mast rake and rig tension

[Arohanui]

Ive had my mast back on for a week and a bit and used a loos gauge to get the tension what i think could be right.
forestay is at 14% of the wires breaking strain
backstays are at 8 % of wires breaking strain.
lowers are 10% of breaking strain
uppers are 12%of breaking strain.

The rig is definately tighter than it was and ive got a noticable rake.
sAiling to windward shes going better then ever , but i cant help but feel ive got the rig too tight for this boat. THe rake would be not quite the mast width and it isnt a gradual rake but starts from about the upper spreaders.
Am i worrying for nothing?
before i dropped the mast i took pix of the screws and the forestay and backstays are tighter than before, but ive done this based on the loos gauge. my wires tension are a maximum of 14 % of each wires breaking strain

Alot of people are saying to talk to , or employ the services of a rigger, but im finding theyre all a bit elusive.
Im quit amazed how many sailors just leave all this stuff up to someone else and are quite happy to not know about this stuff. i guess im just someone who wants to know how stuff works and how to fix it etc.

[bearmcnally]

"A" what you just posted is spot on ,about having a go yourself. You don't even need a gauge to tune a Top Hat mast their built like small telegraph poles. It sounds like your front lowers are a little tight and that is causing the bend in the mast or as you have a double spreader rig that could cause the the bend to move further up.That is why My Swanson has a running back stay only because over 15 kts of wind the inner jib wants to pull the mast forwards.And this yacht has a telegraph pole as a mast. I've said before the back lowers should have some play in them to allow the mast to bend forward by the wind and to give the main some belly . Remember Top Hats won't point like modern yachts ,so you go for speed by sailing them a little loose and a couple of more tacks , These yachts are powerful little beasts once you wind them up.
The Swanson 38 preforms very much like the Top Hat just a little more powerful and quicker same shape underneath

Cheers Bear

[Arohanui]

Thanks bear.
My lowers are all the same tightness. About 10% of wire breaking strain. I sailed yesterday in a good breeze upwind against tide and the boat even with dirty bum going very well.
However i think youre right and i will loosen the lowers a tad.
My backstays are fairly loose but tighter than they were. I actually have no more room on the screws to tighten them anymore but theyre ok where they are at about 8%.
Thanks again. Its making a big difference setting this rig up what i think is right. Sailing down to jervis from syd in 2 weeks

[bearmcnally]

Hi "A"

This is my model Top Hat built to scale off the original plans Jilpanger was built .( The plans are on this site somewhere) It shows the double spreader rig with only back lowers and a babystay . I've seen a couple of double spreader MK 1 over the years and both have front lowers and one timber up Middle Harbour many years ago with only back lowers . So you do have a rarity. Not sure why they went single spreader ? Phil might have the answer !

Cheers Bear

[Phillip]

I think the change may have been made by Illingworth himself (he did design the original rig). When the first 6 we're being started in Melbourne it was reported that Illingworth had consulted on the design quiet frequently. So I would be surprise if it wasn't Illingworth who changed the design for the more harsh conditions in Aus. The present mast is lower than the original.

Reporting from New Zealand