"Walt" wrote in message
...
For my boat, I keep the forestay very loose with several inches of sag.
Then I raise the jib on shore and tension the rig to 150 lbs as measured
by a Loos gauge - at this point the forestay is completely slack. This
gives me a nominal setting which I mark, and I'll go up or down from
there as needed. The jib halyard is tweaked constantly while sailing
(every 30 to 60 seconds) as conditions dictate - more tension for
pointing, less for speed, and quite slack when sailing off the wind.

Hey, Walt! .You are a dinghy sailer and you have the time to tweak your jib
_halyard_ every 30-60 seconds???
When do you get time to tweak your main and jibsheet, not to mention the
rudder and also looking for the next windshift and/or gusts while also
keeping your eye on your opponents?. Plus sitting her out to keep level
etc.?
My racing has been in lively heavily canvassed 12-14' dinghies and once the
jib is up and the halyard tensioned that is how it remained while other
things occupied my whole time.