yacht rigging tension gauge

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Rigging Tension Gauges & Sensors

Tension Gauge for Rods -12 to -22 Rods

Tension Gauge for Rods -4 to -12 Rods

Tension Gauge Model A for 2.5 to 4 mm wire

Tension Gauge Model A for 3/32" to 5/32" wire

Tension Gauge Model B for 3/16" to 9/32" wire

Tension Gauge Model B for 5 to 7 mm wire

Tension Gauge PRO PT1 for 3/32" to 5/32" wire

Tension Gauge PRO PT1M for 2.5 to 4 mm wire

Tension Gauge PRO PT2 for 3/16" to 1/4" wire

Tension Gauge PRO PT2M for 5 to 7 mm wire

Tension Gauge PRO PT3 for 9/32" to 3/8" wire

Tension Gauge PRO PT3M for 7 to 10 mm wire

Rig Sense Tension Gauge for 2-5 mm (3/32-13/64") Wire

Spi-rgs-0205.

Rig Sense Tension Gauge for 5-8 mm (3/16-5/16") Wire

Spi-rgs-0508.

A Tension Gauge is a tool used to measure cable tension on the standing rigging.

About Loos Tension Gauges The Loos tension gauges take the guesswork out of cable tension adjustment. It's specially designed for accurate, repeatable tuning of a sailboat's standing rigging.

About Spinlock Tension Gauges Rig-Sense also benefits from being able to be operated one-handed, supporting itself on the rig whilst being used. Quality parts ensure long-term performance, consistent and accurate readings over time.

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The $tingy Sailor

Diy trailerable sailboat restoration and improvement without throwing your budget overboard.

How To Measure Standing Rigging Tension

Whether or not you’ve replaced your standing rigging, you may be wondering how to adjust it. How tight should the rig be? How can you measure it? After all, what good is great rigging if it isn’t tensioned properly to perform its best?

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A properly tuned rig isn’t only important for racing, it’s also a good idea for cruisers. It minimizes uneven stress and wear on hardware, it’s safer, and it protects the shape of your sails.

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades

Unfortunately, without a tension gauge, tuning your rig is mostly subjective guesswork.

The 1987 (last) edition of the Catalina 22 Owner’s Manual and General Handbook puts it this way:

Adjust forestay and backstay so that the mast is straight up and down. The upper shrouds should be firm but not far apart . A 50 pound push should deflect the upper shroud about 1″ at shoulder height. The lower shrouds (4 of them) should be adjusted so that they are looser than the upper shrouds. While at dock, they should have no slack , but no tension either. No lower shrouds, when pushed, should deflect the mast more than any other shroud when pushed equally hard. If this can’t be achieved, the upper shrouds are too tight. Back off one-half turn at a time on the upper shroud turnbuckles until the tension of the lower shrouds is brought into balance . [Emphasis added]

Not very precise, huh? It doesn’t take very much tension at all on the forestay and backstay just to make the mast plumb and that’s too loose for anything but light air sailing. How much is “far apart?” How exactly do you measure a 50 pound push horizontally against a wire at shoulder height? Standing where, on the cabin or on the deck? How much is “looser” but “without tension?” How do you measure balance between four shrouds without a tool?

That’s like your mechanic telling you that the best way to tune your car’s engine is by ear alone so that it idles well but not too fast and not too slow. It should accelerate smoothly with good power but no cylinder should exceed 10% less compression than any other.

You can’t lose with a Loos

You can skip all the guesswork with a tension gauge. Loos & Co. has manufactured cable in the US for over 50 years. They make the most popular and economical tension gauge for sailors. It’s available in several models depending on the range of cable sizes that you want to measure.

The current model numbers are:

• PT-1 (3/32″ to 5/32″)
• PT-2 (3/16″ to 1/4″)
• PT-3 (1/4″ to 3/8″)

Older models of the gauge can still be found for sale new and used:

• Model A (3/32″ to 5/32″)
• Model B (3/16″ to 9/32″)

The major differences between the newer models and the older models are:

• The older models use a flat spring built into the gauge to measure the tension. The newer models use a coil spring.
• The older models have a slot for the cable. Measuring very tight cables can produce a very slight kink in the cable. The newer models have two round, plastic guides that don’t harm the cable.
• You read the tension on the bottom of the older models. This means you either have to stoop down to read the gauge or use the gauge over your head. You can read the tension on the front of the newer models from a more natural stance.
• The older models have fewer parts and are all metal construction except for the lanyard. The newer models have more parts, some of which are plastic.
• Unlike the older models, the newer models can be hooked onto the cable while you are measuring it so that you can read the tension and your hands are free to adjust the turnbuckle. This is a nice feature that reduces trial and error.

Each gauge has handy notches in the side for measuring cable diameter.

The gauges work on the principle that if you bend a cable by applying a specific amount force, it will bend more or less depending on the size of the cable and how much tension is on the cable. The larger or the more tension on the cable, the less bend. The smaller or the less tension on the cable, the more bend. The gauges use a spring (flat or coil) to measure the amount of bend that results when you bend a cable slightly and they convert that amount into a tension number.

Dialing it in

I use my gauge whenever I modify my standing rigging in any way and periodically to recheck it, especially because I step the mast for every launch.

To measure tension with an older model Loos gauge (the process is slightly different for the newer models):

1. Hook the gauge on the cable. If you have cable covers on the cable, the gauge won’t fit over them, hook the gauge on a bare part of the cable. You read the gauge from the bottom so hook it over your head.

2. Pull the lanyard until the indicator aligns with the mark on the gauge.

3. Read the (bend) number from the scale.

4. Measure the cable size and look up the tension in pounds that corresponds to the cable size in the chart on the gauge. This step is optional unless you’re trying to set the tension to match a recommendation stated in pounds of tension (300, for example). Some recommendations are stated as the equivalent and easier to remember scale number (24, for example). In that case, you don’t need to look up the tension in pounds.

When you know the cable’s tension, you can adjust its turnbuckle to either increase or decrease the tension by measurable amounts. With a little trial and error, you can “dial in” a very accurate amount of tension. Dial in all of your stays and shrouds, and you will have a well-tuned rig. For instructions on using the new model gauges and a video, go to How to use PT Series Tension Gauges .

Once you get your basic rig tension set, you only need to remember the scale numbers and you can confidently adjust it to best suit your style of sailing or changing conditions. There are good guides available online that recommend settings for different conditions. One of the better ones for the Catalina 22 is the Catalina 22 Tuning Guide from North Sails. They have guides for other sailboats as well.

