Rigging Tension

[Chief]

I am brand new to this forum and to the cp23 (I'm buying a 23/3) and am curious what tension to tune the standing rigging to (the shrouds, stays, and the bobstay under the bowsprit). Will someone kindly tell me the correct number of pounds I should tune each component of the standing rigging to (using a loos gauge, of course)? Thank you!!

[hockeyfool]

OK , here it goes , as I know someone will make corrective editorial on my version on proper rigging tension.
I called Hutchins from Com-pac yachts and asked about rigging tension numbers from the manufacturers
   technical specification and he said , " we dont have them " , and don't bother either. So -- they  apparently follow
    some sort of master boat builder's academic process for assessing proper rigging.  Forward rake on the mast,  and follow the
    sight up the mast to see the mast is vertically straight, from mast step to first shroud, to upper shrouds, to mast head.
   A plum-bob tool will also help to see this alignment. Also -- Some say from about 4-5 feet upfrom deck - pull
on the shrouds, if you get more than 1 inch of movement - its too loose.  Also -- catalina 22's specs showed 25 lb" tension
  lower shrouds on a gauge tension, and 30 on uppers. Its not really pounds but a conversion that reads on a tension gauge.
So I have been using a bit more tension - 30 on lowers and about 35 on uppers. It makes a clean, well controlled rig on all points
of sail, and in heavy weather -- not one issue(  like mast pumping that causes snapping of shrouds and loud thumps after shock waves
  from large wakes or sudden storm wind shears ) .  I did experience a wind shear this summer that was on the weather hazard alert
from NOOA -- I''m told it was about 50 -60 mph out here  inland SE michigan; I was on the cell phone chatting and it came;
    my sails were up with big geny & main close hauled for speed heading into the wind, then it hit , and she heeled steadily all the way down  to dipping the rails, and gunwhale, all I could do is release the main sheet , 3 or so seconds later she righted up. I scrambled to
   drop the genoa halyard, locked the tiller , ran forward, pulled hard on a tensioned geny halyard, dropped the sail to deck, threw a chain rode onto it, ran back to cockpit - got my out board pull started real fast - motored into the wind, tiller lock still performing;
   and God thankfully I could then drop the main halyard ; all the while we were being pitched and rolled, but now incontrol .
the rigging held well;  very fortunate I had a very reliable tiller lock and outboard ( mercury 2 cycle 8hp ) that started on first pull.
  We were heading fast in a side slippage into the lee shore -- rocks, mud, trees, ect. !!  Motored out fast into safety. 
     

[Bob23]

   Wow! Hock..that is some experience. Glad you and the boat made it out inscathed.
As far as rig tension, you've pretty much nailed it. Aside from the obvious that the mast should be straight, it's my understanding that the 23's like their mast raked forward about 2 to 3 degrees to minimize weather helm. It looks a bit odd, but that's what I've heard here and elsewhere. ( I just re-read your post...you already mentioned that- sorry for the redundancy)
   My method is to have the mast straight, the shrouds and stays tight enough "so they feel just about right" but with no slop on the leeward shrouds while under sail.
   Welcome to the Chief! Where do you sail? Can you post photos of your 23 when you get her home? We look forward to your contributions.
bob23

[CaptRon28]

Generally speaking, if you don't have specifications for your boat and if you have a Loos gauge, you should set the initial tension in each wire to about 10 percent of it's published breaking strength. The final tensioning should be done while sailing in about 10 to 15 knots of wind. The leeward shroud(s) on each tack should loosen just a little while the windward side is very tight. Of course, this should be done after you verify that the mast is pointing where you want it to, normally straight up or maybe with a little rake. Once you get it right, measure each wire tension with the gauge and write these numbers down. In theory, the two sides should be almost equal. Note that some folding masts could be difficult to raise with more tension in the rig, so you may have to back off a drop.

Don't expect to wind up with the same tension percentage on each wire. I've tuned boats and have wound up with maybe 8 percent on one set of lower shrouds and 17 percent on the uppers. Because the forces acting on the rig could substantially increase while sailing, I would not go over about 18 percent of breaking strength for any single wire.

[skip1930]

It's an amazing thing, tentioning the standing rig. One can lay on the vee birth and look up through the fwd hole in the deck and actually see the bends imposed in the mast as the shrouds pull on the mast. I keep them snug when bare poled and when under sail the windward side keeps the mast rock steady tight while the lee side shows loose shrouds.

skip.

[shamblin]

snug but not guitar string tight? 8-)

[CaptRon28]

While sailing in perhaps 10 knots of true wind:  Windward side - tight; Leeward - slightly loose (but not swaying in the breeze). Both sides should be similar after a tack.