[mikehoyt]

Thanks Bob

I realize the rig cannot be cranked XX pounds from a book. My plan was to tune while sailing and use the tension meter to obtain the number that worked best in each vcase as a starting poiint for each season. My crew decided to start with the 600 lbs that was stated in the directions that came with the guage.

My real question was more about how this would affect the windward and downwind performance. The boat is fractionally rigged, has one set of outer shrouds that pass thru swept back spreaders and one set of inner shrouds. The mast is deck stepped.

Is it normal for a highly tensioned rig to perform well upwind in windy conditions and waves but be slower downwind due to this tensioning - esp in light airs? ... or is this just my imagination?

Thanks

Mike