correct stay tension

[roberto11]

hi all,

i have some problems with my genoa set up.
i just cannot give the stay the right tension and the sail doesn't perform well when sailing upwind.

i am afraid to over-tension the front stay or the back stays.

I use it on a Profurl furler.
can be something wrong with the furler itself ??

any suggestion ??

thanks a lot

R.

[four winds]

Hey robert, where do you see a problem with sail shape? At the luff, leach, or foot?

Also have a Profurl and it has been flawless so far. My headstay does bow to leeward even with what I think is correct tension. Maybe it shouldn't, don't know, or even if that is the issue for you.

[Stu Jackson]

What kind of rig makes a BIG difference. You didn't say.

[Hydra]

To the OP: it would be easier to make suggestions if you could post pictures of the genoa when sailing close hauled.

Alain

[roberto11]

Thanks all.
The boat is a 33' steel cruising with no regatta ambition but still I would like to have the sails working at their best.
Is a sloop with a removable 2nd forestay and 2 backstays.
The problem is on the luff. It make a lot of "catenary".
I cannot understand if the stays.are not tensioned enought or what..
Thanks.
R.

[stevec195]

Had a similar situation on my boat-the forestay tension seemed to allow a bow in the luff. DON'T start by tightening the forestay.
The only way you'll know what you've got is to loosen all the rig and start back with the shroud and back stay tension. Get your mast rake set and then check forestay. There is s good book by Ivar Dedekam available in electronic and paper called "The Illustrated guide to sail and rigging". Read FIRST tension last.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Stumble]

Roberto,

Some amount of cantenary (called headstay sag) is expected and normal. In fact it is designed into the luff of the sail.

You can trim this out, but it isn't by shortening the forestay. The forstay leingth is set based on the cut of the sail. The tension is adjusted by either the backstay (most masthead rigs), the running backs (most fractional rigs), or the cap shrouds (some masthead backstay less rigs).


A very tight headstay flattens the sail and allows you to point better, but makes it much harder to drive the boat well. Balancing these competing interests is the real trick.