Mark Reynolds

Normally I would say you can find a good setting and leave it. When tuning before the Olympics we learned a little more about the lowers. I think the lowers can be tightened a bit in the moderate range when the boat is overpowered but not so much were the main is ragging or flapping. We were tightening the lowers about 3 faces of the nut in this condition and it help speed through the water and the pointing didn't seem to suffer much unless the wind decreased.

You mentioned the upper shroud tension should be between 31 and 33 on the old-style Loos Tension Gage; how did you determine these numbers, and what do you see in the rig? 

Not too scientific.  I'm not even sure that it's too critical, I think it's more important that everything is in line (intros, lowers, deck).  I don’t see anything in the rig as far as upper tension.  I just figure you don't want the rig falling over to leeward so tighter must be better but you don't want it too tight for reaching or running when the leeward shroud will be tight giving you prebend on the reach and cutting into the main on the run.