Shroud tensioner idea - for tabernacle

Hi, this is my first post, I have a 79 merit 25 racer/cruiser.

I need to lower my mast to get under a bridge in the harbor, and ideally it would go down forwards to use the boom and main sheet to lower and raise it.

With my arrangement, I have to loosen the shrouds a lot to make it work. My idea, which could be use by any one to adjust shroud tension, is use a line somehow connected to the shrouds, 1 foot up, and pull back with it. The sideways force on the shrouds will create more tension in them, and it could be adjusted by how much side force. This is a really simple way to adjust the shroud tension on the fly, and even provides some shock absorbence and possibly a type of mechanical fuse - if the rig gets overloaded for any reason the tension line will give first.

The chain plates and their mount to the deck would have to be reinforced because their would now the shrouds will be pulling on them at a slight angle.

Has anyone seen this before? Seems like a simple method to solve my issue and not sure if anyone else could use the idea of adjusting the shroud tension on the go.

 

Some Farrier trimarans have a shroud tensioner like you describe. See page 3 of http://www.farriermarine.com/pdf/Hints.pdf.

A Highfield lever might be another approach.

 

I knew somebody had thought of this before. Thanks. I don't like the high field levers because you have to climb forwards to them. The shroud tensioner has the added benefit of changing the angle of The shrouds a little bit which is good for my setup - angled forwards when slack and lowering the mast, pulled back when taught to match the slight sweep in my spreaders. Thanks again.

 

Install a piece of rigging under the P&S turnbuckles to raise the turnbuckle pin height to the same as the pivot point of the tabernakle .

Retensions by itself.

 

Fred - totally hear you but my shrouds come down to the same height as the mast step, it's a semi - flush deck. I am thinking about raising the step about an inch and moving the pivot up an inch which would put pivot about 4 inches off the deck, but I don't think that gains me enough of a difference to make up for the shrouds coming down to the back of the mast, holding it back from pivoting forwards.

 

Are you talking about just the aft lowers? One thing to remember is that very small changes in shroud tension make a big difference in mast tune. So whatever system you devise must have repeatability. Also you are dealing with some load so things like line stretch will effect your tuning. If its just your aft lowers put them on roller tracks

 

Great idea on the sliders. But it's the cap, mid and lowers, they all come to one chain plate. A cruiser setup I guess with a slight rear sweep in soreaders to push and hold the middle of the mast forwards. Well noted on the repeat ability, might use wire with a hayfield lever. Like I said all three shrouds run to one chain plate, with two turnbuckles connecting down to one turn buckle for individual and total adjustment. Thanks again