Just scored

I just scored a Barnett Butterfly for $150 complete. The only problems I could see were a cracked tiller, some blistering on the deck and a bit of cracking in the gelcoat around the base of the daggerboard case. I suspect someone nailed something at speed with the DB...but there is no damage to the board which leads me to suspect that it might not be original. The sail, standing rigging, even the running rigging is all in good shape with some extras thrown in. Looking on the net I found that a new one costs around $4500. I also see used ones out there around the same price as what I paid but with significantly more work needed on them. I think I did pretty good...even if I eventually only use the parts off of it.
Having never sailed a boat with shrouds and a deck stepped aluminum mast...just what sort of tension should I be putting on the shrouds when I step the mast?

Looks like this (this isn't the one I bought though)

 

Congratulations-I think you got quite a good deal. The shrouds/forestay don't appear to have turnbuckles so just use the tension you can conveniently achieve with the supplied hardware. If you were to race it check with other owners about the ideal set up. You can have some fun with that boat-good luck!

 

You saved enough to build the cabin, Steve. No--- seriously, good deal. I always look for good sails and hardware--- stuff I can't make easily. I've happily bought boats before with either no tiller or rudder or damaged badly.
Of course, you have plenty of sails...

 

You remember...and yes...I do.

 

You stole the Butterfly. Good on you. Dont sweat the shroud tension. There are some very good small class boats that deliberately let the mast flop a few degrees and are rigged with slightly slack shrouds. The mast is the determining factor for tension setting. Sometimes you,ll want the mast to bend in order to take some of the draft out of the sails. Heavier air) and sometimes no mast bend for more moderate air. It is usually an advantage to have the mast rotate a bit, so as to have the front of the mast pointed more nearly into the wind. You can feel the difference in go power when it is done right. There are some simple gooseneck fittings that make this an automatic rotator and rotation limiter. Never mind all that, just go sail the boat and enjoy the fruits of your larceny.

 

Lewisboats,
Here ! Here !!, as Messabout said, Just go sailing and enjoy, - capsize often and have a ball doing it...

 

There are adjusters on those stays but it is not possible to put any static tension on with these. Just set them up with a wee bit of slack and with the mast vertical side to side. If the best racers in the class use a set amount of mast rake, copy that with the forestay. You did get a steal so just go and enjoy it.

 

I asked the previous owner and that is what he has it set on...just the littlest bit of slack. I'll try it with that and then play with it later. Just got it home today and I still have to do the paperwork transfer. I'll see if I can test it out next Monday or Tuesday.