attach the halyard to the outhaul so it suspends the boom at this height.



Slide the traveller all the way out to one side. Sheet in hard. Now the shroud on that side of the boat can be adjusted.



Keep this tension on the rig when storing in a mast up situation. If practical, set the boom and traveller and main sheet up just as I described earlier and put some tension on it. The tension in the halyard and on the boom will force the mast to rotate and hold it there so that it won't oscillate in the wind.



A tensioned rig will move around a lot less than a loose one. The movement is the worst wear on rigging. Think of bending wire back and forth, thousands of times. It weakens it.



Keeping the whole system loaded will avoid most movement and therefore minmize wear and tear.



I don't leave my main sheet on the boat but rather I tie the boom to the traveller with the remaining end of the halyard. Any piece of line will do.

Gary



I do not agree with you using the main halyard and boom over to one side to tension the shrouds. There was one team in the 2000 Worrell that did this on their Inter 20 and broke the halyard roller at the top of the mast. I don't think that the roller/bearing was designed for that much pressure without the sail up. Everything else you said about keeping the mast up was a good idea. Just my thoughts.

David

This thread has left me wondering just how much tension is being referred to. With a tensioned rig, doesn't it become difficult to get the proper mast rotation?

Here is a rather crude drawing of the tension rig. It works great. I can put as much tension as needed. Just be carfull not to overdue it. I typically leave my boat tensioned all the time while the mast it is up. Yo may have to replace your shrouds more frequently due to stretch .



Don

I was told by the previous owner of my tornado to ALLWAYS loosen the tension on the shrouds. Some sailors also loosen the tension on the spreaders, but this is probably too much wear and tear on the the threads. I guess it depends on how much you want to baby your boat; but there is a lot of pressure on the mast with the rig fully tuned.