If you don’t know anybody that you can borrow a gauge from, consider getting one of your own from Amazon . Then you’ll have one to loan to others in need.

Stop hoping that your rig tension is close enough. Tool up and dial it in!

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16 thoughts on “ how to measure standing rigging tension ”.

Hey Ken……One of your better articles. Thanks. This has always been a point of interest for us!

Thank you, $tingy! What a great resource!

Ken, for those who don’t want to fork out roughly a $100 bucks for the gauge, they can use my poor man’s version too, which I adopted from a great resource on rig tuning (“Sail & Rig Tuning” by Ivar Dedekam). To determine wire “tension,” I measure wire “stretch.” I do this by first marking a 1-meter length on the respective wire PRIOR TO TIGHTENING TURNBUCKLES. Every 1.0 mm of stretch equals 10% of the wire’s breaking strength, so if I wanted to set my wire’s tension at 15% of breaking strength, I would start applying tension (by tightening my turnbuckles) until the 1-meter length has been stretched to 1-meter plus 1.5 mm. The wire would then be tensioned at 15% of the wire’s breaking strength. If you wanted to use 20% as your base tension, then you would tighten your turnbuckles until the wire stretched an additional 2.0 mm. (Note: This only applies to wire, not rod rigging.) Thanks for another great article!

Good point, Diego. That’s a good way to get in the ballpark.

Thanks Ken. I have an old model Loos that I’ve been using for almost 10 years. I like that it’s got very few moving parts 😉 and i’m pretty sure it’ll hold up another 10 years with no problem. For reference I use the North Sails tuning guide figures you mentioned.

For anyone just starting, keep in mind that you’ll get a lot faster doing it once you’ve done it a few times.

The old ones are built tough. The ability of the new ones to clip it onto a shroud and dial in the right tension on the first try would be convenient, though.

The owner’s manual for the Cat 25 says the standing rigging sizes are 1/8, 5/32, and 3/16. Does that mean I will need both a PT-1 and a PT-2 Loos gauge? The real question: Since I am not going to buy two, which rigging is the most important to tune? The back and fore stays or the the shrouds? Seems to me I ought to be able to “eyeball” the fore and aft rake and use the gauge on the the shrouds. Your opinion?

Hi, Stephen

You must be looking at the halyard wire sizes being 1/8″. All the standing rigging on a C-25 is 5/32″ or 3/16″. At any rate, I wouldn’t want to buy two gauges either.

The shrouds are the most important because they hold your mast in column and centered on the sailboat. The forestay and backstay tension can be adjusted with the backstay adjuster (assuming you have one) depending on sailing conditions so the gauge isn’t as useful for those.

If it were me, I’d get a PT-2 so I knew my upper shrouds were correctly tensioned. Then I’d either extrapolate the 3/16″ settings down to 5/32″ mathematically or borrow a smaller gauge, set the tension on the lower shrouds and then see what the corresponding setting is on the PT-2 and label it right on the gauge. Do that for several settings and you should have a one-size-fits all gauge.

Thanks. Good advice as usual.

On Sun, Jun 26, 2016 at 9:19 PM, The $tingy Sailor wrote:

> $tingy Sailor commented: “Hi, Stephen You must be looking at the halyard > wire sizes being 1/8″. All the standing rigging on a C-25 is 5/32″ or > 3/16″. At any rate, I wouldn’t want to buy two gauges either. The shrouds > are the most important because they hold your mast in column a” >

I’m a new C-22 owner (1985 model year). Should I go with the PT-1 version? I believe I have the original rigging. Thanks for a most helpful post for this novice sailor!

Welcome to the tribe, Tom

Yep, a new model PT-1 or old model A is what you want.

Perfect. Thanks!

Hi Ken. I’m a new owner of a 1973 C22. I bought the PT1. I’m having a hard time finding what my tension should be. Can you share what tension you use? Thanks for all the great info. I’m a fan!

I use the North Sails guidelines as a starting point, which are 28 on the upper shrouds and 24 on the lowers.

This is a very helpful article. Thank you!

My boat is a Catalina/Capri 18. Would you suggest I use the same tensions as you did for your 22?

George Ryan

They might be a little too high. Search the North Sails website for a tuning guide specifically for your 18. If you can’t find one, look for a Capri 18 forum online where you can ask other owners what they’ve found or used.

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Designed for sailors that need fast, accurate tension measurement, Rigblitz is easy to use, and makes fine-tune rigging fast and accurate.

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Sailboat Rigging Tension Gauge from Loos & Co., PT-1 Professional Hands-Free Force Gauge for Tensioning and Tuning of Shrouds, Cable Rigs, Wire Rope Standing Rigging, and Forestays, for 3/32, 1/8, and 5/32 inch Cable Diameter

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About this item

• Measures tension in cables to check for proper setup in sail rigging and supporting cables for large tents, radio towers, and other structures
• Analog gauge shows present tension in pounds (lb.)
• Measurement accuracy of + or - 5 percent
• Measures tension from approximately 5 to 25 percent of the cable's breaking strength
• Can remain hooked on the wire during testing while tension is adjusted

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Product details

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.19 x 5.59 x 1.77 inches; 10.93 ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ PT-1
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ February 19, 2010
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Loos & Co
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0000AXNQH
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• #8 in Force Gauges

Product Description

The Loos Cableware inch tension gauge measures the tension in cables to check for proper setup in sail rigging and supporting cables for large tents, radio towers, and other structures. This analog gauge shows present tension in pounds (lb.) and has a measurement accuracy of + or - 5 percent. The gauge shows readings on a graduated scale, and a calibration table on the unit converts a scale reading to the corresponding present tension and percentage breaking strength of the rope, based on 302/304 1 x 19 stainless-steel wire rope. The gauge can remain hooked on the wire during testing while the tension is adjusted. The Loos Cableware metric tension gauge has an anodized aluminum body that resists corrosion and wear. A 1/4" hole on the gauge's body allows a lanyard or hook to be attached to the gauge for securing it to the cable.

Force gauges, also called push-pull gauges or tension gauges, measure the tensile (pull) or compression (push) force applied to an object. They are used to test the strength and functionality of a variety of machines, electronic components, cables, wires, and consumer products in scientific, medical, automotive, quality assurance, and manufacturing applications. A digital force gauge shows the amount of force in digits on the gauge's display. Response time varies among digital force gauges depending on the speed of the processor. An analog (or mechanical) force gauge shows measurements on a calibrated dial. Analog force gauges are not as precise as digital force gauges, but they provide instantaneous measurements and can be used in a wider range of environmental conditions than digital force gauges. Hooks, compression plates, levers, handles, test stands, and other accessories can be used with the gauge for taking measurements on objects with a range of shapes and sizes.

