[Rhodes22-list] Standing Rigging and Tension

[Al Miller]

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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