[Fau]

One strand of my standing rigging is suddenly really loose. I believe that it is the intermediate shroud. It starts 2/3s of the way up the mast and attaches to the port side of the boat. Is there a common reason that it would suddenly slack? Is it most likely a matter of just tightening the turnbuckle?

Thanks

 

[DivingOtter]

Define suddenly.. As in you stepped the mast this year and it's slack? Or you were sailing and it became slack? Big difference..

 

[Fau]

The mast has been up. I've been sailing regularly. When I got to the boat today I noticed that it was slack. I was on it last weekend and I don't think it was like that as I'm sure that I would have noticed.

 

[RedHorizon]

If the turnbuckles were properly prevented from turning, I'd be very wary of this problem and would want to find out an answer before I sailed the boat again. If the chainplates didn't move, then there could be a rigging problem aloft, or a problem with a shroud on the opposite side of the boat. Either way, a careful inspection is in order.

 

[desert rat]

Perhaps a slipping swage or a chainplate.

 

[hangupndrive]

What is your chain plate setup? Is it ine that all shrouds connect to or is there a separate one for each shroud? If you have a single chain plate, and, If its only one shroud, the problem is likely the shoud itself instead of the mast step or a chain plate. I assume your standing rigging is twisted (as opposed to solid)? You could remove this shroud along with the corresponding shroud on the other side and compare them. if its not painfully obvious, I'd call a rigger. The poster who cautioned against sailing the boat until the problem is identified gave wise advice.

 

[DivingOtter]

Im very overcautious about my rigging. It takes me about half a dozen sail sessions until I finally get it tuned right with the Loose gauge. My biggest fear is a dis masting or catastrophic rigging failure. This is definitely something I would want a solid answer on before putting stress on it.

 

[christian.hess]

it can be many many things...if it happened suddenly and your fittings ARENT mechanical id vote for a slipped chainplate or cracked chainplate

suddenly is the key word here

if its not that mast step however you mention only one side being loose and all of a sudden so look there or the opposite stay, shroud for any evidence of loosening up...

if you didnt have your turnbuckles marked or tied then there is no deifinitive way of knowing for sure if they loosened up or not...

what boat, what chainplates, how are they attached, keel or deck stepped mast, do you have a compression post or not? etc...

good luck

 

[captflood]

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS Check the compression post or bulk-heads for decay or movement sag rot ect. also see if the deck has moved and is still in-line. AS ALWAYS GO SAFE

 

[Group9]

Im very overcautious about my rigging. It takes me about half a dozen sail sessions until I finally get it tuned right with the Loose gauge. My biggest fear is a dis masting or catastrophic rigging failure. This is definitely something I would want a solid answer on before putting stress on it.

I was on a boat that was dis-masted one night in only about 25 knots of wind. It was not an experience I would ever want to repeat, especially with my boat.

The worst thing is, we inspected the rigging (it was a delivery), decided that the rigging was crap, but went anyway because we thought it would hold up for 200 miles.