Hi - still dubious about my forestay tension, just wondered if those owners of recent 235's with FACNOR furlers (ie: the two David's!) were on hole three as I am?

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I'm wondering whether to drop the drum down to the hole below?

Stephen Godber
235/51 "Exodus"

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Stephen

Am in London so cannot pop out to the boat and check but pretty sure I have only one hole visible below the drum (ie, I must be on the middle one). Will confirm next weekend. Like you, I think I could do with a bit more forestay tension but I have decided to make no more changes (I did tighten the stays as recommended by Bill) until the boat has settled down a bit. Also, next month I hope to have some real tuning experts playing with my boat so I want to leave it as near standard as possible.

Having said the above, I remain extremely pleased with the sailing performance. The weekend before last I ended up (not quite what I had planned!) out with my wife in 25 kts and a fair sea running. Double reefed with a smidgen of jib the boat was both quick and responsive. At one stage, I saw a fender floating past and had no difficulty gybing around it a few times putting it right alongside on each occasion. Sailing up to the mooring was no problem either. So there is not much wrong (if anything) with the setup.

Whilst writing, there is another thought I am having. A recent storm left the inside of the boat in a real mess as it was thrown around pretty violently (lesson: stow things better). I noticed another boat that was moored by the towing eye rather than the bow roller was bucking much less and cutting into the sea instead. I am reluctant to depart from the standard practice but the boat really did seem much more comfortable. Any thoughts?

David Pocock
Parker 235/52 Arawa

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Stephen

I guess this latest question relates to your jib sagging when beating.

It's my experience that if the rigging is not correctly adjusted (too slack perhaps), adjusting the forestay tension will have more effect on the rake of the mast rather than the tightness of the jib luff. If you shorten the forestay you will reduce rake, but as you are afloat, it will be difficult to measure this, so I suggest you consider leaving the forestay alone (unless you have too much, or too little, weather helm) and look at other options for stopping luff sag.

I don't know how you adjusted the tension on your shrouds (is it within spec?), but there is a simple gauge you can buy to do this. It also ensures they are of equal tension. But again, as you are afloat this may be difficult to do as moving about on a 235 will affect list and hence shroud tension; notwithstanding the fact that you are on an exposed mooring.

Lastly, is your backstay tight enough? If not, adjust this and then put more tension on your jib halyard.



Regards
Don Harvey
Web Master
Parker 325 'Calypso'

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Stephen

Further to my previous posting.

I use Loos Rig Tension Gauge.

These can be obtained from Mailspeed Marine at

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/...ils/mcs/productID/104924 

There is a useful manual on it's use at:

http://www.saltyjohn.co.uk/reso...20using%20the%20Loos.pdf 

Regards
Don Harvey
Web Master
Parker 325 'Calypso'

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Stephen,

I would agree completely with Don, adjusting the forestay length is a absolute last resort and only then if you really thing that it has been set up wrong, which is not likely. With these sort of rigs you will always get a small amount of sag in the forestay. It is a question of getting it within an acceptable amount. With a new boat, I would be reluctant to wind things up to much for now, but on these rigs, forestay tension is controlled by cap shroud tension and little else. Jib halyard tension and backstay will help a bit.

Graham Ebb
235/25 Blue Jazz

yes,
wise words from don, adjusting the forestay will not make a jot of difference, it will only alter rake, i suggest you get a good rig tuning book (there are plenty) which will explain how to set up your rig correctly.

Thanks everyone - it wasn't as if the jib was sagging, just that the forestay felt sloppy when moored up with the jib furled, which I suppose doesn't matter but I felt it should be tighter...

I've tightened the capshrouds as suggested, although this is a bit subjective as there is no starting reference point from which to "tighten" them. Thanks for the mailspeed reference, Don.

David: Sounds like an interesting sail you had! We've done about 30 miles so far (what did we do before Garmin odometers?!) and I'm generally very pleased with the way she sails - when my wife lets me helm, that is! She has taken to it better than I could have imagined!

Regarding the mooring, the towing eye is an interesting option. I had an extra strong cleat put on the anchor locker bulkhead onto which I loop the eye of my mooring rope, but I wonder whether to splice a ring to the mooring rope adjacent to the towing eye and attach a second line here, perhaps with a karabiner for quick connect / disconnect? I'm not sure I would want to use only the towing eye for mooring, but as as second string it might also help calm down the "mooring dance"!
If you get chance let me know which hole your furler is on!

Stephen Godber
235/51 "Exodus"

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Hi Stephen Sorry for delay.My forestay is sloppy when moored up with the jib furled.My rollerreefing is facnor but slightly different to yours its fitted with a turn buckle kit.see facnor handbook page 26

Be Be 235/49

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Stephen

Mine is set on the middle hole.



David Pocock
Parker 235/52 Arawa

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Thanks both David's (and all other!).

Sounds like yours IS set a hole tighter than mine, David P.....I might try dropping mine a hole to suit, after all it isn't going to be a dramatic amount of adjustment. Thanks!

Stephen Godber
235/51 "Exodus"

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Stephen,

You could try checking the mast rake and forestay length by measuring it. You should have a page in your manual titled "Mast Rigging & Tensioning" This gives a dimension from a point on the mast, top of the black band, to the top rear edge of the transom of 34 Ft 6 in. Or 10.515m This should be measured with out any backstay tension and with the lower shrouds slack. This should give the correct mast rake and position. Follow the instructions in the manual to complete the set up. If your forestay is still to slack, consider adjusting it, but just one hole change makes a lot of difference at the mast head.

Hope this helps

Graham Ebb
235/25 Blue Jazz

Thanks Graham - after posting that I thought about it again, as I had pretty well accepted the set up as ok, it was just that David Pocock had the next 235 to mine (number 52) and his is on the 'tighter' hole and yet he still thinks his is a bit sloppy. I will try the 34'6" measurement, I guess I need to use the main halyard and pull it through to mark it, although it will be hard (on water) to see if it level with the black band....maybe I'll mark it temporarily with coloured thread and choose a still day when I can then go off on the tender to view it! Thanks for your continued help!

Stephen Godber
235/51 "Exodus"

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