Hydraulic Backstay

[limmer]

I have a navtec hydraulic backstay and I am wondering what minimum tension should be applied when not sailing ie. sitting at the dock and what others use during beating, reaching and running. I am a cruiser currently in mexico. Of coarse I look at luff tension but wonder if there is an actual # to how many lbs. is generally applied. cheers, I am sure all boats are different with size and rigging so. I have a C&C landfall 43 thanks limmer

[Sailmonkey]

The J-37 I used to race on left the hyd tensioner slack, but without slop and play. Being anchored I'd play it by ear as to what "feels" best when the wind blows.

[GordMay]

C&C Rig Tuning Guide:
➥ Mast Tuning

More ➥ C&C Resource Center

[cal40john]

I like this book.

Amazon.com: Sail and Rig Tuning (9781898660675): Ivar Dedekam: Books


Just found something similar online

http://www.seldenmast.com/_download....=595-540-E.pdf


Both describe how to get tension from seeing how much the wire rope stretches over a 2 meter length, see page 29. They also give max tensions you should ever use as a percent of breaking load.

While the pressure gages are supposed to be notoriously off, mine checked out in the ball park comparing to the rigging stretch. Somewhere the specs for your backstay adjuster will say how many pounds of force is generated for how much pressure. (You can also get this from the piston area. Force (lbs)= psi times piston area.) You can use this number in your max force as a percentage of breaking strength.

I think the first book also says, if you're adding backstay tension and you don't see the luff sag decrease, stop. You've reached the point where you're just bending the boat for no purpose. This is secondary, if you haven't yet reached the max settings that they give.

[daddle]

At the dock I leave enough tension that nothing bangs around in the wind and chop. About 20% of full on. Otherwise it just trim. I'd go sailing with the sailmaker for a demo.