replacing running rigging on a sailboat

Write the diameter near the hole with sharpie. On longer boats, you can opt for a furling-line material of more esoteric double-braids with less stretch. Seems like a lot for a 40' boat. This is the furling line for an in-mast furler. The mechanical terminals most commonly used by DIY riggers are Sta-Lok and Norseman terminals. Included are halyards, main sheet, headsail sheets, and topping lift. A boat with sound supports should not require re-tuning in less than 5 years. Small dents in either the mast or the boom are often hotspots for failure, as they weaken the form of the spar. The November 1969 Modern Boating magazine . Copyright 2023 Cruising World. The cost of replacing the standing rigging will vary greatly depending on the size of your boat and the location you get the job done. I recently sailed on a boat that had rust around the wire/swage on all the shrouds. Hardwood would be best but we used epoxied plywood and it was adequate. ImproveSailing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. A swaged fitting is a terminus thats attached using a machine called a swager. Cleat the jib off on the port side of the mast and the main on the starboard. The short answer is, lithium batteries perform better and last longer than many lead-acid batteries. The simple answer is to measure it. That history will affect what kind of life you get out of your standing rigging. Some insurance companies, he says, will require a re-rig if youre purchasing a used boat that has standing rigging older than 15 years. I think the owner needs to replace those but there's a Covid problem. Whether you are setting up the hardware for a trapeze or trying to create the perfect mast rake before a big race with your tension guage, we at MAURIPRO Sailing will meet your Rigging needs. Kinks in wire is like chafe on a line. Parts total: $600 on average WE SHIP WORLDWIDE: More Info. JavaScript is disabled. This was seen on a brand new boat at the 2020 Seattle Boat Show. The reason it is a scheduled item is that a visual inspection prolly won't detect defects. That was a case of not knowing that the worst thing you can do to standing rigging is have it loose on the leeward side, he says. JavaScript is disabled. Too narrow for equivalent ropeshould be 10% wider than the diameter of the rope. What is the average sailboat maintenance cost? SKIRMISH was a 32-footer carrying an Aboriginal motif on her bows, recalling Skirmish Point, where Flinders landed and encountered the local Aboriginal community. What would be the maintenance cost if you were on a tight budget? Top manufacturers of swaged fittings are Hayn Marine Rigging Products, Alexander Roberts and C. Sherman Johnson. Barnacles can slice through your boat's bellow! You should be mechanically inclined, he says, and the way to find that out is if I start talking all this technical jargon and you decide whether youre suited to handle that at all.. There are other wires out there that are cheaper, but theyre not guaranteed.. The first decision is whether to tackle the job with the mast up or down. Ensure swivels are working and remove any shackles. Double Braid: A braided core inside a braided cover. Usually the owner's manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. For later reference, photograph each wire end, terminal and mast attachmentditto for the lower ends, turnbuckles, toggles and chainplatestaking careful note of the positions of the turnbuckles. To differentiate the frame from the current, remember that the current is mobile (it runs). Do disconnect them and inspect them very carefully for cracks on a well-lit workbench. rigbos.com our online store is a progression allowing us to more effisantly supply customer Members of ABYC . One advantage is that you might not need to winterize if you're a fulltime cruiser since you'll probably spend your winters in Bermuda. Mechanical fittings can be applied using a few common hand tools by the mechanically handy DIY sailor, which is one reason theyre popular. Flares have to be replaced every 42 months. When youre happy everything is in place, its time to tune your rig. Don't forget that this site will also replace your rigging. Average installation and setup takes around 30 hours (at $105 per hour), which would add another $3,105 to the bill, bumping the cost to re-rig up to $8,010 for an average re-rig. Running rigging is the rigging of a sailing vessel that is used for raising, lowering, shaping and controlling the sails on a sailing vesselas opposed to the standing rigging, which supports the mast and bowsprit. But you can't really detect corrosion down into the swage. If you want to know exactly what the USCG safety requirements are, including checklists, definitely check out my article here. Probably the trickiest will be the forestay and backstay, as these carry the greatest loads, although all the standing rigging can be loosened to some degree when at rest. Tensioning them will be