[Rhodes22-list] Standing Rigging and Tension

Thu, 24 Oct 2002 13:29:04 -0400

Al,

Boy!  You really know how to hit below the belt.  I help you to tune your
rig & then you tell me how much you're going to enjoy sailing on the Gulf of
Mexico while I'm raking leaves!  Good grief, some friend!  Enjoy yourself &
I'll be thinking of you as I watch the leaves burn.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V dynamic Equilibrium

----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Miller" <al.shell@verizon.net>
To: "'The Rhodes 22 mail list'" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 8:14 AM
Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Standing Rigging and Tension

> Roger,
>
> Yep, this is it!  Thanks!! And yes, this is a quality FAQ article.
>
> BTW, sorry to hear that the 'yanks' are putting their boats away
> already.  Michelle and I will think of you guys Saturday evening while
> at anchor at Anclote Key and sailing the gulf on Sunday.  The winter
> winds are always better (read that "stronger and gusty") than the summer
> zephyrs.  I'll try to post a picture or two later. :-)
>
> Al
> S/V Mishka
> Tampa, FL
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Roger Pihlaja
> Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 7:49 AM
> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Standing Rigging and Tension
>
>
> Al & Michelle,
>
> Enclosed is a copy of my rig tuning procedure.  I was kind of hoping
> this procedure would have made onto the FAQ web site by now, but I guess
> that didn't happen.  The standard Loo's tension gauge will do just fine
> for your purposes.  Enjoy!
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
>                        Rig Tuning Procedure For Rhodes 22
>
> The 1st thing you want to do is measure the length of the forestay on
> center from pin-to-pin.  On my 1976, standard mainsail, Rhodes 22, this
> measurement is 333-5/8 inches.  Write this number down because it is
> very important. If your forestay length is more than a couple of inches
> different than this, you might want to reset it to 333-5/8 inches as a
> reasonable starting point.
>
> Now step the mast.  Take the excess slack out of the forestay &
> backstays with the backstay adjuster.  You don't want things real tight
> at this point. All upper & lower sidestays should be slack.  Go to the
> base of the mast, pull a halyard taut along the mast & sight up the mast
> from the rear & from the side.  Any deviation from a straight mast will
> show up as a gap between the mast & the halyard.  There should be no
> observable bend or bowing in the mast.  If there is, the mast may have
> been dropped & bent at some point or may have some other problem.  You
> should call Stan at GBI & he will be able to help you work out your
> problem.
>
> I like to use a Loo's tension gage.  The model 91 is the appropriate
> range for the Rhodes 22.  Remember to always measure the tension at the
> same relative position on each shroud every time.  On Dynamic
> Equilibrium, I have marked these measurement points with little spots of
> paint on the wire right at my eye level.
>
> The upper sidestays are adjusted next.  Raise a tape measure up the mast
> on a halyard.  Measure to the same point on each side of the boat.  I
> like to use the edge of the toerail right next to the sidestay.  Tighten
> the turnbuckles a little at a time on each side to adjust the upper
> sidestays until both sides are the same length +/- 1/4" & tensioned to
> approximately 300 lbs +/- 5%.  This procedure assures the top of the
> mast is centered in the boat & the upper sidestays are tensioned equally
> port & starboard.
>
> What you do next depends upon whether your boat has the IMF mainsail or
> a conventional mainsail.
>
> On an IMF mainsail boat, I would adjust the 4 lower sidestays so they
> were all approximately the same tension.  I would start with
> approximately 200 lbs +/- 5% on all 4 lowers.  This is not a lot of
> shroud tension.  Check for mast straightness with the halyard again.
> You want the mast to be straight in order for the IMF furling mechanism
> inside of it to be able to turn without binding &/or excessive wear on
> the bearings.  Minor bending or bowing can be taken out with the lower
> sidestays.  However, I would call Stan at GBI if I couldn't get the mast
> to straighten out with a difference of about +/- 15% on lower sidestay
> tension.
>
> My Rhodes 22 has a conventional mainsail.  I have a very roachy fully
> battened mainsail which has been cut to respond to mast bend.  I have my
> backstay adjuster set-up to adjust quickly from the cockpit with
> calibration marks on the line.
>
> Tighten the turnbuckles equally & a little a time on each side to keep
> things reasonably centered.  I adjust the forward lower sidestays to 400
> lbs
> +/- 5% of tension, and the aft lower sidestays to 200 lbs +/- 5% of
