Measuring Tension on Continuous Sailing Control Lines
Measuring tension on continuous control lines is important to ensure you are on-top of the setup of your rig and sail shape. The video below shows you how to create a reference point to allow you to measure the full range movement of your boats backstay.
This technique can be used for both cascading and non cascading continuous control line systems all over your boat, ensuring that you are always in control your setup.
Continuous control lines are control lines which run through the pulley system with neither end of the line fixed, with a continuous system you will need two cleats to allow you to secure the rope at the desired tensions.
Continuous systems have the benefit of allowing you to terminate your controls on either side of the boat, giving you to ability to adjust it from multiple locations. The disadvantage of this setup is it can be difficult to measure the tension you have on the line, on fixed systems this can be easily achieved with a series of marks on the line as it is pulled through the single cleat.
So what can you do to measure tension on continuous sailing control lines ?
The first step is to create a reference mark on a fixed line in cascading systems or on the hull of boat for non cascading systems. Once you have a fixed point you then add a series of reference marks covering the full range of movement of the control line.
What are the benefits of marking your control lines ?
With all the variables in sailing marking your control lines gives you the ability to create repeatable configurations, this is particularly important on larger boats where you may may have multiple crew members helping you with the adjustments. This allows the skipper and or sail trimmer to give clear instructions, asking a crew member to set the backstay up at mark 3 prior to rounding the bottom mark send a clear repeatable message. The marking system simplifies to process and allows you to give out the instructions prior to the mark rounding which can be a busy time.
This technique can be used for both cascading and non cascading continuous control line systems all over your boat, ensuring that you are always in control your setup.
Continuous control lines are control lines which run through the pulley system with neither end of the line fixed, with a continuous system you will need two cleats to allow you to secure the rope at the desired tensions.
Continuous systems have the benefit of allowing you to terminate your controls on either side of the boat, giving you to ability to adjust it from multiple locations. The disadvantage of this setup is it can be difficult to measure the tension you have on the line, on fixed systems this can be easily achieved with a series of marks on the line as it is pulled through the single cleat.
So what can you do to measure tension on continuous sailing control lines ?
The first step is to create a reference mark on a fixed line in cascading systems or on the hull of boat for non cascading systems. Once you have a fixed point you then add a series of reference marks covering the full range of movement of the control line.
What are the benefits of marking your control lines ?
With all the variables in sailing marking your control lines gives you the ability to create repeatable configurations, this is particularly important on larger boats where you may may have multiple crew members helping you with the adjustments. This allows the skipper and or sail trimmer to give clear instructions, asking a crew member to set the backstay up at mark 3 prior to rounding the bottom mark send a clear repeatable message. The marking system simplifies to process and allows you to give out the instructions prior to the mark rounding which can be a busy time.
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