Stay Tension

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by The Garbone

Is 700lbs vs 1400 on the backstay worth the time and effort? Or can this be put in the good enough file?

I'm thinking your are fine at 700 lbs. Some guys are at 300 I've heard.

I'm at 440 lbs on all stays except the forward lowers which are at 550 for a bit of prebend. This for the past three years in winds over 30 several times for hours.

Also, if your boat is old, you should have less tension than if it were new because you could damage the boat.

[jeepbluetj]

Originally Posted by The Garbone

The backstay turnbuckle is above the triangle plate/ split. I can reach up with the loos meter and check the tension on the 1/4' wire about a foot above if I stretch.

I am working under the assumption the forestay is not really adjustable and its tension will be some percentage of the backstay and not overly critical as the the backstay is the one that resists the forces of the sails and affects the rake.

My concern that of the forestay being too long may not be the correct solution. I am more apt at this point to shorten both sides of the backstay bridle an inch than monkey with the Stalok on the forestay.

Is 700lbs vs 1400 on the backstay worth the time and effort? Or can this be put in the good enough file?

I don't know about 700 vs 1400. I'm not a professional rigger, nor do I play one on TV. I do know that my rig is a bit looser than spec, and I'm fine with that. It's tuned so it sails as good as an old C-30's gonna sail. And in so cal I'm not out in 45 knot gales.

Could the boom/toppinglift/mainsheet be taking some of the load off of the backstay? Like if you've got 200lbs of tension on the topping lift, that's 200lbs you don't have on the backstay. When I put my boat away I put some pretty good tension on the mainsheet to settle the boom down a bit in the marina. (I don't have a topping lift, rigid boom vang instead)

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by The Garbone

The backstay turnbuckle is above the triangle plate/ split. I can reach up with the loos meter and check the tension on the 1/4' wire about a foot above if I stretch.

From all of my experience with Loos gauges (mid '80's to date), you're not measuring the tension on this stay where there's enough free standing wire, in order to get an accurate reading.

The measuring scenario which you're describing is akin to trying to take a reading of a stay's tension, a foot or two above the turnbuckle, or near a spreader.
The wire can't deflect enough for you to get an accurate reading, being so close to a hard spot & all. Make sense?

I am working under the assumption the forestay is not really adjustable and its tension will be some percentage of the backstay and not overly critical as the the backstay is the one that resists the forces of the sails and affects the rake.

Forestays are definitely adjustable. And help to determine things in both boat & rig tune, such as helm balance for example.
The turnbuckle on yours isn't just there to set things to a fixed length specification from a book, but to assist in tuning the rig.

And the big issues surrounding how much headstay & backstay tension one has are;
- Amount of headstay sag, & ability to point
- Amount of bend in the mast, & it's affect on mainsail shape
- Tuning your boat's helm, so that under most conditions, you have a mild degree of weather helm.
Albeit, obviously these stays influence a lot more than that.

Is 700lbs vs 1400 on the backstay worth the time and effort? Or can this be put in the good enough file?

More than likely, so long as you're stays (including headstay & backstay) aren't flapping around when hit by a stiff breeze at the dock. Then you can take the boat out for a gentle test sail. And check such things as;
- How much your headstay sags to leeward (when going upwind).
- How well the boat points (say as compared to your Windex's settings).
- How much bend is in the rig/if there's any curve in the leading edge of the main. Not that having some is bad, just check to see how much you have.
- How's the boat's helm? Whether; it's neutral, weatherly, or lee.
- Also, of course, check to see how the mast is, transversely. As you want it to be straight, or with a bit of bend off to leeward at the tip/in the upper panel.

Before you do this though, is there not someone nearby, whom you could both ply for advice on tuning, as well as have along with you for a test sail/rig tuning when under sail (or three)?
Usually such guys aren't too tough to find, & some members on here have even given tips for doing such.

Plus, of course, if during the test sail(s) the rig's doing something which seems obviously wrong, you can always drop the sails, & head back in.

Also, this may not be the latest guide out there, but it's pretty good at covering the majority of rig tuning that most folks need to know/will ever use. http://www.amazon.com/Sail-Rig-Tunin...g+tuning+guide
Plus, it's worth doing some digging around on www.L-36.com
Also, & you'll need a slightly thicker skin than on here, but SA Forums is a good one too. www.forums.sailinganarchy.com

It never hurts to cross check your information with a few different sources. That, & get out on the water to test things, especially with a wizened hand/2nd perspective.