> +tension.
> Then, check for mast straightness with the halyard.  Believe it or not,
> the standard mast on the Rhodes 22 is such a stiff telephone pole that,
> at 200 lbs differential tension on the lowers, there will be a barely
> detectable fore/aft bend in the mast with no sails set & the backstay
> adjuster slack. At 400 lbs of tension on the lower forward sidestays,
> when the backstay adjuster is tensioned, primarily only the upper half
> of the mast is pulled towards the stern.  The forestay is tightened &
> the mast is bent at the same time.  Both actions are exactly what you
> want to obtain proper sail shape in a high wind situation.
>
> Now go out sailing.  On a close hauled course, put up enough sail to
> heel the boat over about 15-20 deg.  Make certain the rudder blade &
> centerboard are all the way down.  On my Rhodes 22, the above tension
> settings cause the mast to remain straight & more or less centered in
> the boat.  The primary thing to check is the upper sidestays.  On my
> Rhodes 22 with the above unloaded tension settings, at 15-20 deg of
> heel, the windward upper sidestay should have about 450 lbs tension &
> the leeward upper sidestay should have about 150 lbs of tension.  I have
> my upper sidestays set-up such that the leeward upper sidestay tension
> drops to 0 lbs at about 30 degrees of heel. At this point, the windward
> upper sidestay will be under about 600 lbs tension.  Note, normally the
> stays are set-up to give proper shroud tension & the correct amount of
> weather helm with full sail set.  This tends to limit the weather window
> in which you can do this sort of tuning.
>
> When all sails are properly trimmed & the boat is "in the groove", there
> should only a slight amount of weather helm.  If there is a huge weather
> helm, or neutral, or lee helm; then, you need to adjust the rake angle
> of the mast.  If you have neutral or lee helm; then increase the
> forestay length.  To get rid of excessive weather helm, shorten the
> forestay.  The balance of the boat is very sensitive to this mast rake
> angle, so change it in increments of about 1/2" at a time.  Note, a
> slight amount of weather helm is desirable because it provides feedback
> to the helmsman, thus allowing him to steer a better course.  Excessive
> weather helm tends to tire the helmsman out.
>
> Once I'm happy, I lock the adjustment in place by taping the lock nuts
> on the turnbuckles.  I find I only need to do this adjustment once.  The
> Rhodes 22 is such a strongly built little boat that nothing ever seems
> to stretch or bend.  I do check the side-to-side upper sidestay length
> at the beginning of every season; but, it's never changed in the 13+
> seasons I've been measuring it.  Trailering set-up only involves
> adjusting the lower sidestays since the rest are not disturbed.
>
> As far as rig tension settings on the trailer vs. off the trailer, I've
> found the only rig tension adjustment that significantly changes is the
> backstay tension.  You can set the tension on the rest of the standing
> rigging according to the above procedure on the trailer as long as the
> boat & trailer are reasonably level. It will be very close to optimum
> when you get the boat in the water, certainly good enough to do the
> on-the-water fine tuning described above.
>
> FYI, I slack off on the backstay tension when Dynamic Equilibrium is not
> being sailed.  As I mentioned above, the backstay adjuster has
> sufficient power to affect the shape of the hull.  Greatly exaggerated,
> imagine the ends of the hull being pulled upward like a 22 foot long
> banana when the backstay adjuster is tight!  There is no sense leaving
> the hull & rig under that kind of stress when the boat is not being
> sailed.
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Al Miller" <al.shell@verizon.net>
> To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 10:35 PM
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Standing Rigging and Tension
>
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I read some time ago on the list about a neat method of using a
> > Loos(sp?) gauge to correctly tension the standing rigging on the
> > Rhodes. For the life of me I cannot find the article, even though I
> > have about a year's worth of saved mail for technical info.
> >
> > Will someone please point me in the right direction so that I can
> > locate this article?  Maybe a re-post would be helpful to others, too.
>
> > I found a Loos gauge for the 1/8 inch wire used for the rigging, but
> > it was not the "pro" model.  Would the standard be adequate?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Al/Michelle Miller
> > S/V Mishka
> > Tampa, FL
> >
> >
> > _________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
>
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