Using a Loos tension gauge

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noodle
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Location: Eastleigh, Hants

Using a Loos tension gauge

Post by noodle » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:23 pm

Hi,

I have acquired a Loos tension gauge which I plan to use to tension the rigging, does anyone have experience of using one of these, is it as simple as the instructions imply?

What tensions should I use for the Forestay and Upper/Lower shrouds?

Thanks

Andy

johnsti
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Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:56 pm
Location: Nottingham / Derby Border

Loos tension guage

Post by johnsti » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:17 pm

Hi Andy

I too have a Loos tension guage and it does indeed appear easy to use and to check what the existing tensions are. Problem is I have no idea what they are supposed to be and the guage gives no indication of whether the tenions are within acceptable parameters.

Did you manage to find out what the Upper and cap shroud tensions should be - if you did would you please enlighten me !

Similarly if anyone else knows what the tensions should be I would very much appreciate it if you would share the info with me.

Thanks

Ian

noodle
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Using a Loos tension gauge

Post by noodle » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:19 pm

Hi Ian,

In the end I used the tensions recommended in the Loos manual for 4mm
wire and a fractional rig.

Unfortunately the manual is down on the boat at the moment so I cannot
give you the exact figures, but I get it at the weekend.

Do you have a manual?

Andy


johnsti wrote:
Hi Andy

I too have a Loos tension guage and it does indeed appear easy to use
and to check what the existing tensions are. Problem is I have no idea
what they are supposed to be and the guage gives no indication of
whether the tenions are within acceptable parameters.

Did you manage to find out what the Upper and cap shroud tensions should
be - if you did would you please enlighten me !

Similarly if anyone else knows what the tensions should be I would very
much appreciate it if you would share the info with me.

Thanks

Ian




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johnsti
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Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:56 pm
Location: Nottingham / Derby Border

Loos rigging guage

Post by johnsti » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:22 am

Hi Andy

Thanks for your response.

No I dont have a manual with my guage all it came with was a piece of card which showed how to test the tension.

I have just had the standing rigging remade and I fixed it to the mast at the weekend so I'm very much in the dark about what the correst tension should be.

I believe the cap shrouds should be tensioned first.

Any figures and guidance you could give me from the maual would be much appreciated.
Like you I have the standard fractional rig with 4mm wire.
I have a furling jib.

Thanks

Ian

windsong
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Boat Name: Windsong
Sail Number: 133

Using a Loos tension gauge

Post by windsong » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:48 am

Ian,
I got this document from the old Swift site last year. It's very helpful



-----Original Message-----
From: johnsti [mailto:forum-rigging@swift18.org]
Sent: 20 June 2007 09:23
To: forum-rigging@swift18.org
Subject: [Swift 18] Re: Using a Loos tension gauge


Hi Andy

Thanks for your response.

No I dont have a manual with my guage all it came with was a piece of card
which showed how to test the tension.

I have just had the standing rigging remade and I fixed it to the mast at
the weekend so I'm very much in the dark about what the correst tension
should be.

I believe the cap shrouds should be tensioned first.

Any figures and guidance you could give me from the maual would be much
appreciated. Like you I have the standard fractional rig with 4mm wire.
I have a furling jib.

Thanks

Ian

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noodle
Site Admin
Posts: 83
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 10:43 am
Location: Eastleigh, Hants

Using a Loos tension gauge

Post by noodle » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:24 pm

The rigging document is also available on this site, see
http://www.swift18.org/technical.html

Andy

windsong wrote:
Ian,
I got this document from the old Swift site last year. It's very helpful



-----Original Message-----
From: johnsti [mailto:forum-rigging@swift18.org]
Sent: 20 June 2007 09:23
To: forum-rigging@swift18.org <mailto:forum-rigging@swift18.org>
Subject: [Swift 18] Re: Using a Loos tension gauge


Hi Andy

Thanks for your response.

No I dont have a manual with my guage all it came with was a piece of card
which showed how to test the tension.

I have just had the standing rigging remade and I fixed it to the mast at
the weekend so I'm very much in the dark about what the correst tension
should be.

I believe the cap shrouds should be tensioned first.

Any figures and guidance you could give me from the maual would be much
appreciated. Like you I have the standard fractional rig with 4mm wire.
I have a furling jib.

Thanks

Ian


------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheers

Steve





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johnsti
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Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:56 pm
Location: Nottingham / Derby Border

Rigging Tensions

Post by johnsti » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:50 am

Hi Andy

I managed to obtain some tension figures off the internet but I'm having difficulty achieving them.

It suggests a tension of around 10% -12% of breaking strain which equates to around 150kg -180kg or around 32on the Loos scale.

Im having difficulty getting beyond 25 on the Loos scale with the bottlescrews almost fully up.

It may be that

The new rigging i've had made has been made overlong
The roller furling forestay needs tensioning up
The info i've got is wrong or i'm misinterpreting the instructions!

Before taking it down to check ,the instructions/figures from the manual / details of the Loos scale fig at which your rigging is set would be really useful.

Ian

noodle
Site Admin
Posts: 83
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 10:43 am
Location: Eastleigh, Hants

Using a Loos tension gauge

Post by noodle » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:14 pm

Hi Ian,

Have a look at
http://www.saltyjohn.co.uk/resources/Ri ... 20Loos.pdf

For a fractional rig with aft spreaders a higher shroud tension is
recommended, so my target was 18% - 270Kg (assuming 1500Kg breaking
strain, but I see some rigging sites state 1285Kg). I found that that
all I could achieve was about 28 on the cap shrouds before I hit the
limit of the bottle screws.

I find that at 28 the leeward cap shroud seem overly slack when there is
a small amount of heel. I believe my Swift was re-rigged a couple of
years ago prior to me owning it, I wonder if measuring the length of the
existing shrouds is a wise move as they would have stretched. Replacing
them with unstretched shrouds of the same length would mean they
actually become too long once the tension is applied and they stretch.
I think mine are about 40mm too long.

Andy






johnsti wrote:
Hi Andy

I managed to obtain some tension figures off the internet but I'm having
difficulty achieving them.

It suggests a tension of around 10% -12% of breaking strain which
equates to around 150kg -180kg or around 32on the Loos scale.

Im having difficulty getting beyond 25 on the Loos scale with the
bottlescrews almost fully up.

It may be that

The new rigging i've had made has been made overlong
The roller furling forestay needs tensioning up
The info i've got is wrong or i'm misinterpreting the instructions!

Before taking it down to check ,the instructions/figures from the manual
/ details of the Loos scale fig at which your rigging is set would be
really useful.

Ian




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johnsti
Under way
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:56 pm
Location: Nottingham / Derby Border

rigging tension

Post by johnsti » Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:33 pm

Andy
Thanks for your reply.

Must admit I had not thought about the original rigging having stretched - presumably neither had the company who did my rerigging using the old as a template !

Not sure but I guess it ought to be possible to remove the talurit eyes at the mast end and shorten the rigging slightly - in this case at least better too long than too short !

Before taking it all apart however I think I will try tweaking the forstay. The mast is certainly inclined backwards and as long as it does not pass the upright to a forward inclination it should be ok. This may give a few extra kg of load

I also did the measurements with the boom on and held by the topping lift which I understand is incorrect - not sure how much difference it will make.

At the end of the day I guess I will not really know until I get it on the water but I am comforted to hear that I am at least using the guage right and at the sort of tensions I can reach it will sail safely.

Thanks again

Ian

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