wire size

[charrette]

brion,
thanks for the tip on the selden guide on rigging and tuning. it confirms other literature that i have been using as a basis. i think i am headed in the right direction. i am puzzled about the b&r rig though. the hunter manual indicates that the 33, 35 and 37 hunters have conventional fractional rigs and the 28, 40 and 45 hunters have b&r rigs (1988-1994 vintage). the b&r rig, i thought, has additional diagnals between the base of the mast and the spreaders creating a diamond pattern with the stays. i am not sure but i thought the hunter 37 in the video did not have these extra stays.
thanks again,
charrette

[charrette]

after performing a dockside tune we sailed the boat this weekend and it sailed really well. i only had to do some minor adjustments to the lower shrouds while under sail to keep the mast straight. we were able to get to hull speed (7.2knts) with apparent wind at 13knts. we were never able to get to hull speed since we have owned the boat (2 years). the only thing that still bugs me is that there is slightly more weather helm on a starboard tack vs. the port tack, neither is excessive. is it normal for boats to sail differently on different tacks? i am going to check the squareness of the mast once more using a different method. i got a tip from another rigger who uses a sail slug attached to a metal tape measure that he hoists with the main halyard and checks for squareness at each spreader and the top of the mast down to the chainplates. he said this was a more acurate method than using the halyard alone. any insight would be appreciated.

[osteoderm]

Here in our boatyard, I am always surprised how many boats are markedly assymetrical below the waterline. It may be possible that your rig tune is spot-on, while an irregular rudder or keel could accound for the difference in helm on different tacks.
Go ahead and continue to tune, but don't drive yourself nuts trying to fix something that may be unfixable, and check the bottom carefully next haul-out.