DaySailer.org Forum

I am in need of a little help.
I have just purchased a Day sailor II and am not sure how tight the tension should be on the stays. I have read on other sights that the tension should be hand tightened. My previous boat (O'day 23) I used to use a tension gauge, the requirements on the gauge would tighten it way past hand tightened.
Which is correct?

I've often thought about this too, but after reading the thread below i just don't have the time. I'd be interested in any thoughts also. I've attached a link to the Doyle Sails site that talks about tuning a Daysailer.

http://www.doylesails.com/daysailer-tuning.htm

Are you still using the original standing rigging? If so, the stay adjusters are numerically indexed. That said, I set the head stay at 6 to 6.5 and the shrouds at 4 or so.

The rig on this boat is quite simple so hand tight is good enough. Tension beyond that will put undue downward pressure on the mast step.

Another way to measure the rig tension with this boat is that the leeward shroud should be 'just slack' when on a reach.

I use a Loos gage to tension my shrouds. The starboard and port shrouds are at 300 lbs and the head stay is at 250 lbs. I got these tensions fron a North Sales guide years ago and was posted by a winning day sailer racer. I have used this tension for 3 years with out problems. This is also in line with the recomendations on the Loos gage. In my opinion when the shrouds are too loose and you tack to windward you will get shock loading on the rigging.

Pete

FYI, there is another thread on this same topic within the forum. See:

http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2315

--Talbot