Loos & Co. manufactures aircraft cable and wire rope and related measurement tools. The company, founded in 1958 and headquartered in Pomfret, CT, meets International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 9001.

What’s in the Box?

• FGS-200PV E-Force motorized test stand
• (1) FGS-FGV200P interface cable
• (1) USB cable
• Instructions

From the manufacturer

Loos collection of tension gauges.

Loos Cableware Division offers a series of gauges to measure the tension in cables and rods from 3/32 to 3/8 inch in diameter (2.5 mm to 10 mm). These gauges are designed for setting the proper tension in the standing rigging of sailboats and also for other applications such as supporting cables for radio towers, large tents and other structures. The gauges are relatively inexpensive and are designed to be suitable for rugged marine service. The "Professional Models" provide an increasing durability, accuracy and convenience of use when compared to our popular standard models. The gauge may be hooked on the wire and will remain in position while the tension is adjusted. Manufactured of rugged anodized aluminum, this gauge is corrosive resistant and will give years of service. Detailed operating instructions are included with each tension gauge.

Professional Models - Higher accuracy and easier to use than standard models. The cable can be adjusted while the gauge remains on the cable. "Just watch the pointer move." All readings are based on 302/304 1x19 S.S breaking strengths.

The gauges measure tension over a range of approximately 5% to 25% of the breaking strength of the cable and provide an accuracy of + or - 5%.

MADE IN USA: Yes

PT-1, PT-2 and PT-3 Tension Gauges

PT-1M, PT-2M and PT-3M Tension Gauges

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Customer Review: Easy to use but way too expensive.

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Customers say

Customers find the electromechanical gauge easy to use. They mention it's simple, functional, and productive. Customers say it's well worth the money and provides the correct tension on cable style railings. They also appreciate the build quality, saying it's well-made and will last for years.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the gauge easy to use. They mention it's simple and inexpensive. Customers also appreciate that the directions are on the device. They mention it'll snap on shrouds and adjust turnbuckle while watching readings.

" Easy to use . Repeatable tension values are easily identified when adjusting port and starboard shrouds." Read more

" Easy to place on the cable to be measured.Consistent results from measurement to measurement...." Read more

"I use it to ajust Norco slide out cables for work very easy to use and accurate ." Read more

"...This Loos tension gauge is simple to use , accurate, and enabled me quickly to bring my rigging to factory specs, and the results were immediately..." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the functionality of the gauge. They mention it works well, is easy to use, and is a single-purpose tool that's the best at doing its job. Some say it's handy when setting the proper rigging tension. Overall, customers are happy with the product's functionality.

"Don't know why I waited so long. This is a critical tool that belongs on every sailboat...." Read more

" Works like designed but way overpriced in my humble opinion....." Read more

" Worked great for replacing the mast diamonds myself. I've also used it to tune the rest of the rig...." Read more

"It works. It works well . It is quick. It is not a precision device...." Read more

Customers appreciate the value for money of the gauge. They mention it's perfect for rigging and worth the price.

"...Even if you don't plan on adjusting your own rigging, it's worth the money to keep an eye on things...." Read more

"This tension gauge is high quality and easy to use. The price is right too . Prevents over tensioning whi h can result in leaky chainplates...." Read more

" Great product " Read more

"...This gauge is so simple to use and inexpensive that everyone should have one." Read more

Customers like the rig tensioning of the electromechanical gauge. They mention it allows them to adjust the tension and watch it change on the gauge. It's a great tool for providing the correct tension on cable style railings, and a classic tool for tuning the rigging on a sailboat. It takes the guesswork out of rig tensioning and makes sailboat rig tuning much easier and more accurate.

"...Nice to be able to adjust the tension and see the immediate result with the gauge on the cable...." Read more

"...The price is right too. Prevents over tensioning whi h can result in leaky chainplates...." Read more

"This is a great tool for providing the correct tension on cable style railings...." Read more

"...Very simple to understand. Made sailboat rig tuning much easier and more accurate." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the build quality of the gauge. They mention it's well-made, reliable, and will last for years. In addition, customers say it's easy to use and that repeatable tension values are easily identified when adjusting port and starboard shrouds.

"Easy to use. Repeatable tension values are easily identified when adjusting port and starboard shrouds." Read more

"This tension gauge is high quality and easy to use. The price is right too. Prevents over tensioning whi h can result in leaky chainplates...." Read more

" Nicely made & accurate" Read more

"This PT-1 Loos tension gauge works exactly as expected and will last for years . It's a very high quality product...." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the accuracy of the gauge. They mention it's easy to use, has consistent results from measurement to measurement, and the readings seem quite accurate.

"... Consistent results from measurement to measurement ...." Read more

"...This Loos tension gauge is simple to use, accurate , and enabled me quickly to bring my rigging to factory specs, and the results were immediately..." Read more

"...Made sailboat rig tuning much easier and more accurate ." Read more

"Nicely made & accurate " Read more

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Dear Readers

• Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

Standing Rigging: How Tight Is Right?

Standing rigging tension is a peculiarly under-addressed subject. Easy to see how it would worry a new boat owner or someone going to sea.

Most experts step aboard, yank or twang the shrouds and stays and mutter, Pretty slack, Too Tight, or, Thats about right.

Youll find in the sailing literature very few discussions of the question: What does tight mean?

Even riggers rarely explain how much tension they like to see.

There are a few sailors who like the rigging so tight you could send an elephant up the backstay. It can result in excessive loads and wear on fittings, chain plates and the hull. The ultimate penalty for those who can’t stand any sag in the forestay is what ocean racing sailors call a gravity storm or, less dramatically, dropping the rig.

Others like to take up the slack just enough so that the rig is at rest when the boat is motionless. This approach sometimes leaves excessive slack to leeward that can result in shock loads, excessive wear and misalignment in fittings. It may take longer, but the ultimate penalty is the same.

In between (and probably in the most logical position) are those who like to take up the slack and stretch the wire just a bit. This is frequently accomplished, at least for the stays, with an adjustable backstay. When sailing, especially on the wind, tighten down to minimize slack in the forestay. When reaching, running or at anchor, ease off.

