need help with old Prindle 16

It all depends on what jib halyard the boat has. Is it a zipper luff jib or does it have a wire forestay in the luff of the jib. If it has a wire halyard in the jib as the Hobie 16 does (earlier Prindle 16 had the same system as the H-16) then when you tighten the halyard properly all of the slop will come out of the rigging. Mast rake will depend on the crew weight and or the wind conditions.

if you plan on sailing a bunch then you might want a new set of standing rigging(new comes with turnbuckle). check out salty dog marine, they have good prices on rigging sets(forestay, shrouds, pigtail, bridals) for p-16. last october my pigtail on the forestay snapped and the mast came down in 25kt. winds. i use the 2 piece jib halyard line(rope) on mine. my mast is raked way back(2nd to last hole on shroud adjusters), just make sure to balance your helm according to the instructions. i have just a touch of weather helm(boat wants to head up if you let go of tiller). i have had mine(p-16) for a little over a year and am just starting to get the most out of it, getting the mast raked way back definitely speed me up.

It has a zipper luff jib.

kasper wrote: 😕 Hi, we just bought an old Prindle and we're trying to figure out the rigging.

Welcome to TheBeachcats.com, is this your first beachcat?

The shrouds and forestay seem too loose to me but there's no turnbuckle on the forestay to tighten everything up with.

This is why I asked, if you have never rigged a boat with a rotating mast the loose shrouds would seem very strange, they are normal.

Rig the boat like the manual says, there are a lot of small variations that skippers do, but start with the basics and get sailing.

When the s ring catches on the o ring on the jib halyard it will take up some slack. But yes everyone who sails with me for the first time worries about the loose shrouds. But if they were too tight you couldn't raise the mast.

Kasper, Sounds to me that you bought a pre-'79 Prindle 16 that uses the wire luff jib which when raised properly takes up all the slack in the shrouds, but the previous owner bought a replacement jib (wrong kind) for post '79 P-16's. So you have no S hook on your halyard, no ring at top for S hook, but you're simply raising the jib over the forestay, is that right ? Pete

Thanks for all the replies guys, and yes this is our first cat. We're windsurfers and thought a catamaran would be great for sailing as a family on those lighter wind days. I think Pete is right about the age of the boat - if i read the serial number right it's a '77 and it has a zipper luff jib, no S hook or ring.
The reason I ask about the turnbuckle is because the manual mentions tightening one up on the forestay. It just seems really loose and sloppy to me, but then again as a windsurfer I'm used to seeing a well tensioned rig.

Jason
Lancaster, Ontario Canada

So you need the upper forestay with ring, lower forestay with turnbuckle, jib halyard with sister clips & S hook. You will replace your current forestay & jib halyard with this arrangement (cost about $104)OR you can buy a used WIRE luff jib (I have one @ $100)and when you raise it using the built in sheave in the halyard (3:1),your rig will be tight. The latter arrangement (like the H-16) is much easier to use while the former using zipper luff jib is slightly more modern. Pete 909-800-5237

Pete:
So you're saying I have the right jib but the wrong forestay and halyard? What if I just buy a turnbuckle, and shorten the forestay? That would seem simpler and cheaper, no?

Jason

Yes, you could as long as you downhaul the tack. Be sure turnbuckle is open when you cut the wire. Pete