[quote=peterk123]Whoa....that's a lot of questions :) I am a newbie on this forum but I just purchased a Prindle 18 about a month ago, so I can help with some of this stuff. First, use the search function here and also look at the technical photo section. Every question you have has answers here. I have spent hours doing this while figuring out the nuances of the boat.
Faster Rigging: I would stay away from quick release pins for any standing rigging. I think the worst thing I can imagine is a dismasting out on the water. I believe quick releases are hollow. So, do not do anything that would increase chances. Just my thoughts. I leave my sidestays and trapeze lines connected to the boat, always. I just coil them onto the tramp and fasten them with velcro to the hiking straps. Forestay has to be released for obvious reasons. I just ordered clevis pins (too cheap for push buttons), for boom, the clew of of the mainsail and main blocks. I keep my rudders on the boat for travel. I made some blocks for them. Actually, go here...I documented a bunch of stuff I dealt with on the boat; [url]http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=103882[/url]
Soft spots: Go through every inch and push with your hands. You will be able tell what they mean by soft spots. Most likely to be found on decks. Again, tons of info in the technical photo section on how to deal with this. The method is pure genius. I wish I knew it twenty years ago when I bought my first beater boat. Pretty much everything can be repaired, and the folks on this forum are some of the best at it from what I have seen.
Tuning: Yup, do a search (see the trend yet?). I would not go nuts about it. Read up on it so you will at least understand what is going on when you go out on your first sail.
Diamonds: If you have just tight enough that the first 12 inches can be squeezed to touch mast is just fine. Once you know what you are doing you can fine tune it. Then, call me and explain it to me so I can do it to my boat :)
Stays: I run them as tight as I can set it. I will have someone pull on the trap wire so I can adjust the sidestays. You will be amazed how much the mast will bend and put slack to the leeward side.
Traveller: For now, just set it and forget it. If you get into some big broad reach runs it is nice because you can "sheet out" with the traveller and not the main, thus eliminating a huge uncontrollable belly in the sail. I believe it is meant to work much like a vang would on some other boats.
Pete[/quote]
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