Congratulations on your choice of boat. She has been designed to give you pleasure and pride of ownership. Take the time to read and follow the rigging instructions so that you may start right.

Your Chrysler 26 comes complete, as standard, in three units:

1. The boat with rudder blade separate and operating lines fitted.
2. The mast package including mast and boom.
3. The rigging box, which contains the rigging, sails, small parts parts bag, this set of rigging instructions, and the WELCOME ABOARD CARD. To ensure that you receive your free copies of the CREW'S NEST (the owners magazine) from now on, please be sure that you send this card in promptly.

The rigging box (816750) includes:

a. Two 3/16" wire shrouds complete with turnbuckles and plastic rollers.    (316650)
b. Two 3/16" wire forward lower shrouds complete with turnbuckles. (316651)
c. Two 5/32" wire aft lower shrouds complete with turnbuckles. (816652)
d. One 5/32" wire backstay complete with turnbuckles. (816653)
e. One 3/16" wire forestay complete with turnbuckles. (816649)
f. Two 5/32" backstay bridles. (816654)
g. Two 1/8" flexible wire halyards complete with shackles. (816694).
h. Two spreader tubes complete with seizing wires. (816689).
i. Three 35' x 3/8" dacron (one mainsheet and two jib sheets). (829930)
j. Two 29'6" x 5/16" dacron (main and jib halyard "tails"). (829880)
k. Sailbag (25482), containing:

1. Mainsail complete with insignia and class number.
2. Jib sail complete with piston hanks.
3. Four plastic battens.

1. One double Harken block with two shackles. (25519)
2. One single Harken block with beckett with shackle. (25317)
3. One single Harken block with shackle. (25260)
4. Two single Harken blocks with shackles. (25260)
5. One stainless steel snapshackle. (25531)
6. One shackle "D" 1/2 x 3/4 x 1/4. (25415)
7. One stainless steel 5/8" x 3" mast erection pin. (83048)
8. Mast gate (81668) with two securing screws. (31840)
9. One triangular backstay plate. (25536)
10. Five 5/16" x 7/8" clevis pins (25331) with cotter keys. (25328)
11. Seven 1/4" x 5/8" clevis pins (25409) with cotter keys (25037).
12. One 1/4" x 1 7/8" clevis pin (25341) with split ring (25225).
13. One 1/4" x 2" clevis pin (25432) with split ring (25225).
14. Two 1/8" x 1 1/2" cotter keys. (25288)
15. Rigging instructions. (14??8)
16. Welcome Aboard Card. (13543)

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First rig the mast.

1. Insert the spreader tubes into their sockets and secure with Cotter keys.
2. Attach shrouds to head (top) of mast, using two 5/16" clevis pins.
3. Making sure that the plastic roller is above the spreader, attach to shrouds to the ends of the tubes, using the seizing wire provided. The roller keeps the jib from fouling on the spreader tips.
4. Attach the lower shrouds to the mast, using 2 x 5/16" and 2 x 1/4" clevis pins, putting the thicker wire forward, thinner aft.
5. Attach the forestay to masthead fitting, using a 5/16" clevis pin.
6. Attach the backstay bridles to backstay, using triangular plate, then backstay to masthead fitting, using 1/4" clevis pin.
7. Remove both cotter keys in masthead fitting. Then tie the 29'6" dacron halyard "tails", using bowline knots, to the stainless steel flexible wire halyards. Insure the jib halyard is rigged in left sheave and main on right side of masthead fitting. Replace cotters over wire halyards. (This prevents wire from jumping from groove).
8. Fit the gate to the mast at the sail entry point.

   Then rig the boom.

9. Attach the double Harken block to the boom, using two shackles, the single Harken block with beckett to the starboard (right) fitting on the house top and the other single Harken block on the port (left) side of the house top.
10. Fit the boom to the mast after the mast is erected.

    Finally, install the rudder blade.

11. Insert the blade into the rudder stock with thick portion facing forward and bolt securely in position, ensuring that the operating lines pass ahead of the guide clevis pin.

    Now you are ready to raise the mast.
    

    This can be done by two or three people just plain pushing it up or by one person, using the boom as a "gin pole".
    

12. In either case, first set the head (bottom) of the mast pushed into the hook fitting of the mast step.
13. Connect the backstay bridles to the chainplates mounted at the stern (rear), using l/4" clevis pins.
14. Loosen off all the turnbuckles to a 3/4 open position and attach (the main shrouds to the center chainplates and) the rear lowers (thinner wire) to the rear chainplates.

    At this point the mast may be pushed up after a line has been attached to the forestay and passed around the bow pulpit and back to the mast.

    If the "gin pole" method is to be used, the following steps should be taken. Note: The erection bridles are an accessory, not standard with rigging.

