Stay Tension

[Chip Rothenberger]

It's time to eat a bit of crow!!!

After buying Pai Nai, formerly Pumpkin, I decided I was not comfortable with the rigging of the previous owner had. In my infinite wisdom I decided I could build a "better mouse trap" and I went to the time and expense of re rigging her with stainless steel shackles and turnbuckles. I then was not sure that the rake was correct, so I contacted Gunther at Seascape Asia, and fortunately he replied with the correct rake for both masts, and also informed me that the SS rigging was a bad idea.

I am now in the process of Re-rigging her again with rope, but I am unsure of how to properly tension the stays!!!

Any and all remarks will be considered. If anyone knows any tricks to getting this done correctly I would greatly appreciate it.

I promise I will not make any other modifications without putting it out on this forum first.

Thank you all in advance!!!

Chip

[Dan Hardwicke]

Hi Chip,

I have a bottle screw on my forestay of T38. Either way adjust forestay length and lock off, then pull mast back (held temporarily by two halyards) and tighten side stay lashings . The rig tension is done by the side stays not forestay (do not use bottle screw to tension). It takes a few times to get right.

I have found that in general if you tighten as hard as you can by hand on the dock, i.e. not under sail, it will be spot on. You can tighten leeward shroud under sail but be careful of foremast case pressure. 

Shroud shackles (lashings to chainplates connection) need to be moused as they take quite a beating if in heavy weather/reefing a lot .

Main mast similar process, just takes a Iittle longer to get lengths correct.  I still think it is amazing all of this can be done with so little effort!

[Chip Rothenberger]

Hi Dan,

Thank you for your feedback.

I was wondering if the bottle screw on the forestay might be OK. I have been proceeding with that assumption. I have switched three stays out already, but they seem a bit more loose than they were when I took them off. I think the rake is a bit more than the 9 degrees Gunther said it should be as well, so I was thinking that may be part of it. I was thinking that if I used the turnbuckle on the forestay to bring it back to 9 degrees that perhaps that would stiffen them up as well. From your reply it sounds like this May be doing it backwards. I think I may bring it back to the 9 degrees and lock it off as you suggested, then I can proceed as you have described.

Once it is done correctly how much play should there be in the stays. Is it possible there is a video somewhere showing what they look and feel like when done correctly? Seeing examples always helps me tremendously.

Thanks again for your input.

Chip

[Bill of Whitsunday]

On my Pahi 42 I tension fore and aft with and correct rake with turn buckles. I then tension inner fore stay with turn buckles witch puts a bit of a bend in the mast necessitating re tensioning the fore stay. I then tension side stays- rope around an eye by hand. I add a bit more tension by tying the rope to a 4:1 block attached to a strong pint on the deck and to keep the mast straight, sighting with a plumb line from a dingy or marina. When under sail the leeward stay should have a lot of play. the side stays are never guitar string tight like some stiff mono. Its impossible and not intended to get the side stays too tight as you are pulling against the inner hull to beam lashings if you do. It is the play in the whole rig/hull lashing system that increases the seaworthiness of Wharrams and stops things breaking.  

[Chip Rothenberger]

Thanks bill


Bill of Whitsunday said:

On my Pahi 42 I tension fore and aft with and correct rake with turn buckles. I then tension inner fore stay with turn buckles witch puts a bit of a bend in the mast necessitating re tensioning the fore stay. I then tension side stays- rope around an eye by hand. I add a bit more tension by tying the rope to a 4:1 block attached to a strong pint on the deck and to keep the mast straight, sighting with a plumb line from a dingy or marina. When under sail the leeward stay should have a lot of play. the side stays are never guitar string tight like some stiff mono. Its impossible and not intended to get the side stays too tight as you are pulling against the inner hull to beam lashings if you do. It is the play in the whole rig/hull lashing system that increases the seaworthiness of Wharrams and stops things breaking.  

[Chip Rothenberger]

What knott is most commonly used for these lashings?

[Bill of Whitsunday]

At the bitter end I use a double (Yosemite) bowline snugged up against a simple or figure eight stopper knot. At the running end I use at least four half hitches around the lashing ended with a rolling hitch.

[Chip Rothenberger]

Thanks Bill, I'll give those a try..

[patrick lennon]

Hi Chip I understand you used to own a tiki 38 called Pumkin. I am interested in this boat as it seems she will come on the market soon. May I ask your opinion of the build quality. Thank you and warm regards Pat