Quick Release Tensioner on Genoa?

[Saxacussionist]

I hope you guys can help me with this one. I bought my 1990 26S last year and determined not to change anything the first season. Now that spring is here it's time to start making all the changes / mods I have been planning. One thing the PO did which I thought to be out of the ordinary was that he added a 6" quick release tensioner between the roller furler and the forestay. This required him to move the genoa up 6" further toward the top of the mast. I'm no engineer, however, anytime you make changes to the rigging, I get a little nervous. The engineers at MacGregor designed their rigging the way they did for specific reasons. What do you think? Am I worried over nothing?

Thanks for your help - Brad

[paj637]

The lever modification has been done on scores or even maybe hundreds of boats and I have yet to hear of any negative comments or issues with the rigging. I did it on my 2006 . One of the best mods I did. Just keep up with inspecting your rigging as usual.

[kadet]

The engineers at MacGregor designed their rigging the way they did for specific reasons. What do you think? Am I worried over nothing?

Yes you are worrying over nothing because MacGregor did it their way cause it was cheapest why possible, any mod done by PO is probably better than factory if they knew what they were doing ...

These boats have never be accused of being over engineered, but built to a price point. I love my for what it is, but barely adequate covers the description of most of it's fittings and systems.

[Sumner]

I'd just make sure that he added a toggle...



...at the top and we also put one on the bottom, but the top one is more crucial. We moved ours further up the mast, but also move new shrouds up with it, but the 6 inches would not bother me at all. The mast is plenty strong for that, but add the toggle if you don't have it to avoid possible forestay failure. More here...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... ng-24.html

Sum

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[Steve K]

Hi all,
This might be only my preference, but while working on the standing rigging, I would opt for the later 26X spreader brackets.

I didn't like the folding spreaders on my 26D mast, so I went down to MacGregor and got a pair of the 26X spreader sockets.
The plus is they stay exactly where they should (up angle and back sweep) and there's little chance of the inboard ends of the spreaders getting messed up. Mine were slightly kinked and the holes for the mast end through bolt were badly worn.

I cut 2 inches off the inboard end of the spreaders, to get rid of the worn/bent part and installed them in the new brackets. This requires some reconfiguration of rigging tension etc. but works very well.

Without the folding spreaders, you may have to dance them out from under the lifelines, when raising the mast. However, I haven't found this to be a problem as they are shorter (seems like quite a bit shorter than my 26X ones were).

Again, perhaps it's just me, but it seems like the rig is easier to tune and is more consistant, when raising and lowering the rig a lot.

JMHO,
Steve K.
Mac 26D "Three Sheets"

[Relackson]

Hi all

Can someone please explain what is meant by this: "One thing the PO did which I thought to be out of the ordinary was that he added a 6" quick release tensioner between the roller furler and the forestay."?

I'm quite ignorant about furler setups and adjustment.

My genoa seems fairly loose when sailing; but is very tight to connect to bow when putting the mast up. Will this quick release tensioner allow me to tighten the furler for sailing when needed?

Explanation / diagrams / photos will be much appreciated.

Thanks

Stan

[Catigale]

Stan..try a search using the terms 'Johnson lever' to find some relevant threads

Here is one

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=514