"Tuning" Horizon Cat Rig

[capt_nemo]

As the proud owner of a Sun Cat for 3 1/2 years, I NEED YOUR HELP.

On the Trailer Sailor "Catboat" Forum a Horizon Cat owner wanted to know how to tune his Rig because the Lee Shroud was loose and swinging "wildly" on a close reach in brisk winds.

I responded with the method I use on my Sun Cat to keep my shrouds from becoming loose and swinging "wildly", which is to adjust the shroud tension EQUALLY on both shrouds such that the Quick-Release Forestay Lever (the controlling mechanism) is quite hard to lock down and pin as well as to unlock. It should require some effort, with strength behind it, to lock down and pin. This tightens the shrouds so that there is no noticeable looseness sailing in moderate winds and only SLIGHT looseness when hard on the wind, not swinging loose and "wildly".

One response was that the Horizon Cat Rig is "different" in that even when tight at rest, the lee shrouds, under hard press of sail on a close reach, still swing "wildly" because the mast "bends" so much.

Am I wrong to contend that the two Rigs are similar enough to both benefit from my method of shroud tensioning?

Does the Horizon Cat Mast really "bend" so much?

What say you Horizon Cat Owners?

capt_nemo

[Craig]

Kailani's shrouds do not "swing wildly" but the lee shroud is quite slack. I use the same method as you,Don.I tighten the turnbuckles until the forestay lever requires substantial effort to close.If it bruises the pad below my thumb, it is too tight!  While they share some tuning basics with sloops, gaff rigs have their own set of tuning/adjustment parameters. The cat rig has its own set of "likes/dislikes" as well. As we have all learned, catboats as easy to sail but more difficult to sail well. I think that is one of the things I enjoy about the HC. Always in a learning mode and experimenting.

[skip1930]

On Star Boats the side standing rigging slid on deck mounted 'T' tracks.

skip.

[CaptRon28]

My leeward shroud is also kind of loose when sailing in 10 plus knots, maybe a little tighter in less air. I've spoken to both Gerry and Rich and they seem to say that it should be somewhat loose, so I've been leaving it like that. But it should probably not be flapping around. One reason why it should be a little loose is that it could make it rather difficult to raise the mast with tight swept back shrouds. You'd be fighting them on the way up.