done later in the rigging sequence. Sampson Ropes make a double braid dacron called XLS, New England Ropes make a similar product called Sta-Set and Yale Ropes product is called Vizzion. Most sailors choose to leave this to a professional rigger, but theres no reason why you shouldnt attempt it yourself if you know the best way to go about it. One thing all the riggers I spoke with expressed emphatically was that stainless steel needs oxygen to create a fine film of oxidation that protects the metal. There is no hard and fast rule for "when" to replace your running rigging. It's the best way to protect your boat in wintertime, period. Shrouds and stays should be replaced in pairs, applying just enough tension to support the mast with you climbing it, but not tuned to sail. Most recent receipt was for lower stays 10 years ago. The next area deserving close scrutiny is the spreaders. Another trouble spot on keel-stepped masts is where the spar enters the deck, especially if water has leaked under the mast collar. All rod rigging terminates in a cold head, which accommodates the end fitting or is encapsulated by the end fitting. Chafe occurs when line rubs against a sharp or rough surface. Your mainsheet probably sees more use than your spinnaker halyard.Our spinnaker halyards- on a boat that races frequently- are about 18 years old, and do not need replacing. Every time I think Ive seen it all, my people outdo themselves and serve up the unexpected. Whether youre buying a used sailboat thats new to you or youve owned your boat for decades, the standing rigging is what keeps the mast in place, and thus requires particular attention. Most racers that use stripped cover halyards are diligent about inspecting these lines and some even replace them every season. That's a broad range, but if you know what you need for your boat, then you can get a better idea of the cost. Any requirement to re-tune the rig more often than that would point to wires been stretched beyond their tensile strength minimums. Best Price Opti Running Rigging Sheets Halyard Line Sailboat Kit 100% Original + FREE Delivery discount activity gsmsharmaji.com, US $174 sail ties Lower Spirit Halyard 1 ea and shock cords One of the best ways to improve an aging Opti is to overhaul and replace all the running rigging Upper Spirit Halyard 1 ea, Free shipping on all orders . Few places on the planet have such a devoted, diverse, and downright joyful yacht racing season as the island read more, Ive never laughed so hard as I have on some of my charters, but its typically only funny after the fact. Usually the owners manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. read more, 2023 Active Interest Media All Rights Reserved. This is some excellent information! Sun wear and constant use will wear down the sails and rigging even more. I'm the owner of ImproveSailing. On top of that, maintaining your boat properly is critical. Inexpensive, double-braid Dacron is a fine choice for furling lines on most boats shorter than 40 feet. For dry storage, part of the process can be to shrink wrap your boat. This was most likely caused by something sharp and pointy that poked through the cover and caught on the core. The Netherlands If you look closely at the line right before it wraps around behind the spindle, youll see that it is starting to chafe because there is not a fair lead for the line running into the slot. Rigging is a significant part of building a model ship. Adhering to the minimum safety requirements shouldn't cost you more than 150 - 250 dollars every 5 years. The 150 Genoa sheets were 35 feet each as Faster suggests but my halyard lines, which are wire and rope were only 40 feet of rope. The Average Cost to Shrink Wrap a Boat (per foot), seasonal maintenance, hull, engine, rigging, don't set aside money for long-term recurring maintenance (rigging, sails, hardware, and batteries), don't outsource engine maintenance, instead do oil changes ourselves, seasonal maintenance - yearly recurring jobs. Sailors' hands are busy with the running rigging most on a sailboat. If you dont have that you may be able to find it on line or on line at your boat class owners association. As I have done a fair amount of club racing, my personal preference would be to use any of the above products for everything except the halyards and then go for a lighter, low stretch, high tech product such as New England Ropes T-900 for the halyards and get the eye splices done professionally. Consider this a half inch diameter Samson Tech-12 (12 Strand Technora) line has an average breaking load of 33,000 pounds. Improve Sailing 14.8K subscribers In part 3 of our series on sailboat parts, we dive into two types of rigging: standing rigging and running rigging. One part of sailboats and yachts that must be inspected, maintained, or even replaced when necessary is the standing rigging. These boats have less moving parts and less critical parts. But you should think carefully before you go ahead and buy any high tech replacement running rigging. For my 41 feet sloop, I did most of the installation myself and paid approximately $4700 for the entire rig replacement. Down Haul. My boat has been in fresh water all its life. I would think at the first notice of a few broken strands in more than two of the wires. The former need careful scrutiny and often sustain damage from misalignment. