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Old 02-27-2006, 01:16 PM
Ian McColgin Ian McColgin is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Hyannis, MA
Posts: 368
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She sounds a bit loose even by schooner standards.

I have tuned schooners by getting "hand tight" at the dock and going for a sail. I was taught not to adjust the leeward shrouds and stays underweigh, but have hit on a modified way that works.

Don't take the slack right out of the lee shrouds. Rather, tighten from the weather side carefully sighting to see that the mast is at least straight. Stop before, well before, all the slack is out of the leeward side. Tack and work on the new weather side, counting turns to see if when they match the side you did first, the mast is straight. Get it straight, tack again and fiddle.

When you've a straight mast on both tacks and just a little sense of unloading, not real slack but definatly not highly stressed, on the lee side, find a quiet spot to get the sails down and check that the trucks are amidships. If not, carefully ease on one side and trim on the other till the trucks are centered and get them in colum. Set sail and tune some more.

Especially with gaff schooners, adjustment of the triadics is important in getting the jib's luff sag out. You really want to be sure of your bobstay and whiskers first.

Anyway, easy does it. These rigs should not be floppy but they are not like the highly stressed rod rigging you see on the tupperware boats.

G'luck

Ian
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