But the question is: How much stretch…especially in the shrouds?

If you stretch the wire 5% of its breaking strength, it will be considered moderate tension. Crank in 15% of the breaking strength and it is regarded as tight. These figures apply for any diameter of wire. You need only know the wires breaking strength.

Three years ago, in the June 15, 1995 issue, we published a discussion of the views of author Richard Henderson, Skenes Elements of Yacht Design and several riggers, along with an evaluation of an excellent booklet published by Sailsystems about a Selden Mast approach (described in detail in the October 15, 1991 issue) and an entirely new method developed by Michael Dimen, who called his gadget a Rigstick.

Mentioned was the familiar (see photo) Loos rigging tension gauge, which comes in two sizes. The Model 91 ($39) is for wire 3/32″ to 5/32″. The Model 90 ($45.50) is for 3/16″ to 9/32″. The gauge depends on the bending property of aluminum plate.

The strange-looking gauges don’t willingly produce great accuracy because you have to hold one reading steady while noting another, which also requires that you make a judgment about where the centerline of the wire falls on a scale. Not easy to do.

The big name in galvanized and stainless cable (as wire is called in the trade), cable hardware and tools, Loos & Co., Inc. went looking for a better mousetrap.

Who did Gus Loos go to? The guy who designed the original gauge, his old friend, Donald J. Jordan, an 82-year-old retired Pratt & Whitney engineer who has been sailing out of Marblehead, Massachusetts, in the likes of Lightnings, Friendship sloops, Sound Schooners (which was the prized New York Yacht Club class in 1918), Pearson Wanderers and currently in a 16′ Starling Burgess design, appropriately called a Marblehead.

The old tension gauge wasnt bad, said Jordan. But it tended to get bent. Then the patent ran out and I told Gus we could do a better one.

The new version (see photo) is a distinct improvement over the old aluminum version. A better design, its also much more substantially made of aluminum, stainless and nylon.

The design problems were interesting, Jordan said. A conventional cable tension gauge has two rollers at the ends with a spring-loaded plunger in the middle and a dial gauge to measure the plunger movement. The wheels have to rotate…because they must permit some small but vital movement. That makes the tool expensive. My approach was to have two stationary wheels and a carefully contrived square slider in a arc-slot on the other.

The new Loos gauges use a long-lasting stainless spring to produce the tension. Slip the lower grooved wheels on a shroud or stay, pull the lanyard to engage the upper hook, relax, read the tension at your leisure and consult the scale to learn the pounds of pressure on the wire and the percentage of breaking strength of the wire. There are three wire gauge notches in the edge. The gauge can be left on the wire while turnbuckle adjustments are made.

The accompanying booklet, very well-done, contains a good tight discussion of the subject; some recommendations; a table on how to equalize tension in different sizes of wire, and line-drawn diagrams clearly showing rig tensions (windward and leeward) created by light, medium and heavy winds.

The wire gauge comes in three sizes, for 3/32″-5/32″, 3/16″-1/4″ and 9/32″-3/8″. West Marine sells them, respectively, for $57.99, $69.99 and $$122.99. Defender Industries cuts them to $49.95, $51.95 and $105.95. Prices in the BOAT/U.S. catalog are in between.

What if, instead of 1×19 wire, you have rod rigging? There are four new models that are bigger, heavier and, of course, more costly. They work the same, but take some arm strength. One is for .172-.250 rod, another for .281-.375. Two others models are for metric rod. West Marine sells the rod gauges for $186.99. Neither Defender nor BOAT/U.S. shows them in their catalogs.

Contact- Loos & Co., Inc., 901 Industrial Blvd., Naples, FL 34104, 800/321-5667. Rigstick, 311 Jackson, Port Townsend, WA 98368; 800/488-0855. Sailsystems, PO Box 1218, Marblehead, MA 01945; 978/745-0440.

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Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Rig tuning: a practical guide for sailors

• August 28, 2023

Correct rig tension will maximise the efficiency of your boat’s sails as well as reduce stresses on the mast. David Pugh demonstrates simple rig tuning

Safety is the number one benefit of tuning your rigging

As a cruising sailor, it’s tempting to simply set up your sail boat rig at the beginning of the season, then leave well alone.

Perhaps you leave the mast up, perhaps you mark the position of the turnbuckles before the mast comes down, perhaps you set the rig up from scratch or perhaps you pay an expert.

All these can work, but none are immune from one basic problem: boats move.

How much depends on the boat’s construction, particularly whether the mast is keel- or deck- stepped, but most will do so within a few days or weeks after the initial rig tension is applied.

The boat may continue to do so over time and rigging may stretch, especially when new, so it’s worth knowing how to correct it yourself.

My own boat, Contessa 26 Red Dragon , is a devil for this.

During the winter she sits on a trailer with the mast down, the keel supported along its length and in turn supporting the superstructure, aided by six pads and a bow post bearing on the boat hull .

At launch, these forces all change: the buoyancy of the hull now supports the keel, and the mast foot pushes down on the laminated deck beam under the step.

The rigging, meanwhile, increases the pressure on the step while trying to pull the chainplates through the deck.

I’ve never measured her beam before and after applying rig tension, but I suspect she becomes significantly wider.

She certainly doesn’t maintain her initial rig tension.

Benefits of rig tuning to get the correct tension

The first and most fundamental benefit of correct rig tension is safety.

An improperly supported mast is put under all sorts of stresses that it is not designed to endure, and dismasting can be the result.

Try sighting up the mast when the boat is close-hauled in a good breeze.

If the lee shrouds are slack and the middle or top of the mast is sagging to leeward, your mast is not properly supported and you should check your rig tension.

The second benefit is efficiency.

Continues below…

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The combination of rig, spars and sails is anything but simple, and if your s ailmaker has done their job properly and measured your boat rather than making your sails from documented figures, the luff curve of the main and the hollow of the jib or jibs will have been cut to suit the bend in the mast and the forestay tension at the time of measurement.

That means you’ll need to be able to replicate that situation when you set up the rig in order to gain maximum efficiency from your sails.

And, just to make things harder, as time goes by and your sails stretch, these optimum settings will change.

Conditions also affect the best settings for your rig.

Light airs demand softer settings than sailing in a gale, and you’ll often see racers tweaking their rig tensions to suit the conditions.

For cruisers seeking to set up and forget about their rig, the best option is to err towards setting up the boat for stronger winds, especially with shroud tension.

Forestay tension can be more dynamic, provided your boat has an adjustable backstay.

