Upgrade Rigging

[John Radcliff]

Has any one tried to upgrade from the Hunter shroud adjusters to a screw type? I was thinking of doing this to help make the tuning of the rig easier. Right now the setting that I have them on, I think the rig is too loose, but if I adjust it one stop down, then I think it may be too tight. I have even tried to adjust the upper shroud down one hole, and I think that was too tight. Any suggestions?Thanks,John

[Rusty]

John,You are on the right track to simplify the whole tensioning thing! I will be changing mine before I sail it this Spring. I plan on getting stock parts from our local West Marine and putting it together myself. Pretty simple job if you use the correct finished length range. If you have a local West Marine, I would bet that they have a crimper that you can use to swage the adjuster to the shroud (do not buy one!!!).I really do not know if proper tensioning is that important, but I almost always trailer my boat, and it will make tensioniong the mast much easier that it is right now (not that it is hard, but it is a pain in the tail!!).Cost should run less that $25.oo per adjuster. Good Luck.

[Mark]

Please post your experience with tuning the standing rigging. I am planning to tighten the shrouds on my first trip out this year and I'd like to read any tips you could offer.

[John Radcliff]

I have not done anything formal yet. The couple of times that I had her out, I figured that would allow everything to 'set'. Before this season, I am going to get a rig tension gage, and spend some time adjusting. I imagine that it will be a pain, put in the forstay, measure the shrouds, unhook the forestay, make a adjustment, repeat until happy.I think there was some threads here about rig tension and adjustments.