You may be able to save yourself considererable expense by just using a hacksaw to cut a bit off the studs themselves. This will reduce your total amount of adjustability, but you never use it all anyway. Additionally, I think the open body turnbuckles are fine and the fancy ones are not worth the extra $$.

I also have a shroud problem. When the previous owner(s) shortened the mast, it left the shrouds very long such that at the higher wind settings it is difficult to pin the screw because it is almost at the bottom of the "open style" turnbuckle barrel. Should I swage on new heads after shortening the shrouds or swage on new calibrated turnbuckles?
The boat has 1978 rigging and is very stout.


Thanks Pat

Scott
Try looking under "Mast Partner Blocks", there are some good suggestions posted there.
Good Luck, and best regards!
___(\(\(\_(\__/)_______/)_/)____(\___/)___/)___/)__________

We have ronstan calibrated turnbuckles...do many people use the retro-fit handles that are available? (i'm assuming they're class legal as long as you don't adjust them whilst racing).

Maybe this should be in a different discussion, but i would like some feedback on centering the mast. For the most part, this means centering it on the boat (the chainplates), i think...
Does anyone out there worry about aligning the mast with the keel? I have heard this argued from different perspectives and was wondering what some of you thought.
Is there a big difference generally between the two? (the boat-centered mast angle vs. the keel aligned mast angle) I guess part of what i'm asking is were most j's put together 'straight'?
We are getting ready to put our j24 back together after a refit, and have surveying transits, etc to line everything up if necessary. Is this crazy??? Are we thinking too much?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated...
Thanx

John,
It seems to me that since what you aim to do is accurately adjust your rig tension between races, all you would need to do is make yourself a "tuning chart". This is essentially a chart of rig settings (like the ones you'd get from your sailmaker (Geoff makes a pretty nice one))that you then use (on dry land) to determine how many turns it takes on the uppers and lowers to get to the next setting ( to get the amount of prebend required ). Write them on the inside of your boat (some folks write them on the deck) and you have an accurate system to adjust your rig! Just be sure to keep track of the amount of turns, the direction of the turns (my team uses an arrow with a + sign in it written on the deck with indelible marker) and your base setting. This should help you forego the expense of going to calibrated turnbuckles, which my team uses by the way, the only time it is of benefit to us is when we re-rig the boat prior to a circuit stop to center the rig( not a huge benefit ). My team uses the foldout handles that in turn are very slick! (no tools needed).
Good Luck, and best regards!
___(\(\(\_(\__/)_______/)_/)____(\___/)___/)___/)__________

The open bodied turnbuckles are just fine. I strongly recommend that you put your money toward something more beneficial, like sails. I have used all manor of turnbuckles, and I have come to the conclusion that the more money you spend on them the more trouble you will have. Calibrations are almost useless. They are very hard to read and the threads are so fine that tensions are almost impossible to duplicate. Add to that stretch, temperature expansion rates, and the flexibility of your hull, and you will find yourself on the starting line with the wrong tensions. My tuning guide (www.shoresails.com) has a chart that you can fill out that helps you keep track of the number of turns needed for each setting, but there is no way around using a loose gauge to find your base tensions. Calibrations may help you get a ballpark when you are centering the rig, but that is only a minor convenience. The reality is that when you see a pro with some expensive turnbuckles it is likely that they did not pay for them.

If you have the old style turnbuckle that are adjusted by a threaded stud between two female sections I would replace them with a standard Merriman open bodied turnbuckle. The open body allows you to use a short piece of line to tie between the turnbuckles. This prevents them from backing off and they are much faster to adjust. They are also extremely strong and very reliable. You are also more likely to find parts if you were ever to arrive at a regatta with a missing turnbuckle.

You really don't have to replace your rigging.
On my Cal 20 I use turnbuckle/shroud extender(s) between the chainplates and the turnbuckles, Ronstan.
You just have to buy the correct thread size, sans the swage fitting. They also sell a set of adjuster handles for them.
They are difficult to see & set whilst on the water so a good set of tables ala Brian's suggestion(s) is a good idea.
I also have the Johnson flat steel type on my forestay, diamonds, and aft lowers. They are sort of gilding the lily as I use a cailbrated, numbered holes,shroud adjuster on the forestay, with a plunger/ball detent, quick release pin.
Some care/thought should be given to using them on lowers, fore &/or aft on loose floppy rigs. They tend to bend if not in good alignment, shroud to chain plate. I also use a highfield lever type clevis pin, shroud adjuster on the aft lowers which may excaserbate the situation, as well as be gilding the lily.
The One Design Cal 20s remove the forward lowers to allow good inboard sheeting mechanisms. I am putting mine back on, for PHRF Racing in a "running stay" arrangement with the windward one active and the leeward one lazy. Both with with "dreaded" shockcord to pull them aft if I want them both lazy, on the wind, light and medium.

John,

Believe or not, you can actually use your existing shrouds by having a longer fitting swaged (sp?) on. However, I'm no expert but think you should replace everything at once, as shrouds are sure to become fatigued over time.

As for the calibrated turnbuckles, I like them better than the open style, but only because they're easier to adjust. I haven't found the calibrations worth much, they're hard to read while being bounced around and doused with salt water. Brian's recommendation is a good one, it's worked for us.

Eric

John,

I have never used the calibrated trunbuckles, but I believe that you need new shrouds to go with them as they are shorter than your open body turnbuckles.

I do however have some advise for your tension gauge problem. Spend some time at the dock with your tension gauge and make a chart that tell you how many turns it takes you to get from one setting to the next. I did this by starting at base (20/15). I then worked my way up though the settings, carefully recording the number of half turns(you can also do full turns)it took to get from one settings to the next. At the top, I then checked my numbers by coming back down the settings. Once you have the numbers worked out, you can make a small chart on the deck in marker. Now as long you know what settings you are at in the morning, you can accurately adjust rig tension all day without using a tension gauge.

I am still using the standard open body turnbuckles on the shrouds. Since they are not calibrated and waves make it impossible to use a tension gauge, it is difficult to accurately adjust rig tension between races. Does anyone have any experience with the newer calibrated turnbuckle systems? Are they worth using? Can they be used with my existing shrouds? Thanks