Simple rig set up

Some boats have designer’s recommendations for mast rake, bend and rig tension – if yours is one of them, follow the instructions.

The rest of us are obliged to make it up from scratch – so where do you start?

While some professional riggers might be able to assess the tension in a wire with a carefully calibrated shove, the rest of us need a bit of help.

You can either buy a rig tension gauge or measure the extension of the wire.

This latter method works on the basis that, for 1×19 rigging wire, an elongation of 1mm over 2m equates to 5% of the break load of the wire.

Seldén have a good explanation on their website – search ‘Seldén rig set-up’.

The tension you are aiming for will vary from boat to boat and between types of rigging wire, but a gauge will make it much easier to keep the tension even on opposite shrouds.

For the initial set-up the boat should ideally be floating level – it makes it much easier to see whether, despite the measurements, everything looks right.

I find it’s best to be on a finger berth, which allows you to get off the boat to assess whether the mast is upright.

Make sure that the mast is upright

If you’re starting from scratch, begin by centring the mast in the boat.

Leave the lowers fairly slack and use the main halyard to measure to the chainplates on each side.

You can then adjust the bottlescrews to make sure the cap shrouds are of equal length.

Use the main halyard to measure to the cap shroud chainplates on both sides

If your boat is symmetrical, the mast will be upright.

If your mast is keel-stepped, insert the chocks in the partners now before you apply rig tension.

Finally, tighten the cap shroud bottlescrews hand-tight, making sure you put the same number of turns on each.

Set up the mast rake

Next, set the mast rake. If you have a setting from the designer, use it.

If not, you’re most likely looking for a rake of between 1° and 2°, or 1:60 to 1:30.

So for a 9m mast, you would expect the offset between masthead and mast foot to be between 15cm and 30cm.

Measure it by hanging a weight from the main halyard and measuring the distance between the weight and the mast foot.

The forestay bottlescrew sets mast rake

If it’s windy, hanging the weight in a bucket of water will help damp the swing of the halyard.

Pull on a little backstay before using the forestay bottlescrew to move the masthead fore or aft and adjust the rake.

The backstay helps the masthead to move – with no tension, the forestay will simply become slack as you back off the bottlescrew.

Steeper rakes tend to go with fractional rigs, but this is by no means a rule – you may need to experiment to find what works for your boat.

Increasing the rake will increase weather helm , and vice versa.

Tension the cap shrouds

It’s now time to begin tensioning the rigging properly.

Take the slack out of the lowers at this stage, but don’t tighten them fully yet.

Then, using your tension gauge and making sure you keep the number of turns on each side equal, tension the cap shrouds to their working tension.

Most tension gauges are calibrated to show a percentage of the breaking strength of the wire: with my boat, I find that around 15% is sufficient to keep the rig taut in the conditions in which we sail.

A gauge makes rig set-up easier

If you have a keel-stepped fractional rig with swept spreaders you should carry out this stage with the backstay fully tensioned, as it will initiate a bend in the mast which is fixed by tightening the caps.

If you do this, be careful that the mast does not go out of column side to side – if it does, ease the backstay slightly.

Once the caps are tensioned, sight up the mainsail luff groove to check whether the mast has any bend, fore and aft or side to side.

If you have swept spreaders you can expect it to have some fore and aft bend, but otherwise it should still be in column.

If it isn’t, don’t worry too much unless the bend is large, as you can remove small errors with the lower shrouds.

Sight up the luff groove to check that the mast is in column from side to side

Set the mast pre-bend

The lower (and intermediate, if you have them) shrouds are your opportunity to set fore and aft mast bend, as well as preventing the middle of the mast sagging off to leeward.

It’s advisable to have at least some pre-bend in your mast to avoid it inverting downwind.

For straight spreader rigs, the lowers do all the work in setting bend. Start by tensioning the babystay or forward lowers.

The optimum amount depends on how your mainsail is cut – for a stiff masthead rig like mine I only look for about 10cm of bend with the backstay off, measured by holding the main halyard tight to the foot of the mast and eyeballing the deflection.

Use a second spanner to hold the shroud still when tensioning the bottlescrew

This usually equates to around 7% of the wire break load on the gauge.

For more flexible masts and fractional rigs, you will probably need more bend.

Again, use the tension gauge to keep the tension even from side to side.

Finally, tighten the aft lowers, enough to remove any slack but not to significantly alter the mast bend.

Swept spreader rigs will tend to have lower and intermediate shrouds set abaft the mast, so the simplest thing to do is to tighten them enough to maintain the bend set when you tensioned the cap shrouds.

The tighter they are, the less the mast wants to bend, which will help transfer backstay tension to the forestay but will make it harder to flatten the main with mast bend.

The optimum setting will depend on your sails and the conditions.

Check the mast is straight

With the fore and aft bend set, check the mast is still in column side to side.

Hopefully it will be, but if it isn’t, use the lowers and intermediates to true it up.

On a single spreader rig the aft lowers are usually the best tool for this, but if the bend is significant you might need to relax the opposite forward lower, if there is one, to allow the mast to move.

If you do, make sure you retain the fore and aft bend, and keep checking the tensions in all the lowers to keep them as even as possible.

With the bend set and the mast straight, go back and check the tension in the cap shrouds.

It may have reduced with the mast bend, in which case bring it back up to your desired tension.

Tension the backstay

With the rig basically set up, tension the backstay bottlescrews to your minimum working tension.

I set ours to about 7% of the wire load, with application of the tensioner taking it up to around 17%.

Even on a stiff masthead rig like ours, this compresses the mast enough to introduce significantly more bend, and more importantly for us dramatically increases forestay tension.

With a backstay bridle like this, check the tension above the joining plate

If you don’t use a backstay adjuster, set the backstay to a similar tension to that of the cap shrouds, then go forward and check the forestay.

The tension should be similar, and will help with your upwind performance.

The above will give you a good initial set-up, but there’s no substitute for seeing how it behaves under sail.

Head out in a moderate breeze, put the boat on the wind and hand over the helm to someone else.

Then check your leeward cap shrouds.

They should still be taut in these conditions – if they aren’t, you need more rig tension.

In a moderate breeze, the leeward shrouds should stay taut

Next, sight up the mast to check it is still in column. If the middle sags to leeward, tighten the lowers.

If the tip sags off it could be the middle popping to windward or the tip sagging.

Both over-tight lowers and loose cap shrouds will have this effect, and it can be dangerous as it reduces the angle at which the cap shroud meets the masthead, making its support less effective.

