Tention on headstay

[Andreas7699]

Hi again.

How do I tention the headstay on the B&R rig when sailing? Sometomes I would like less sag when I am sailing upwind on flat water.

Regards
A. Lossius

[Alan]

Adjustment of the headstay tension is controlled by the backstay and runners(if your boat has them). Pulling tension into the backstay draws the head of the mast back which adds tension to the headstay. On a masthead boat the amount of backstay tension is a 1 for 1 ratio. On a fractional rig that ratio decreases because some of the backstay force is used to bend the mast leaving less to control headstay sag. Adding a jumper strut to a fractional rig allows more of the backstay tension to translate into headstay tension.
The downside of adding backstay tension to the B&R rig is that it decreases the tension in the shrouds and diagonals on the mast.

If your rig is one that has no backstay then the headstay tension is controlled entirely by the cap shrouds and is for all practical purposes non-adjustable after your rig is tuned.

[Glenn Henderson]

Mainsheet tension can control sag as well. The sails that came with the boat have been designed with more sag in mind.