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. From canvas and cushions to rigging and hardware by top suppliers like Lewmar, Schaefer, Gray, Ronstan, and more. For a 26' sailboat, that's just 500 bucks. [1] This site is owned and operated by Truly Content. For instance, for an offshore bluewater boat, Madden recommends 10 years, and for a serious coastal cruiser, more like 12. The total maintenance cost varies a lot, depending on the following factors: Still, we want a general feel of what to expect. Hello improvesailing.com webmaster, You always provide useful information. The total maintenance cost for a bluewater cruiser will average around $3,225 per year or $269 per month. This line wont last long in these conditions. It requires more careful consideration of condition, usage, and inspection for signs of failure. If you don't have that you may be able to find it on line or on line at your boat class owners' association. Replacing the mast is uncommon, but if you're unlucky and get demasted, it will need to be fixed. To avoid excessive wear, make sure your halyard sheaves are the proper type for whatever line you select. This produces an easy-to-handle rope that is strong and durable. But here are some things we could do out to save some big bucks: Winterizing your boat yourself can cost you as little as $50 for antifreeze and an oil change afterward. If you want to go for super low stretch halyards look at Spectra but the stretch isnt much more for a lot more bucks. With inboard engines, this is not something you can easily do yourself - it isn't just unscrewing a motor and screwing a new one in. So I've added it to the "be aware this might happen" list - but won't add it to the monthly recurring costs. Some of these might not apply to your situation. It rolls the end fitting through two opposing dies and compresses the fitting on the wire so tightly that it cant pull out. When we brought our Oday 25 home ,I knew judging from the lack of care the previous owner shown the rigging might also be suspect. You mean all together don't you? Chafe usually happens gradually over long periods of time and it is only a serious problem when it goes unnoticed. The easiest way to prevent line from chafing all the way through is to simply look at your line. I agree with a general average of 20 years for replacing the standing rigging. A prudent sailor should inspect his or her standing rig at least once each season and should know when the time comes to replace most or all of it. But a newly cracked sheave or an exposed cotter pin can quickly shred a line that otherwise would have lasted much longer. Our selection runs the gamut, from economical polyester single- and double-braids to high-tech, low-stretch line made from materials such as Dyneema, Spectra, Technora, Kevlar and Vectran. Just because a line or even the whole boat is new, doesnt mean there isnt something wrong with the running rigging. They also would carry a piece of wire as long as the longest stay on the boat coiled and stowed, which undeniably was sometimes easier said than done as well as spare end fittings and the tools needed to replace a broken shroud or stay. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Regardless of how it happened, the integrity of the line has been compromised and it needs to be replaced. Let's go over each type and break down which costs to expect exactly. The condition of this halyard is likely due to UV degradation. The theory is that it can take 10 to 15 years of cycling, but this continual motion when its unloaded is what fatigues the wire, Madden says. For instance, the Rigging Company makes a spare-stay kit that can accommodate either wire or rod rigging repairs, Cockerill says. It's about a days worth of work. It does not all wear out at the same rate. Since each one is 34' and then add another 6-10 to be safe? And if you see evidence of wear, ask yourself (or your local rigger) What could have caused this? The cost of having a professional rigger inspect your running rigging can save you more money down the road. Replace this after pinning the shroud as it is a safety device if the main pin happens to come loose (It happens!) For an idea of the costs involved to replace your standing rigging, here are some examples of sets of rigging we have made for customers in the past 12 months (prices as of Sept 2022). Some boaters don't shrink wrap in the winter because of it. I use a 3D model and some diagrams. What kind of end fittings? As you work your way down the mast, take a glance at the mainsail track to see if its in good condition and well secured. If you suspect a possible crack, try running some dye over itthe crack will become much more obvious that way. Your costs will range from a couple of hundred dollars for a small outboard up to over a thousand for a large or difficult to reach inboard. A good boat supply store will be able to help. