Neil Gallagher
1984 E381
Howdy Folks:
I'm looking for some wisdom. I'm a fairly new owner of a 84' 381 and recently meet a rigger at the boat to tun the rig. I was concerned that the last rigger over tensioned shrouds before water delivery to Texas as she had developed a couple of stress cracks on deck of the starboard chain plate. The last rigger tensioned the shrouds to wire spec (10% of break i think) without adjusting the chainplates below. The new rigger and I felt it was too tight so we slacked the shrouds to what "felt" right, and tweaked the chainplate below (one turn). The headstay and backstay were not adjusted. Sailed her this weekend, rig looked good, stayed in column and leeward shrouds were not "too" lose. However.......
I noticed a bit of a squeek from the steering quandant. Dug around the aft lazeratte, could'nt see anything. Then noticed the squeek was coming from the aft lazerette lid as is was slightly moving in relation to the bulkhead just aft of the rudder post. I noticed the movement when the rudder seemed to be loaded. Open the rudder post cover and did see any slack in the post / bearings. It does however seem the back stay is a "liitle' less taunt then before. Could the rig re-tune affect the hull aft of the rudder post??????? I plan on crawling back there to inspect the sterring quadrandt, cables etc.
I'm looking for some wisdom. I'm a fairly new owner of a 84' 381 and recently meet a rigger at the boat to tun the rig. I was concerned that the last rigger over tensioned shrouds before water delivery to Texas as she had developed a couple of stress cracks on deck of the starboard chain plate. The last rigger tensioned the shrouds to wire spec (10% of break i think) without adjusting the chainplates below. The new rigger and I felt it was too tight so we slacked the shrouds to what "felt" right, and tweaked the chainplate below (one turn). The headstay and backstay were not adjusted. Sailed her this weekend, rig looked good, stayed in column and leeward shrouds were not "too" lose. However.......
I noticed a bit of a squeek from the steering quandant. Dug around the aft lazeratte, could'nt see anything. Then noticed the squeek was coming from the aft lazerette lid as is was slightly moving in relation to the bulkhead just aft of the rudder post. I noticed the movement when the rudder seemed to be loaded. Open the rudder post cover and did see any slack in the post / bearings. It does however seem the back stay is a "liitle' less taunt then before. Could the rig re-tune affect the hull aft of the rudder post??????? I plan on crawling back there to inspect the sterring quadrandt, cables etc.