[Rhodes22-list] RE: Setting Shroud Tension-Loos Instructions

[Brad Haslett]

Here's an article on the subject that is of interest.

http://www.northsailsod.com/articles/article11.html

They don't seem to be a big fan of the Loos guage.

Brad


On 6/26/06, David Culp <dculp at hsbtx.us> wrote:
>
> Hey Chris:
>
> Yeah, I'm going to check the shrouds one more time in a little heavier
> blow
> and then stick the pins in so I don't get any nasty surprises.  With the
> Rhodes you would have to lose several before the mast would come down
> unlike
> my last boat... Lose one and you are done.
>
> Compression-I think it might be cosmetic.  I'm the third or fourth owner
> and
> somebody along the way may have cranked it down too much or who knows?
> Looks like it flexed back and I see no ill effects.  I'll keep my eye on
> it.
>
> Somebody asked about the Loos gauge...  When you measure the tension there
> is an index number which is read off the gauge.  This number is applied to
> a
> table for the particular size of shroud wire that you have and you are
> given
> the number of lbs of tension based on the size of wire.
>
> The instructions for the gauge do not differentiate between cabin-stepped
> or
> keel-stepped.  They talk about using a percentage of the breaking tension
> of
> the shroud wire.  For side shrouds, Loos generally recommends 10-12 % of
> the
> breaking tension which they say for 1/8 wire is 2100 lbs. or 210 to 250
> lbs.
> The forestay tension is recommended to be higher-in the 350-400 lbs range.
> Loos recommends against completely loose lee shrouds.
>
> I think the main thing is to avoid shock loading where the mast is allowed
> to gain some inertia before it snaps taught in a tack.  With nine shrouds,
> the Rhodes has all kinds of support and shock absorption capability.  When
> I
> tack, I don't see anything amiss even with loose lees.  A boat with fewer
> shrouds might require higher initial tension to avoid shock loading.
> Hand-tight would not have worked on my last boat with only 3 shrouds and
> so
> I kept it about 250 and the everything was "in tune" so to speak.
>
> David
>
>
>
>
>
> >Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 17:37:14 -0700
> >From: "Chris Geankoplis" <napoli68 at charter.net>
> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Setting Shroud Tension
> >To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >Message-ID: <008701c698b8$abcd4a00$6601a8c0 at dadsoldcomputer>
> >Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> >David,
> >       A word of caution,  when the lee shrouds go "slack" depending on
> the
> >paticular conditions the motion of the boat will unscrew the lee shrouds
> >without a cotter pin or ring.  Talk about getting unscrwed and then
> screwed.
> >
> >On the compression problem.  On a boat without hatches the cabin roof is
> >bullet proof.  A point in case.  A long time ago with my 1st Rhodes a
> nasty
> >tornado picked up the boat on the Chesapeake and flipped it.  Since it
> was
> >in about ten feet of water the mast acted like a polevault and the entire
> >weight of the boat, crew and inverted cheese fondue pot was balanced on
> the
> >mast step as the mast slowly sank into the very soft bottom off Poplar
> >island.  After cleaning off the jellyfish and cheese, somewhat fearfully,
> I
> >checked the area around the compression post.  There ws no sign of
> >distortion or damage.  Now if a solid cabintop can take that punishment,
> >even with a hatch or two, you still should have a mighty strong support
> >stystem.  Good luck on the problem, perhaps it is only cosmetic.
>
> >Chris G
>
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