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more! Start at the bottom, working your way up from the lowers, to the cap shrouds and finally the stays. Check and make sure the sheaves run freely, that the bearings are not worn oval and that the retaining pins are secure. SailboatOwners.com, 605 NW 53rd Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32609 Failing to winterize it will increase your maintenance cost over time, as the engine wears out more quickly, and your plumbing and equipment will fall apart. Mount the masts. First the desired end fitting is chosen (left), and the fitting is slid onto the end of the wire (center). Replacing Running Rigging on an Older Sailboat, a bowline or other knot in a high tech line reduces the breaking strength by up to 80%, for jib sheets you must increase the line size to account for the reduced strength more $$$$, an eye splice is required to attach a shackle to a halyard. The latter may indicate two things: one, that its simply surface rust, which you should be able to polish off, or two, that as the wire was being manufactured, a strand might have picked up some contamination during the process and is compromised, which is cause for concern. With all of these factors in mind, what can you expect to pay for standing rigging replacement? Check by sighting up the backside of the mast to see how straight your spar is side to side. For over 40 years we have specialized in manufacturing standing rigging for all of the major sailboat manufacturers nationwide. Wendy Mitman Clarke is currently between passages. Money well spent. If in doubt, get a professional opinion. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. The standing rigging consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the sails when sailing. This halyard had been wrapped around a shroud and tightened to prevent it from slapping against the mast while at the dock. There are multiple combinations and variations: For instance, if your mast has double tangs, most likely the end fitting will be an eye although it can be a marine eye or an aircraft eye, which differ primarily in shape. It's also called antifouling paint because it helps to protect your hull from weeds, barnacles, and so on. Most people starting out will get a smaller size boat and use it for day trips and weekend trips. The new Dufour 37 slots in just above the 32-foot baby of the family, and it replaces the previous Dufour 360 from three years ago. On a sailboat, a distinction is made between running rigging and standing rigging. (This is true anywhere there are stainless fittings by the way, so be wary of putting too much tape or tight-fitting covers on them.). Sailboat Rigging. This is a very serious problem for the average sailor. The average annual maintenance cost of sailboats is between $2,000 - $3,000. OK, it isn't cheap, but it can absolutely be done on a budget. For docklines a 27 ft. boat would use 1/2" nylon: 25' bow, 15' stern, and 20' spring. PACESHIP PY26 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com. It will be important to maintain a couple of parts, though: With a first boat, you most likely won't invest in new sails or the standing rigging if you don't have to. Of course, if you have an outboard engine the installation price will be nothing more than a few drops of sweat, swearing, and back pain for a day or two. There are some obvious answers to this one for instance, if your wire rigging has broken strands or if its suffering from candy-striping, i.e., rust-colored streaks swirling down the wire. For a small boat (under 30 feet), you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $2000 for standing rigging replacement. There is no hard and fast rule for when to replace your running rigging. Free shipping on $90+! The fastest route to crevice corrosion is to cover the metal with plastic or leather turnbuckle covers or to coat the fittings in tape. Check your spreaders, chainplates and turnbuckles for cracking, fatigue, missing cotter pins/rings, etc. Although rod rigging is more common on racing boats, many well-known cruising-boat builders, such as Valiant, Bristol, J/Boats and Hinckley, have rod-rigged models. Just tell us the best email address to send your tips to: Improve Sailing Strong, durable lines are essential for controlling the sails on your boat without risking your own safety, or that of the sails. Connect the halyard to the head of the sail, here we are looping the halyard back over its plastic stopper to lock it in place. All this small hardware needs to be replaced every 20-30 years and will amount to about $1,500. For those with external halyard blocks, check