Shockcord Placement

From Al Sargent's Top 5 Vanguard 15 Rigging Tips.

Like telltales, shockcord is a low-cost yet essential enhancement to your V15 setup. You need shockcord in three places.

What You'll Need

• Around 20 feet of thin shockcord, around 1/8" or 3/16" — 5mm shockcord works well. Solid elastomer lasts longer than traditional bungee and exerts more return force.

1. Headstay

You need shockcord to keep the headstay from messing with the jib telltales. Two strands of shockcord is the right amount; one strand doesn't exert enough force to keep the headstay out of the way, and three or more strands is overkill, adding too much weight and windage to the bow. (That said, solid elastomer has greater return force, so one strand might suffice. Boat optimization is often a journey of experimentation.)

Setup: Rig up the jib with your mast in the max forward position (9 on the Stamasters / 21' 9.5" rake) and tie the shockcord so it barely keeps the headstay tight. By doing this, you ensure the shockcord will still allow you to put the mast into the max rake position (0 on the Stamasters / 20' 9" rake).

2. Hiking Straps

One of the keys to fast tacks is to always have your straps in the same position, so your feet can slip right into a hiking position. Shockcord is critical for doing this.

You need shockcord in three places. From back to front:

1. Forward crew straps: Shockcord to hold up the forward end of the crew hiking straps, using the aft portion of the mast step. Two loops for each strap, going through the aft pin on the mast step.

Two loops for each strap, going through the aft pin on the mast step. Note how the straps are taut and well-elevated.

2. Center: Shockcord to hold the crew and skipper straps next to each other, and hold them up using the handrail. Keep shockcord away from the mainsheet ratchet to minimize the potential for the mainsheet to get caught.
3. Aft skipper straps: Shockcord to hold up the aft end of the skipper straps, using a loop just under the tiller.

3. Mainsheet

You need shockcord holding back the aft portions of the mainsheet tails, to keep the mainsheet from twisting — which ensures you can ease it upwind.

This really matters. Case in point: one of my most embarrassing Vanguard 15 races was in a windy Nationals race long ago. Because I didn't tie the mainsheet shockcord long enough, I had to depower by feathering the jib — not fast in the short Berkeley Circle chop. When it came time to duck boats, my mainsheet couldn't ease and I had to do a crash tack to avoid hitting a boat on starboard. After we did our 360, we were in last. All due to a silly little shockcord adjustment that I got wrong.

Setting up the shockcord loops at the midpoint of the aft inspection port works well.

Two separate shockcords, each tied around either side of the pintle.

Originally published on Medium