-> On 10-11-95  17:47, Richard Wheet got back to Dan Ceppa 
 > the shrounds and subsequently higher down forces on the mast as
 > the shrouds are moved towards the center of the boat.
 RW> In my boat rigging manual (inboard shrouds) it recommends tightening
 RW> both sides just "to tightness"... then on a close reach, check the
It sure would be easier if they gave units to use with a 
shroud tensioning gauge.  I'm still trying to get info for the 
C-Lark, but I have at least some assistance from my skipper 
who owned one.  
 RW> then reverse the process for the other shroud... if the leeward shroud
 RW> is tight, readjust it (loosen) and test again...
In ny case, the forestay is supposed to look "scarey" when 
off the wind.  Al;so, as a dinghy, the lee shroud tends to 
be rather loose.  
 > of a cruising boat, require a loss of interior space to beef
 > up the area of the chainplates.
 RW> New Catalina boats have an interior spreader which distributes the
 RW> load to the hull wall.... you lose about 1 foot by 4 inches on each
 RW> side, but they also will place a cabinet right next to it, so total
Sounds like they at least to that into consideration in the 
interior design.  
 RW> but you also have a mast support in the cabin (but it gets used as a
 RW> table support (and a place to clip your fenders around so that they fly
As they say, there are no perfect boats, but there are good 
compromises.  Sounds like you got the boat that does the best 
for what you want, and that's really all that counts!  
... Recipe for a sailboat  -- First, you take a keel...
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