How tight is tight enough?

[SV_Delphinia]

Hello,

I am the new owner of a 1991 Mac26 "S". She sits on a trailer, so I raise the mast every time I've launched her (4 times so far in the last 4 weeks).
I just wanted to check that I'm not setting myself up for failure - how tight should my rigging be?

Every time I launch I loosen the backstay so I can attach the turnbuckle of the forestay. Then, I tighten the backstay as tight as I can with my hands (The backstay and shrouds have the vernier stay adjusters secured with a clevis pin), then turn the forestay turnbuckle until the forestay is about as tight as the backstay (as determined by solemn plucking)
The very first time I stepped the mast, the shrouds were crazy loose, so I just tightened the uppers and then lowers in the manner described above, and have not adjusted them since The mast looks straight with a naked eye.
Is this tight enough? Or will I be de-masted in a strong breeze?
It seems pretty secure, but what do I know. Is there a tool I should be using, or is this the proper method?

Thanks for any advice!

[Russ]

Go to this page and download the manual for your boat.

It sounds like you have them set correctly. They should have no wobble and feel snug but not so tight that you can play them like a guitar string.

[Hamin' X]

Check out this page at Blue Water Yachts:

[dlandersson]

Just to be clear, this is about boat stays, not anything else?

[svscott]

I've got my 26D rig nicely tuned after a bunch of adjusting. Ideally, you want the mast close to vertically plumb but with a 2" or 3" belly in the middle. If I remember correctly, I think I've got my mast raked forward just a little bit (as gauged by my eyeball) and set by the forestay. Next, set your shroud tensions using a couple of small screwdrivers or awls to pull the adjusters tighter than you can get by hand. It's a balancing act of tightening and loosening each shroud until the sail slot is straight port/starboard and tight enough to induce a little belly, with the mast center bulging forwards a couple inches. Lastly, attach the back stay - this can help induce the belly also but if the backstay is too tight, you'll lose power from the top of the sail - that's good in high wind but not so good in lighter conditions.

I have my rig pretty tight but my leeward shrouds always get slack and floppy under load. It's a bit unnerving to see the spreader loosely moving around but I've read this is normal. I've sailed like this for several thousand miles without an issue.

I have a small block and tackle, like a mini mainsheet that allows me to adjust the backstay's tension on the fly. For downwind runs or in light wind, I loosen it but when we're hard over with a bunch of lean and high wind, I pull it in tight to bend the mast and depower the top of the sail.

[pitchpolehobie]

Just to be clear, this is about boat stays, not anything else?

Presumably

[SV_Delphinia]

Thanks for the advice! Yes, I have noticed a little slack on the upper leeward shroud, but have been hesitant to tighten any stays with anything but my hands out of fear of putting _too much tension on the mast...
The links referenced were very clear, much appreciated.

Glad to hear I'm on the right track - I will see about judicious awl use...

Thanks again!

[dlandersson]

I just wanted to be sure, I remember dates like this

Just to be clear, this is about boat stays, not anything else?

Presumably

[Ixneigh]

Just to be clear, this is about boat stays, not anything else?

Presumably

I dunno but whatever it is, it should be twite like a twiger!

[chipveres]

Normal running tension should be in the 250 pound neighborhood, so quite a bit more than you can get by hand.

Chip V.

[AmandaRuth]

Just to be clear, this is about boat stays, not anything else?

This made me bust out laughing as i was searching for an answer today. Thanks for that laugh.

[Stickinthemud57]

As a 26S owner, I have had an interesting journey with rigging and rigging tension.

My boat came with a static backstay. It was adjustable, but not on the fly, so I upgraded to an adjustable backstay. I quickly realized that loosening tension on the backstay tightens the shrouds and vice-versa. I would have people cluck their tongues at my loose shrouds, and then show them what happens when the backstay is loosed.

I would suggest you start by getting an adjustable backstay such as offered by BWY. An adjustable backstay gives you control over your mainsail shape. Once installed, tension the backstay slightly. Tension the shrouds such that your mast bends as best suits the cut of your mainsail under nominal conditions. This is usually bent toward the stern. Some of this is best done on a very still day, but the real test is when under sail.

On a tack, your leeward shrouds will be slack. The important thing is that the mast stays within a few degrees of perpendicular and remains as straight as possible as viewed from the stern or bow. Getting all of this dialed in is trial and error.

All that said, maybe best to start tight and loosen up as you zero in on the ideal tensions. More boats damaged by loose rigging than tight, I suspect.

[Wyb2]

…Or will I be de-masted in a strong breeze?
…

This may have been tongue-in-cheek, but I’ve never heard of a demasting caused by incorrect rig tension. To my knowledge, too loose is bad for boat performance, and too tight places unnecessary stress on the hull. I suppose severely unbalanced tension could do it by pulling the mast out of column. I think racers sometimes break masts by cranking the bananas out of their adjustable back stays, which is basically the same idea as unbalanced tension.

[KingRichard]

As someone who went through the learning pain of raising the mast on his 26s, my one piece of advice would be to find the gin pole! Then you won't need to have the backstay loose to raise the mast. Also, the baby stays are a nice adder, with those properly attached a 12 year old could raise the mast.