C23 -- what is the optimum rigging tension on stays/shrouds ?

[hockeyfool]

I have a loos tension gauge  and  I use it on evryboat I can ; when tuned to the factory or expert's specified
tension , boats tend to track, tack, maintain, much better and more stable.
PLease - does anyone have  these numbers: I just temporarily set my lowers at 27 pounds
and the uppers at 30  pounds. Had a friendly open class race and  seemed to make very good boat speed .
However needed to trim often on jib sheets. ( it was blowing 10-20s ) .

[Craig Weis]

Tight on the windward side. Loose on the lee side. Climb into the vee birth if you can and look straight up the mast through the opened fwd hatch to check for straightness. Usually find a bit of difference at the spreaders. Let her flop back and forth a bit, that's what I meant with my opening line here.

skip.

[newt]

I disagree. The cable you have can be set about 5-20% of its breaking strength. I personally do not like my mast flopping around. 5/32 has a breaking strength of 3300 lbs. That would mean a tension between 150-500 lbs. I usually set it about 2-300 lbs, with the fore and aft tightened by blocks in the aft.
Of course Skips way is traditional. But I just like to use the Loos guage and set it up tight.

[CaptRon28]

I suppose that 10 to 18 percent of breaking strength is acceptable as a starting point on most sailboats. But a final tune out on the water in 10 to 15 knots could improve on that. You're looking for tension on the weather side and slightly loose (but not flopping around) on the lee. The nice thing about using a gauge is that you jot down these final numbers and then use that as a starting point next year (and thereafter).

[Craig Weis]

OK The problem with making the standing rigging tight to a 10% to 18% breaking strength is not 'breaking the wire' but rather pushing the mast down onto the cabin's arch or compression post. The tight way is actually trying to push the mast out through the bottom of the hull. Works both ways, on the side tension and on the fore/aft tension. That head sail in a blow is really pulling that back stay tight. Just enough tension to keep that furler taught and straight is all I need.

Like a willow tree, if it bends it won't break. Keep it from bending and she'll fail. IMHO. Of course all this goes out the window if the boat is a hybrid racing craft with way too many bells and whistles. And I don't have that kind of tub. I don't need to spend that kind of cash. She been sailing this way since 1996. Some 11,300 nm's according to my Raymarine ST-40 Bi-Data unit that has a totalizing feature and holds the mark over winter with no battery down below.

skip.

[newt]

The tension on the cabin arch is a legimate concern, but it it cannot handle  the compression from a few hundred pounds I have structural problems I need to deal with. With the rigging tuned to loose on the leeward side I feel like I get too much mast movement and I worry about movement fatigue on the wires
Now I haven't sailed as much as Skip on my Compac. But the rigging was set the same way on my Valiant- it has circumnavigated and had the original rigging from 75 when I got it...