Getting the forestay tight w/o getting into the furler??

[wormsquirm1]

When raising the mast on my X, I found the only way to get the forestay tight is to get into the furler and crank the turnbuckle in there, otherwise with only muscle power it's impossible to get it right.

Am I missing something? It seems there should be an easier way to get it rigged correctly?!

[SRQBob]

The turnbuckle in the furler should not need frequent adjustments.
The tension on the forestay is, primarily from the shrouds, and to a lesser degree from the backstay.
You'll get most of the tension from the upper shrouds, but it all needs to work together as a system. So, work your way around the boat, tighten each stay-adjuster up a little bit until you get the final tension (and rig balance) you want.
About the only time you should need to adjust the forestay (and you can do it with the mast down... so it's really easy) is if you want to change the rake of the mast.

[Boblee]

Theres been quite a bit of discussion here on forestay tension, mast rake and shroud tensions a search should find most.

[Craig LaForce]

Are you using the mast raising system? that gives massive power to pull the mast forward to allow the forestay to be pinned. (4:1 pulleys with tail led to a winch gives massive mechanical advantage). Once you get the tensions set right, you should never have to adjust the turnbuckles again.
The shrouds and the forestay all act together as the 3 sizes of a pyramid, and the tension of all is affected by adjusting any of them.
I replaced the chainplate/Shroud pin index adjusters with turnbuckles to make rig tuning easier.

The backstay just puts bend on the mast. This should let you get better sail shape. Some people convert this to allow adjustments to fine tune mainsail shape while underway in different conditions. (basically they cut it about at the height of the boom, add a loop to it, and attach it to a set of fiddle blocks to allow backstay tension adjustment on the fly.

[Kelly Hanson East]

I think you are asking a rigging question, more than a rig tuning question, right worm??

Its pretty difficult to pull down the forestay and pin it when the tension is right and high enough. The Mast raising system works well, or you can do it the cheap way - use a sailtie to make a foot loop tied to the furler, and use your foot to tension the forestay leaving both hands free to pin it.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I find a combination of the two above works well. I've never opened up the furler except when tuning the rig which is something you do before you head out to the water.

When raising we winch the mast all the way up until it is tight in the step and the side stays are taunt, then I give three good cranks on the winch to over tension the rig. My wife then can pin the headstay using a small looped line on the furler with her foot to add a little downward tension. We also use the BWY headstay pin which has a tapered end making it easier to get started when the rig is well tensioned.

Personally I don't think the rig needs to be at the super high tensions some use. It does not need, nor is made for, the tension typically seen on pure sailboats with fixed rigs. It needs to be tight enough to eliminate shock loads, each stay should make a nice low drum note when struck with nothing slack, but it should not be cranked way up. to the max. I feel this is just too hard on the lightly built hull and light weight rigging parts used.

I also have a small backstay block and tackle for backstay tension and I keep this loose when rigging. I found when I tuned my rig forward to the lower rake I desired the backstay wasn't long enough anymore. I just cut out the stock adjusters and put in a small 4 part block and tackle with a shackle at the point where it mounts on the hull. We usually don't even hook it up until the rig is raised and pinned.