    ---

    Page 3 of 6

15. Shackle the two mast erection bridles (33495), which are short lengths of wire with a thimble or eye at the center and one at each end of the toe rail. Counting from the bow, the points are in the 28th slot and the 35th slot.
16. Insert the stainless steel 5/8" x 3' mast erection pin into the hole in the heel casting at the base of the mast.
17. Shackle the jib halyard plus 24" of line to the gooseneck on the boom.
18. Find the mid-point of one of the jib sheets and shackle the mid-point to the gooseneck end of the boom.
19. Shackle the mainsheet system to the jib halyard at one end and to the forestay fitting at the other.
20. Fit the rear end of the boom onto the mast erection pin, which is sticking out of the base of the mast, and secure the jib sheets (from #19) to the mast erection bridles. Then continue to the mast itself and attach them to it at the strap fitting provided. Insuring that the heel (bottom) of the mast is securely hooked to the deck, pull on the mainsheet and up comes the mast. The natural stretch in the jib sheet will allow the arrangement to "give" slightly, but the aft shroud wires won't if the turnbuckles are too tight. So ensure that these are backed off, i.e., opened out and locknuts re-secured before erecting the mast.
21. Attached the forestay to the bow fitting foremost hole and the snapshackle to the rearmost hole.
22. Fit forward lower shrouds (the thicker ones, don't forget) to the forward chainplates and tension up the turnbuckles to make them very taut. By comparison, the aft lower shrouds should be just tight.
23. Attach the shrouds to the center chainplates.
24. Remove the boom from the mast and attach it to the gooseneck fitting on the mast, using the 1 7/8" clevis pin.
25. Having detached the mainsheet system from the boom, re-attach it as shown.
26. Adjust all other turnbuckles to make the mast appear vertical to the waterline (viewed both from aft [rear] and side) and tighten all the locking nuts.
27. To lower the mast, reverse the procedures, loosening and detaching only the forestay and forward lower shrouds (the thicker ones).

In order to realize the best possible sailing performance from the Chrysler 26, it is necessary to set up all rigging properly. We can logically divide this into standing rigging (the fixed stays and shrouds) as apart from running rigging (the adjustable halyards, sheets, etc).

The first time rigging the boat you will find it desirable to set all the standing rigging turnbuckles to a rather slack position before erecting the rig. Then, when all turnbuckles have been properly set, it will generally be practical to leave them with that setting in the mast up or mast down positions. The exceptions to this are the forestay, which must be loosened to insert or remove the forestay clevis pin for raising or lowering the mast, and the forward lower shrouds, which must be disconnected.

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The standing rigging should be so set that the mast is angled plub, or just a little aft from a vertical position from the level waterline. If your boat is fitted with a backstay adjuster, set this entirely free. Then take up the headstay and backstay turnbuckles to a central or tighter position such that there is a firm, moderate tension. Get off to the side and observe the mast. You will likely find it set to a good fore and aft angle, but you can, of course, make some small adjustment to this by appropriate changes to the headstay and backstay turnbuckles.

The best criteria for setting the shrouds is the observed condition of the mast when the boat is headed to a fresh sailing breeze. The mast should then appear about straight in the sideways direction with neither the top nor the center bent off much to the leeward.

First make an initial setting of all shroud turnbuckles before hoisting sail. Each will need to be taken up to about its middle range so that approximately equal, moderate tension is felt on port and starboard upper and lower shrouds. The symmetry of the boat is such that you should be able to count an equal number of exposed turnbuckle threads on the equivalent two side shrouds to that the mast is plumb rather than heeled to one side. Regarding the bend of the mast, one should sight up the aft sail groove to determine any necessary tensioning and slacking of the upper and lower shrouds. This can be readily accomplished by a few brief trial-and-error settings.

Since the turnbuckles are set and looked to the approximate preliminary position, you are ready to make final settings under sail. Go out in a moderate breeze to attain some heel angle and load the rig. With someone else steering along, have a look up the aft side of the mast. If the top bends to leeward, tighten the windward upper shroud. If the outer is displaced to leeward, tighten the windward lower shroud (or if already quite tight, you may wish instead to slack the windward upper).

The easiest procedure is to tack the boat or run dead before the wind after making settings in order to easily adjust the turnbuckles. Then sail back onto the wind for a final check to get an indication of further necessary adjustments. This procedure should be followed alternately on port and starboard tacks until all settings are correct, a procedure that takes only a few minutes and is important to the correct and safe sailing of the Chrysler 26.

In sighting aloft you may notice a moderate aft curvature of the mast under sail. This curvature can be changed by tensioning the permanent backstay or by means of the optional backstay adjuster or by tensioning the forward lower shrouds. This is a desirable feature for proper control of the shape of the mainsail under sail.

