J/29 Tuning & Rigging

• Be sure that any sharp edges on mast hardware is filed smooth and that areas where a spinnaker could catch, such as at spreader attachment points are either filled or taped. Work the black rubber plugs into holes above shroud connectors, Don’t forget to put one mast collar ring over the sponge rubber gasket ring (both with flanges down) on the mast. It’s also easier to put the headfoil (or Tuff-Luff) on with the mast down. Snap the small leading edge on the wire full length. Start at the top of the headstay and slide the bottom of the back part into the top of the front part. If necessary, use warm water to make the plastic more pliable and lubricate with liquid soap to help slide it on.
  
• Secure the mast step casting to insure that the mast is vertical coming out of the deck. Use the back edge of the hole, dropping a plumb bob to the mast step. Use the centerline of the bridge deck behind companionway as a fore & aft reference. Drop a bolt in front of the mast base by drilling a hole in the step to insure it doesn’t slide forward. . . . The purpose of this is to insure some prebend of the mast down low, when you later set up the rig with mast rake. This is particularly important on the masthead rig (you can use the bulkhead as an approximate gauge) to avoid need of a baby stay.
  
  REMEMBER to have someone below deck when the mast is lowered through the hole to put the bottom half of the deck ring on (flange up) before it drops onto the step. Otherwise you’ll have to pull the mast again.
  
  CAUTION: Don’t try to drill the holes in the deck for the mast collar before you’re told to below.
  
• Connect the rigging with headstay and backstay turnbuckles fully extended. Hand tighten shrouds.
  
• Center the mast athwartships by holding a centerline headsail halyard under even tension out to a point on either rail, outside the chainplates and equidistant from the bow. Adjusting shroud turnbuckles by hand to keep the mast straight.
  
• Tighten the rig from the bottom up. Start by taking up evenly on the lowers until these are tight enough to begin bending the mast. Then hand tighten the backstay, hook up the adjuster tackle, crank down on this, then tighten the upper shrouds evenly so you are applying about 20 lbs. pressure to an 8" crescent wrench. Let off the backstay adjuster. Check to see that the mast remains straight sideways, adjusting lowers to correct or double checking uppers with the headsail halyard. The mast should not be leaning up against one side of the hole with excessive pressure . . . a little is OK.
  
• Now to tighten the rig some more . . . take up about 1" on the headstay. Then adjust the backstay turnbuckles to leave about a 2" bend in the mast between the mainsail halyard sheave and boom, as measured by pulling the main halyard tight between these two points. The backstay should only be tight enough to have the blocks on the adjuster pop to the top by themselves. If too much bend, reverse the procedure and when you get to the lowers, tighten them a couple of turns each, then set up the rest in order. If too little bend, loosen the lowers a couple of turns. Using the main halyard as a plumb bob, with weight attached in no wind, it should hit a point about 15" + 3" behind the mast on the cabin trunk.
  
• The mast should be leaning back in the hole so you can’t possibly push it forward, but with force can push it off the side it’s leaning against. Wedge the mast in the hole to insure the straightest alignment sideways as you sight up the mast. Then drill the holes in the deck right through those in the mast collar casting. If your drill can’t be held vertical, get a flexible extender with smaller chuck housing or drill from underneath.
  
• Block the mast with small wedges. Don’t rely on the collar alone. Be sure to place the small triangles on either side of the bottom collar with the bolts provided to couple the upper and lower collars. Lastly drill through the mast to connect the two triangles and locking the deck to the mast.
  
• When sailing to windward, the rig should be so tight that the leeward shrouds (particularly the lower, when you have backstay applied) remain tight and don’t wave in the breeze.
  
• After sailing in some wind for 10-15 hours, it will be necessary to compensate for stretch of the wire rigging by again tightening the shrouds. Remember to use reverse procedure in first letting off the headstay to relieve the pressure on the shrouds before stripping the threads on shroud turnbuckles.