Proper Forestay Tension

Just got an H16 and am looking forward to getting out on the water.

I set it up in my driveway to practice. Stepping the mast with two people a bit tricky and we could not seem to get the forestay very taut/tight. How tight should it be? Any tricks/tips for attaching the forestay once the mast is vertical?

Thanks for your help!!

There are a lot of posts on this (I started one a few months ago) It really should not be tight. There should be some slack and the jib is used to bring the shrouds taught. My problem was the shrouds were too short and it was next to impossible to even connect the forestay. Anyway, good luck and great winds.

Sam

Yes, don't worry about forestay tention.

I have a 2005 16, and you would be SHOCKED at how much rake there is in this thing with no jib. In fact if you where to loose the jib, it would make it allmost impossible to sail in with hit, as the boom is well on the tramp.

Mast rake is controlled by the Jib alone, and there are many theory's on propper jib halyward tension/mast rake.

I tend to like to sail with my mast not raked that much, the shrounds in the third hole down, and everything nice and tight. Having to life the main over myself I find quite annoying. I also sail with heavier crew so I like to power up quite a bit.