If you have this problem, check your tension settings before making a decision which to alter.

Rig tuning: conclusion

A well-tuned rig makes a boat sail better, while ensuring your mast is correctly supported is a safety essential.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, boats move, so although you should be able to leave your mast rake and side-to-side centring alone, keep an eye on the shroud tensions.

They may well reduce, especially in the first weeks after setting up the rig, so don’t assume that all is well.

You keep an eye on your engine levels – five minutes with a tension gauge or a wander around the deck under sail will do the same for your rig

Enjoyed reading Rig tuning: a practical guide for sailors?

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Cableware® Division / Tension Gauges / Professional Models

Military Critical Technical Data Agreement

Helpful Information: Rigger’s Guide to proper swaging techniques

Professional Models

TENSION GAUGE – Professional Models PT-1 / PT-2 / PT-3

Loos Cableware® Division offers a series of gauges to measure the tension in cables and rods from 3/32 to 3/8 inch in diameter (2.5 mm to 10 mm). These gauges are designed for setting the proper tension in the standing rigging of sailboats. The gauges are relatively inexpensive and are designed to be suitable for rugged marine service. The “Professional Models” provide an increasing durability, accuracy and convenience of use when compared to our popular standard models. The gauge may be hooked on the wire and will remain in position while the tension is adjusted. Manufactured of rugged anodized aluminum, this gauge is corrosive resistant and will give years of service. Detailed operating instructions are included with each tension gauge.

Professional Models – Higher accuracy and easier to use than standard models. The cable can be adjusted while the gauge remains on the cable. “Just watch the pointer move.” All readings are based on 302/304 1×19 S.S breaking strengths.

MADE IN USA: Yes

Specifications

Additional info.

• Professional Tension Gauge Instructions (PDF)
• How to use a Professional Tension Gauge

Product Weight:

PT-1: 0.74 lbs

PT-2: 0.88 lbs

PT-3: 2.14 lbs

Contrary to popular thought, a slack rig is more punishing on a hull than a properly adjusted, tight rig. Insufficient tension will reduce the loads transmitted to the hull.

Slack rigging will punish the spar and rigging needlessly by allowing excessive movement, chafe and shock loading. Modern fiberglass hulls should not be damaged by properly adjusted, tight rig.

The diagram below lists the rigging tension under different conditions for a typical boat with a properly tuned rig and with a slack rig. It will be noted that the maximum load is the same. However, for the properly tuned rig the leeward shrouds will not go slack under normal sailing conditions.

The lateral stiffness of the mast and the fore and aft stiffness of the spreaders is reduced by a factor of 2 when the leeward shrouds go slack. This important structural characteristic is not generally recognized.

Rigging tension is becoming more important as a result of the trend toward the use of mast bend to control mainsail shape under different wind conditions.

Mast bend will also affect the shape and trim of the jib, since mast adjustment generally affects forestay tension. The expert skipper will benefit by maintaining consistent rigging tension while developing the optimum sail shape and sailing tactics.

• PT-1 Professional Model for Cable Size 3/32″, 1/8″, 5/32″
• PT-1M Professional Model for Cable Size 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm
• PT-2 Professional Model for Cable Size 3/16″, 7/32″, 1/4″
• PT-2M Professional Model for Cable Size 5mm, 6mm, 7mm
• PT-3 Professional Model for Cable Size 1/4″, 9/32″, 5/16″, 3/8″
• PT-3M Professional Model for Cable Size 7mm, 8mm, 9mm , 10mm

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Contrary to popular thought, a slack rig is more punishing on a hull than a properly adjusted tight rig. Insufficient tension can lead to shock loading resulting in damage to spars and rigging or even personal injury and optimum sail trim will be unobtainable.

With a rig tension gauge you will be able to measure rig tension accurately  for quick and repeatable tuning achieving better sail trim and increased boat speed.

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Loos Tension Gauges and 316 Stainless Steel Rigging Wire

• Thread starter jviss
• Start date Oct 3, 2017
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

At Rigging Only our yacht and sail boat rigging wire is the highest quality wire available. The standing rigging 1x19 wire rope is type 316 stainless steel, strand polished, and every spool has an actual pull test certification as well as chemical analysis. We stock 1x19 wire from 3/32 wire to 5/8 diameter wire and metric wire diameters from 4mm through 16mm rigging wire. Click to expand

NOTE ! THE INTENDED USE OF THIS GAUGE IS TO BE USED ON 302 / 304 1x19 S.S. CABLE IN APPROPRIATE SIZES. IF USED ON OTHER CABLE TYPES, SIZES, AND CONSTRUCTION YOUR READINGS WOULD BE CONSISTENT (REPEATABLE) BUT POUND TENSION VALUES WOULD DIFFER FROM THOSE LISTED ON THE LABEL. GAUGE MAY NOT READ "O" WHEN AT REST, AS THEY ARE CALIBRATED AT MIDRANGE OF TENSION. Click to expand

justsomeguy

You could ask Rigging Only for their guidance.  

justsomeguy said: You could ask Rigging Only for their guidance. Click to expand

jviss said: I kind of doubt that the yacht designers have given this a lot of deep thought. What do you think? Click to expand

316 will have about ±90% of the breaking strength of 304 for 1 x 19 wire construction. My Loos has two readings: One in "percent of breaking strength" and the other is "pounds of tension". The "percent of breaking strength" would be wrong for 316. But the actual amount of tension in pounds would be correct because 304 and 316 will have nearly identical stretch characteristics. (Modulus of elasticity). Just use the Loos gauge as you always would to achieve the desired tension in pounds. Understand that in terms of percent of breaking strength, it'd be slightly higher than what the gauge is telling you. Example: Ø5/32 1 x 19 304 wire: 3300# breaking strength Ø5/32 1 x 19 316 wire: 2800# breaking strength I want my tension to be 495 lbs. So I use the Loos gauge to tension to 495 lbs. It tells me that this is 15% of breaking strength which is correct for 304 wire. For 316 however, it'd actually be closer to 18%. But your mast doesn't care what the shroud material is, it just needs the correct amount of tension. So that "percent of breaking strength" reading is a little useless in my opinion.  

I use my gauge mostly to make sure I have even side to side tension once I get it close.  

