DaySailer.org Forum

Quick question for all the pros. how tight (which #) do you put your halyards?I set mine a 7 on the bottom of the bolt but didnt know if this was enough or too much.

sorry, I ment spreaders.....

You mean sidestays and forestay?...I try to get mine as tight as possible which isn't that tight because my turnbuckles are extremely tough to turn even with a wrench. So mine still have a little play in them.

Have 1977 DSII. Mine are at 6-1/2, a bit loose and am going to tighten them to 7 next time out. Really depends on how old and stretched you cables are. And I am sure there is a tension spec somewhere for them.

The stays come with a knurled nut because it is my understanding they shouldn't be tightened with tools. I have a mast hinge so I leave the sidestays on at the desired setting and then I use the jib halyard to keep tension on the mast while I tighten the headstay. I've read that there shouldn't be much looseness in the leeward sidestay until the wind reaches 8 kts so I keep that in mind. It's a pretty light rig and without a backstay keeping the main trimmed correctly in a breeze when pointing really effects the tension on the headstay. Of course racers will tune a lot more agressively than this.

Shawn
DS10542

I found the stay tension settings at an internet site, I believe it was Nort Sails. My side stays are at 300 lbs and my fore stay at 250 using a Loose Gage. This is with the upgraded 1/8 rigging from D & R. Needless to say, running close hauled in a 15+ breeze, nothing is loose.

Pete

Many rigging pro's say that your tension at thr dock should be set to 10% of breaking strength. I have a small tension meeter, but have not used it yet. I run without a headstay, using the wire luff sewn into my furling jib instead. I have a fair amount of slack in the lewerd side stays.I think to much tension could hurt the boat.