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Rig tensions for my 35-3?

delwarne

Member II
Does anyone have a starting point for rig tension on our 35-3? My loos gauge has a recommended start but I'm seeking wisdom from the Elders.
 

mherrcat

Contributing Partner
Brion Toss has some good DVDs on rig inspection and tuning. It's all based on a percentage of the breaking load of the different wire sizes and then fine tuning to straighten the mast under sail.

In the DVD on tuning he shows a tool called a RigStick that is used to measure the stretch of the wire. (Apparently a more accurate gauge of the tension than a Loos gauge?) Unfortunately when I tried to find the RigStick based on the phone number you can see in the DVD, I had no luck. They may be out of business. One could be made easily with a length of tape measure and some clamping devices of some kind.

http://www.briontoss.com/
 

mherrcat

Contributing Partner
I looked at that Loos web page and was kind of curious why they only show tensions in reference to 302 and 304 wire. I thought 316 was the most common now.
 

Emerald

Moderator
I called Loos a couple years back and asked them this question. The person I spoke with told me that 316 was close enough you could go by the numbers as if it was 304. It wouldn't be a bad idea to call again and see if they still give the same answer.
 

Neil Gallagher

1984 E381
E381 Rig Tension

Howdy EYO Members! One question. I'm a new owner of a 84 E381, had the boat's rig inspected and tuned by a rigger in St. Pete before the water delivery to TX. The rigger found the upper shrouds to lose and tensioned then to the recommened for the wire gague. The boat now had a stress crack on the gelcoat next to the starboad shroud chainplate. Does the turnbuckle in the cabin chainplate also need to be tensioned when the shrouds are tensioned? That would seem to make sense although how do I deterrmine proper tension? I'm inclined to take a few turns off the uppers until I figure this out. Suggestions????
SV Totem now in TX! Thanks!
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
What I have seen done on a similar-rig Ericson model was that the rigger put his head down on the deck and sighted up the walkway. On the boat I was watching the deck had a slight upward bulge -- so the interior threaded rod was cranked down a little bit until deck was level. This was over a decade ago. I have checked the deck on our boat and it's level, for whatever it's worth.

Be sure to lube the threads top and bottom for those big Navtec ss rods inside; you don't want to gall the threads.
Also take a look at the tabbing on the inside structure where those rods are dead-ended. I hope that the prior owner never allowed water to run down the rods or migrate into the deck coring, either.

Others here may have more recent or pertinent observations on the process, too.

LB
 
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