The Shadow Knows

JV, I agree with Ross, I started out 20 years ago with 304 SS rigging & bought my loos gages. Yes, they have a start-reference point for tension & regardless if 304 or 316, the tension numbers are tension numbers. Boat designs may differ but tension is tension. My C30's mast leaned abit forward so, I went all 316 then, I tensioned the lower forward shrouds abit then took up tension on my backstay to add a slight rake in my mast. That was 15 years ago & all is well. I also tune my friends' boats with Loos & they too, sing like a piano. A friend whose rigging I tuned right before the Cozumel race one year finished in the top 10. He could've finished higher but, he took that stupid bounce off West Cuba.  

I use a Loos gauge and have 316 rigging. The gauge is accurate enough to get close to the correct tension. The 10-155 of breaking strength is really about building in a safety margin. The tension needs to be tight enough to reduce shock loading and loose enough to allow proper mast bend. The real test is to go sailing close hauled in 12-15 knots of breeze. A properly tuned rig will have slack shrouds on the leeward side. Slack, not sloppy and floppy. Racers will often retune their rigs for different conditions, very loose for light air to very tight for heavier air.  

dlochner said: A properly tuned rig will have slack shrouds on the leeward side. Click to expand

Masthead Rig There is a simple criterion for shroud tension. The initial rigging tension should be high enough that the leeward shrouds do not go slack when sailing close-hauled in a reasonably brisk breeze. The proper value for your boat can be found by a few trial runs under sail. Once the correct tension is known, the gauge can be used to maintain the value. Click to expand

The reading of tension will be the same only the percentage of breaking strength is more as type 316 is less break strength than 304 SS. Use the gauge the same way. Click to expand

Isn't your boat still in the water? Have you checked the tension on it now? Just curious and congrats on the new boat, she is beautiful!  

jviss said: This just in, from Loos, on gauge readings: So, Ross, et.al., you are correct. Now, what's the correct tension for my boat??? I will check the docs, I think they give starting points. Click to expand

jviss said: Thanks, Dave, but unfortunately, that's a piece of folklore that is not correct, and can be damaging and dangerous as well. This from the Loos website (and confirmed by other authoritative sources): Click to expand

Bob S said: Isn't your boat still in the water? Have you checked the tension on it now? Just curious and congrats on the new boat, she is beautiful! Click to expand

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Rigging tension gauge

• Thread starter jonathankent
• Start date 20 Jul 2006
• 20 Jul 2006

jonathankent

I have seen these in the various chandlers for about 30-40 quid, but just how do they work and how do you use them for tensioning the rig. The descriptions are nearing awful and the picture doesn't help whatsoever.... so your assistance is much appreciated.  

savageseadog

Well-known member.

Sorry had to get this in but I've got a spare as new Loos type B to sell for £25 inc postage, it's for 5,6,7 mm wire. The basic idea is you try to deflect the wire a set amount using two points of contact and measure the force required to do that. The tighter the wire the more force required to deflect a set amount or the less deflection there is for a set force. The read value is looked up in a table attached in the gauge and there is a choice of tension vaues for each size of wire. I reckon the Loos type gauges are only accurate to about 15% but it does give a reliable way of comparing rig tensions before and after port and starboard etc.  

Mine is only 3mm wire, so unfortunately yours wouldn't help me to save a few quid.... Has anybody noticed a difference after using one of these gauges as supposed to doing it by eye and a bit of pulling/swinging on the rig??  

Its not a racing yacht is it? Go for a sail in a F3 The lee rigging should just start to go slack at 15 to 20 degrees of heel. Tighten both sides equally as necessary. If it does not go slack at 20 degrees it is too tight. But what is the rig. Masthead, fractional, swept back spreaders???  

... fractional & swept back spreaders... Ita not a racing yacht, but would obviously like to get the best out of it.... when I only get 3-4kts that little extra could make a bit of a difference....  

• 21 Jul 2006

capt_courageous

Hi See seldenmast.com. Under hints and advice there is a very good method for setting rigging tension. You don't need a 'patent' gauge - just a long folding rule or such like. The method is much more accurate than many of the these gauges. http://www.seldenmast.com/download.cfm?download=7581&webnode_id=2099&filename=595-540-E.pdf /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif  

john_morris_uk

[ QUOTE ] Its not a racing yacht is it? Go for a sail in a F3 The lee rigging should just start to go slack at 15 to 20 degrees of heel. Tighten both sides equally as necessary. If it does not go slack at 20 degrees it is too tight. But what is the rig. Masthead, fractional, swept back spreaders??? [/ QUOTE ]With the greatest respect, Vic, some rigs should NEVER go slack on the leeward side. There will be less tension on the leeward side as the boat heels, but the wire (on some fractional rigs for instance) should never be slack or you will risk losing the mast. I am only concerned that some people read these forums and might believe that such advice is generic or all boats.  

Active member

I was told recently that a 3mm extension in 2000mm produces a load of 15% of breaking strain for any size of wire used in yachts. i.e. measure and mark accurately 2000mm on the wire when slack and then tighten until it measures 2003mm. I haven't got technical and done the sums yet but has anyone else heard of this? A friend reckons a rigger told him to try and acheive this as a "working load" for the caps on his fractional rig. I check for sloppy lee shrouds and adjust when in harbour. Cheers  

Savage Seadog Have sent you a pm.  

[ QUOTE ] I was told recently that a 3mm extension in 2000mm produces a load of 15% of breaking strain for any size of wire used in yachts. i.e. measure and mark accurately 2000mm on the wire when slack and then tighten until it measures 2003mm. [/ QUOTE ] Yes thats right the method is described in the Selden masts Hints and advice manual refered to by capt courageous.  

[ QUOTE ] I was told recently that a 3mm extension in 2000mm produces a load of 15% of breaking strain for any size of wire used in yachts. i.e. measure and mark accurately 2000mm on the wire when slack and then tighten until it measures 2003mm. I haven't got technical and done the sums yet but has anyone else heard of this? A friend reckons a rigger told him to try and acheive this as a "working load" for the caps on his fractional rig. I check for sloppy lee shrouds and adjust when in harbour. Cheers [/ QUOTE ]Not sure what you mean by 'working load'. I have used the method when setting a fractional rig up from static. The load will increase when the boat is hard on the wind. The 3mm extension over 2000mm is a good technique and I believe is the one that others are referring to in the Selden down-loadable handbook. On older boats, it was easy to overstress the hull and rig by tightening up the leeward shrouds when the boat was heeling. Some older (mainly wooden) boats were not designed for the sort of pressures that tightening the rig in this way can exert. This does not NECESSARILY apply to modern boats. Rigs and tensions are much more accurately calculated nowadays. Hence the complete nonsense that is sometimes written about oversize rigging putting too much stress on the boat. Provided that it is tensioned correctly, the stress on the hull is exactly the same at any given angle of heel, regardless of the size of the rigging.  

