Short answer
After new rigging is fitted, tune at the dock, sail the yacht in working breeze, then re-tension once the rig has settled — new wire and terminals bed in during the first sails and tension drops measurably. Plan a follow-up tuning session a few sails after handover and confirm whether it is included in the quote.
New standing rigging settles. Wire beds into its terminals, toggles and pins take up their clearances, and a rig tuned perfectly at handover will read slack after a few hours of sailing. This is normal and expected, not a fault in the work.
That is why the follow-up matters more than the initial tune. Sail the yacht properly in working breeze on both tacks, then re-check centring, column and tension, and re-tension as needed.
Confirm who does the follow-up before work starts. Some quotes include a dock tune, a sea trial and a follow-up re-tension; others include only the dock tune, leaving you to arrange and pay for the rest. It is a common source of surprise.
Record the final settings once the rig has settled. That record is the baseline you return to every season and hand to the next owner. See how to prepare for a re-rig and how to keep rigging records.
Key facts
- Expect
- Measurable tension loss over the first few sails
- Cause
- Wire bedding into terminals; toggles and pins taking up clearance
- Plan for
- A follow-up re-tension after the rig settles
- Confirm in the quote
- Whether sea trial and follow-up tuning are included
Full background: read the guide