Loosen rig when hauled in the winter?

[Bob Pingel]

Up here in WI, we haul our boats in the winter and typically store mast up. Every year, someone questions if you should loosen the rig when hauled - typically stating material contraction due to low temp.

Does anyone have a definitive answer, or even educated opnion on this?

It appears that aluminum has a higher coefficient of expansion than stainless steel, so it would seem that the spar would get "shorter" than the wire in low temps.

We also know that hulls change shape when hauled, but I don't think we know enough about the "bulges" that emerge to measure the impact on the rig.

I know you don't want to truly slack the rig, but is it warranted to take a few turns off and why?

Thanks,

Bob