Ian - I'm in Jacksonville, Florida in the U.S. so I'm hoping from your note that perhaps it's not too expensive. I did receive a response back on my E-Mail to the Australian company and they forwarded it to the main office, which I believe was in England, to reply back to me since I'm in a different country from their store. I'll let everyone know what info I receive back from the main office once they respond.

I sure appreciate the kind offer for assistance. I'm just trying to find something out there that will let me get the tension for my 1/2 inch upper shrouds. If you run across anything that may fit the bill, please feel free to post it here and I'll gladly check it out. Thanks for the upbeat reply !! :)

Well, after waiting patiently for 2 weeks I replied to both the Australian reseller and the UK Supplier asking for a response. I'm still hunting for a tension gauge that will work with 1/2 inch wire line. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress and am happy to run down any leads that anyone may offer. It's odd not finding anything on this. :confused:

Again, I appreciate all the feedback that I've already received and look forward to more comments, notes or suggestions. Brion offered some wisdom on the dynamic tuning, but I'm concerned with the higher tension on the upper shrouds that I'll either have too much tension or as likely will set the lines too loose because I don't think they will flop around at the higher tension like lower shrouds would when under too little tension. It's tough being wet behind the ears :rolleyes:

Today I received a response from Ian Hunt of the UK Fulmer company. Since a measurement of 1/2 inch equates to 12.7 mm, the Fulmer Rope Tension gauge model 3C will work to check the tension of 1/2 inch wire line. Unfortunately, the pricing for this model is $1,050.00 Great Britain Pounds = $2,065.55 United States Dollars. :eek:


Alas, my hunt for something a bit more affordable continues. I don't need great precision, just something to get me reasonably close. Any and all suggestions are welcome !!

More info
 

Dennis-

You have not mentioned your rig configuration, but I am assuming that you have a double spreader rig. I assume the wire from the tip of the lower spreader to the deck is 1/2", and the wire from tip of the lower to the masthead and the wire to the root of of the upper spreader is smaller? If those upper wires are 3/8" or smaller, you can measure them with Loos gauge -- their tension will vary directly with the big V1.

My V1s are 9/16", my D2 are 3/8", as are the V2/D3s -- I measure tension just above the lower spreader and then go sailing to do a real tune.

Do you have Brion's tuning video, it may help you. The tension via a gauge is just a ballpark adjustment, you need to sail the boat and see how the rig reacts (this is dynamic tuning).

Bob

Bob - You're a genius !! All along the solution has been staring me in the face, but I missed it because I failed to keep looking up ;) ...

Your assumption that I have a double-spreader rig is right on the money (Genius and psychic?). I didn't even realize it, but there is the 1/2 inch line that runs from the bottom of the lower spreader to the deck and another wire that runs from the lower spreader to the top. I took a look from deck last night and it does appear to be a smaller gauge wire, but I'll have to go aloft over the weekend to confirm it.

By the way, I have all of Brion's videos and I think almost all of the equipment he sells other than some recent additions and a few items here or there. I also hear both of you about the dynamic tuning, but I wanted to get somewhat close to the proper tension at the dock since I'm not ready to take the sailboat out just yet.

In fact, your solution actually raises some questions that I haven't seen addressed in Brion's videos. How do you tune when you have two different gauge wire lines running from the deck to the top of the mast in a double spreader rig? Any and all ideas on this are welcome, indeed !!

Thanks again, Bob, for such a brilliantly simple solution. It's one of those that just make ya say, "Doh! How could I have missed that" :)

I can't upload pictures so let's try a very crude attempt at showing my rig:

[]
/[]\
/ [] \
/ [] \
|---[]---| Upper Spreader
| /[]\ |-> Different gauge wire line (hopefully)
| / [] \----> Wire line from outside of lower spreader to
|/ [] \| inside of upper spreader
|---[]---| Lower Spreader
| [] |
| [] |
| [] |
| [] |-> 1/2 inch wire line
| [] |
| [] |
Mast

Scary, huh? Well, maybe it will convey the basic idea ... maybe ... :rolleyes:

My Technique
 

Dennis-

If your rig is designed correctly, the V1 should be larger than the D2 and V2/D3 -- it is carrying the load of both. I would guess those smaller wires would be 3/8 or smaller - meaning you can use a large Loos guage.

On my boat, the D2 has a turnbuckle, but the "upper" does not. I tune the "upper" to roughly 12% by tightening the big turnbuckle on deck. I tune the D2 to 10% since it is so short.

From there I go sailing and tweak it...

Good luck,

Bob