[ QUOTE ] some rigs should NEVER go slack on the leeward side [/ QUOTE ] The response was to a question about a Fantasie 19 although at the time I had not quessed that it would have a fractional rig. The pictures I have found all seem to have mast head rigs. The only sound advice would come from the builder or the mast manufacturer or a professional rigger. The builder is almost certainly no longer around and there was probably no advice given with the boat when it was new anyway. The chances are that the mast manufacturer is not around now either unless the boat has been re-rigged with a mast from a manufacturer who is. It is hardly worth taking a boat like this to a professional rigger! Fractional rigs with aft swept spreaders are difficult to tune as he will find if he reads the Selden manual. He will probably find as I have done with a similar sized boat (but mine has a masthead rig, aft swept spreaders and lowers in line with the mast) that at the end of the day he just has to experiment and settle for something that looks and feels correct not only in terms of tension but in terms of mast rake as well. I think one fact he will glean from the Seden maual is that the tension sould not exceed 25% of the breaking strain which is equivalent to an extension of 5mm per 2m length.  

[ QUOTE ] Hence the complete nonsense that is sometimes written about oversize rigging putting too much stress on the boat. Provided that it is tensioned correctly, the stress on the hull is exactly the same at any given angle of heel, regardless of the size of the rigging. [/ QUOTE ] The problem arises when a boat is rigged with heavier wire and that is tensioned to say 15% of its breaking strain, maybe by using the stretch per 2000mm method. You are correct provided the heavier rigging is only tensioned to the original figure in kilo Newtons.  

Another thought: The Fantasie 19 is a Tucker design based on one of the Silhouettes. If you go the the Silhouette owners association website you will find a forum wherein, if you search for Fantasie, you will find a number of threads some of which relate to rigging. I have not read through it all but there may be some useful info there or it may be you will find some contacts who will be able to give specific advice.  

• 22 Jul 2006

[ QUOTE ] Hence the complete nonsense that is sometimes written about oversize rigging putting too much stress on the boat. Provided that it is tensioned correctly, the stress on the hull is exactly the same at any given angle of heel, regardless of the size of the rigging. [/ QUOTE ] Must disagree John - when people increase wire sizes, they do add additional strain - eg 4mm wire with a min BS of 960kg will be seeing 144kg load at the 3mm / 2000mm example from the Selden site, whereas 5mm wire will be seeing 225 kg load at the same stretch, therefore the hull is seeing a load increase of greater than 64%. The 5mm wire tensioned to 144 kg would be inadequately preloaded (at around 9.5% stretch) and in danger of shock loading the wire, as well as causing the leeward shrouds to seem very slack when sailing to windward.  

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Hence the complete nonsense that is sometimes written about oversize rigging putting too much stress on the boat. Provided that it is tensioned correctly, the stress on the hull is exactly the same at any given angle of heel, regardless of the size of the rigging. [/ QUOTE ] Must disagree John - when people increase wire sizes, they do add additional strain - eg 4mm wire with a min BS of 960kg will be seeing 144kg load at the 3mm / 2000mm example from the Selden site, whereas 5mm wire will be seeing 225 kg load at the same stretch, therefore the hull is seeing a load increase of greater than 64%. The 5mm wire tensioned to 144 kg would be inadequately preloaded (at around 9.5% stretch) and in danger of shock loading the wire, as well as causing the leeward shrouds to seem very slack when sailing to windward. [/ QUOTE ]You aren't disagreeing - you are agreeing with my proviso, 'Provided that it is tensioned correctly...' Of course if people wish to wind up their rigging to more than the designed tension they will put excessive tension on their hull. If they put bigger wire on, they will find themselves able to put even more tension on their hull. However the reality is that very few people have anywhere near enough tenison in their rigging, and rigging size 'in itself' does not add to load on the boat. Use a tension meter might be one answer, or if you are using the method of measuring the stretch over 2000mm to measure tension - make sure you have the correct rigging size on your boat!  

Re: Rigging tension gauge... Rick ... Your argument is based on setting the rigging to the same tension as shown by extension of the rigging .... If the rigging is set-up by actual load on rigging / deck fittings - then there is no difference 10mm or 3mm diam wire. The problem is that there is no real way other than spring load meter between stay and deck fitting to gauage that - so what is used is either extension of stay - the 3mm in 2mtr trick - or the deflection of stay from natural line ... the clip on pull plate meter. Both of these systems fall apart when rigging is not the size designed for the boat. A number of boats doing ARC etc. go up one size in rigging stays - this is not a bad idea - as a boat should be designed at such safe margins in this area - that the increase of load of one size up in rigging shouldn't cause problems..... One cause for concern though when rigging boats and setting the tensions / loads ... coachroof depression - gets worse as boar gets older - or even I've seen new / near new boats that depress alarmingly at correct setting ... and of course keel-step. With Keel step alarming damage can be done to a boat when overstressed on that point ... and normally that damage cannot be seen or detected until too late ! Unless a "halyard check" be done at intervals through boats life. What you do is step mast and leave rig slack enough that measurement of deck to mast-top is "natural". Do this by using a halyard - reason for name ! Now tension up mast stays till normal setting ... now re-measure ... There will be a difference as mast pushes keel and deck apart .... Make a note of this figure. Now take halyard and measure to a fixed point fwd, aft, port and starboard ... make a note of all these figures AND which halyard used !! Now when re-stepping mast later - you can either - do the measure tension all round and set stays etc. - or use above figure to set overall tension of rig and then a halyard to fwd, aft, port, starboard to check mast is vertical / set as should be by comparing measurements. Simple init really !!  

• 23 Jul 2006

Re: Rigging tension gauge... Rick ... FWIW. I made my own, using a friends DIY one as a template. It is just an approx 500mm long piece of aluminium with two sheaves on one end and a hole and a spring gauge in the other. You run the wire between the sheaves and hook the spring gauge on the wire. The reading is relative naturally, but very repeatable. I set mine so that it shows 3,5-4Kg and that was based on the same tension on the one I used as template. At that point the side and aft stays go slightly slask when tacking in stroge winds. That Selden PDF looks promising. Must print it and read. My boat is 24ft and has a masthead rig with double lower stays.  

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