The techniques for adjusting standing rigging are as old as the history of sailing itself. Some consider it an art, while others prefer to leave it to the professionals. The prevailing view is that improper adjustment will slow the boat down and may even be dangerous. A few tips can be found in one sailing article after another(here, here and here), but few articles on the subject are complete, or adapted to different types of rigs.
This spring, I had to give some serious thought to optimizing the standing rigging of sailboats I knew less about than Jean-du-Sud, so I did a bit of research into thoughtful techniques for adjusting tension.
I came across the Hints and advices on rigging and tuning manual from the Swedish company Seldén (mast manufacturers). It’s very well done and, above all, adapted to different rig configurations. The instructions are relatively clear and, if you’re familiar with Newton’s 3rd law, they make a lot of sense.
The manual introduces the different categories of sloop configuration(fractional rigging, multi-spreader, etc.), then details the techniques for putting the mast under tension according to the desired curvature of the mast. They also present a technique for measuring tension without the need for a tensiometer. It’s a good read for those who want to get started with rig tuning.