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Sailing efficiency and pleasure are enhanced by keeping all running rigging in good order and neatly coiled for ready use at all times. The tails of the main and jib halyards should be seized to the cleat at the foot of the mast. This prevents one from losing the halyard aloft when lowering a sail. Once a sail is raised, the halyard should be coiled and the coil should be hung off the cleat or tucked between the taut halyard and the mast just above the cleat. Before employing a halyard or when securing a halyard shackle and tail after sailing, it is wise to look aloft to insure that all parts are aimed clear with no twists of one halyard or part about another.

The mainsail may now be bent on. Remove the main from the bag and insert the clew end into the slot at the boom gooseneck. Feed the foot into the boom groove until the tack grommet can be secured with the clevis pin at the gooseneck casting. Tie the remaining small line to the clew grommet, reave it through the small block on the end of the boom and through the jam cleat underneath the boom. Put normal hand tension on the foot and secure to the jam cleat. If the boom end is tied to the ring on the backstay, release it to swing freely as the sail is raised. Inspect the luff of the sail to be sure iti is not twisted, attach the halyard shackle to the headboard and feed the sail lugs into the mast groove, raising the sail by the halyard as you go. As your batten pockets on the leach go up, match a batten to the pocket and insert it. These pockets have elastic in the bottom, so push the batten all the way in until you can tuck the thick end under the nylon flap at the pocket opening. Continuing this until the sail is all the way up, tie off the halyard and bring moderate tension on the luff by hauling down on the boom and tie it there with the downhaul line through the ring at the bottom of the mast. Generally, less tension is used on the main foot and luff in light winds than in heavier winds. Finally, secure the mast gate in the closed position.

The jib is next. Find the tack and secure it to the snapshackle on the stem plate. Find the clew and tie the ends of the jib sheets through with short bowline knots. Work from the tack up the luff and snap the jib hanks on the stay until you reach the head. Shackle the jib halyard to the head grommet and raise the sail to a fair tension and tie off halyard. (The jib sheets should not be cleated down when the sail is raised. This allows the jib to play with the wind.)

In light-air sailing it is sufficient to have a halyard taut and to just secure it to the cleat. The Chrysler 26 halyards are, however, proportioned to allow one to quite easily obtain further tension when conditions warrant. This is accomplished as follows: Once the halyard is most of the way hoisted, pass the line about the bottom of the cleat and back onto itself at the juncture of the rope to wire. Here pass a bite (double loop) of the line through the rope loop at the point of connection. Then, this bite is carried back down to also loop about the bottom of the cleat. Draw it taut by pressure on the free end of the halyard and you will see that you now have a simple four-part purchase for tensioning the halyard. Once you have worked the halyard to the required tension, simply cleat the free-standing portion over the tackle parts and leave it that way for sailing or ready for further adjustment.

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The mainsheet should be rove through the blocks with no twists in order to assure free running. The number of parts and good blocks make adjustment of the sheet very easy. The free end of the mainsheet is rove through the jam cleat on the house top. For safety and convenience, keep the free part of the mainsheet neatly coiled in the cockpit.

For use with the lapper (or other jibs except the club staysail, the port and starboard jib sheets are fastened individually with a short bowline to the clew of the jib. Lead the sheets through the lead blocks shackled to the rail slots at a position appropriate for good setting of the jib. Then, lead the sheets through the foot blocks on the coaming and forward around the winches at the aft end of the cabin top and to the clam cleats there. Two, three or four turns about the winch work well for control of a sheet, depending on the strength of wind and tension on the sheet. Generally, it will be possible to just pull the sheet in using the winch to cinch it. In stronger breezes, however, a winch handle is employed to rachet the sheet in with about four turns on the drum of the winch.

The optional vang is an important device for holding the boom from cocking up and excessively freeing the upper part of the mainsail. The vang can be kept rigged at all times but is employed mostly in strong breezes and when the mainsheet is slacked some from the close-hauled position. The vang should be rove through its blocks without any twists. The blocks are secured respectively on the center boom bale and on the lower mast wire strap in such a way that the hauling part works off the lower fixed block in order that the free end of the line can be coiled and secured there to not be an obstruction.

You should now be ready to sail.

As you start to trim your sails and are in deep enough water, lower the swing keel by turning the winch handle under the bridge deck in a clockwise direction. This winch has an automatic brake, and if you stop turning when the keel is part down, the keel will stop. The ideal position of the keel is 60 degrees to the water line. It is suggested that the keel be let down until the line is slack, when it will automatically lock into its wedge.

The rudder is also adjustable up or down by the two lines emitting from the top of the rudder stock. Generally, the port line is for down and the starboard for up. Adjustment is made by pulling on one line or the other and secured at the desired position with the clam cleat on top of the tiller.

AUGUST, 1977

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