J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Rig Tune

Just wanted to get an idea of how people tuned their rigs over the Na's. Some I talked too left them tight, some adjusted them alot. We sailed with about 1800 in the heavy air maybe a touch tighter and radically loosened them in the lighter air. Also did the same with the backstay. I thought our speed was good in some breeze but off the pace in the light air. Also what sails did people use? Were most Jibs made out of Kevar or Pentex?

Luke - Rhapsody sailed with a 2008 North Main made in New Orleans with the "Benz Faget" recipe and 2007 North Kevlar #1 made by the finest Sri Lankan sail makers. We used a 2008 Quantum Carbon/Kevlar #3 built by Steve Thurston on Friday when it was blowing.

Rig tune using Loos PT-2 gauge was 1400# on uppers and lowers in heavy wind and 1400/1000 in light wind. Our boat speed and pointing seemed to be as good upwind as anyone else - we just couldn't call the correct side of the course in the light, shifty air :-)

We didn't touch the head stay (class max length), but used some back stay on Friday in the heavy air, which turned out to be our best finish (4th).

My every day main is a 2002 tired Quantum that requires a completely different rig tune to make the boat go. You really need to play around and see what tune works for your cut of sail. The tune on my 2007 North is completely different than the 2008.

Blue Meanie carries all North-main was new last July, purchased from the Annapolis loft. Very happy with that sail, as I am with the #1 from Benz, which is a Kevlar panel sail.

Rig tune on Friday started very tight-first race we had 2000+ on uppers and lowers (40-41 on the Loos). Played backstay to keep the boat flat. The key move in the first race was sticking with the#1 and flattening the hell out of the main. As the breeze dropped, eased everything between each race. In medium, about 1700 outers 1500 inners, in very light-off the gauge, inners softer than outers (probably 900 or so outers, 650 inners).

Fuzzy Wuzzy's sails are made by Bill Draheim @ GUS Sails - main & Genoa was new for last years NA and the spinnaker is new this year. The Genoa is a cross-cut polyester mylar, over the years I found the mylar film to be the weak link in the Genoa and in my opinion exotic (expensive) fibers is just a waste of money.
Our base tune is 37/37 and approx 4" slack in the backstay (adjuster is firmly secured at the top of the lower legs) headstay at max. For the first race Friday we went up to 40/40 and choose the #1, had to use the backstay in a few puffs. For the second race we went back to base 37/37 and never used the backstay, for the third race we backed off to approx 35/35.
Saturday we backed off the rig to 35/33 and eased the backstay to keep the 4" sag - we felt over tuned in that race.
Sunday we started with 32/30 - still too tight in the first race - backed off the rig to approx 27/22 for the last race.
In my opinion this was not a boat speed regatta -it was much more important to find breeze and try to avoid the very big holes scattered over the racing area.
We never figured out the current but I think it played a major roll in the light air races - perhaps some of the local boats can help us with that.

Just to head off the interpretation problem on rig tuning...

There are different model Loos gauges. I believe the numbers Bengt refers to use the Loos Model B gauge. The standard wire size used for J/30 standing rigging is 1/4" diameter. There are conversion charts for settings between different Loos gauge models and absolute tension in PSI at the following links:
Loos & Co. How to use Tension Gauges

Download PDF document with conversion charts between Loos Gauges



[This message has been edited by Rhapsody #348 (edited 10-10-2008).]

So true on finding the wind. We found the holes instead. Not a good strategy at all.

On the current, it wasn't exactly as the current models show in relation to the timing of high and low tide, but they provided a pretty good indication. Look at this web site to see what the currents do with tide over time in the bay: http://www.narrabay.com/empact/bayCurrents.asp

Bill, the #'s are from the PT-2 loos gauge

Thanks for the words of wisdom. not to far off from what we thought it should be. See you next year.

We switched to North main and genoa last year and use their general tuning advice. I see what I believe to be significant back winding on the main caused by the leech of the genoa. Some call it a 'speed bubble' and have advised us to ease the genoa to six inches or more off the spreader. We typically trim to 2-3" and set the jib car so the sail breaks evenly. The backwind is noticeable in all conditions and tune.

Originally I thought the problem could be solved by inducing more pre-bend with tune or backstay to flatten the luff curve of the main. But that doesn't really seem to help and sets us much tighter on the rig than advised.

Bob - I thought it was just me, but I found the same thing with my 2007 North Main & Jib on the "speed bubble". The 2008 Benz designed North Main didn't do that.