to make sure all lines run freely and that block bearings arent worn. Start by digging out the bosuns chair and finding a trusted (and hopefully fit) buddy to help you. Replacing the roller-furling control line is an easy do-it-yourself job for the boat owner. Learn More; Reliable Standing Rigging. The benefits of rod are less stretch, less weight, less windage, and arguably longer life than wire, because theres less possibility for corrosion of the rod itself. Cleat the halyard and pull it to the tape mark on one side . Fisheries Supply is your premier supplier of sailing and rigging rope from top brands like Samson, Marlow, Robline and New England Rope. It is very flexible and easy to handle, and is still the line of choice for most applications on cruisers and club racers. Did you find the answer to your specific question? Specific Gravity is 1.38, so it does not float. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. The life span of rigging depends on how heavily a boat has been sailed and on the care taken with tuning. Just a FYI. I'll agree that most of the kinks were created during stepping or prepping for storage. Enough tape to cover a cotter pin suffices; otherwise, leave the metal open to the air. Sailboat rigging very rarely fails from being overloaded. Add winches and UV rays and the wear and tear can be significant so it's important to use a quality line. Take a look at your mast stepparticularly if your mast is keel-stepped, as bilge water can cause serious corrosion at the foot of the mast. . Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. When I thought about it this way, it seemed easy to give ourselves 20 years of confidence for our Lake Erie boat, rather than take the risk of waiting. By taking on the labor yourself, youll probably save as much as $2,000 on the re-rigging cost, he says. Inevitably. Read more on the average cost to replace a boat starter here. The cost to replace standing rigging obviously varies from boat to boat. After that, you'll need to change them out. Yes, doing it yourself will theoretically save money. One of the most common areas of rig failure is where the shrouds terminateboth at the mast tang or socket fitting and the wire terminal, toggle or T-ball. Now is a good time to install all new cotter pins or rings to leave no doubt as to the integrity of your connections. We are a proud supplier of Yale Cordage. Every sailboat has an Out Haul and a Down Haul. If you follow directions, they are fairly straightforward to install, although not especially easy. In other words, if your boat already has rod rigging, with all of the end fittings to terminate the rods both on deck and in or on the mast, then sticking with rod will ultimately be less expensive than making the switch to wire. Place the top of the sail in the mast track and pull on the halyard. Lifejackets have to be replaced every 10 years. Likewise, if you already have wire with fittings that accommodate your boat and mast, stick with wire. The total maintenance cost for a small daytripper will average around $1,600 per year or $133 per month. Its when the leeward side starts flopping around that youre asking for trouble., Stainless steel has a finite number of cycles essentially, movements, whether fore and aft or side to side. That's just what it is. 9034 GD Marsum Ive had some snafus out there to be sure, and they loom large when theyre read more, When One Wrong Makes a Right Everybody knows youre not supposed to sail up the Pacific Coast! I ended up just replacing all of the standing rigging through rigginonly.com in Fairhaven Ma. We replaced the line AND the sheave box to ensure that the new halyard wont chafe. Most engines will last you about 20 years, depending on the amount of use and whether you use it properly. A lot of new boat owners overlook the maintenance costs of sailboats - and maintenance can get pricey quickly. This halyard definitely needs to be replaced. The breaking strength of this line is now significantly reduced. Replacement of the rigging components is more frequent and based on inspection. It definitely needed to be replaced. The Estimated Costs of Replacing a Jibs and Genoas Sails for boats measuring 42' to 50' can cost around $5,500-$9,000 Sails for boats measuring 36' to 42' can cost around $4,000-$7,000 Sails for boats measuring 32' to 36' can cost around $3,000-$5,000 Sails for boats measuring 24' to 32' can cost around $2,500-$4,000 I'll also inquire about upgrading to one size up. Yes, its unlikely youll suffer a massive failure during normal coastal cruising, but it is good practice to spend a little time looking carefully at each element of your rig at least once a month, or before a cruise lasting more than a few daysparticularly if heavy weather is expected. They aren't even worn enough to require end-for ending yet. Riggers say the question of whether to rig with wire or rod is usually fairly easily answered: Run what you brung. We only sell guaranteed-content, guaranteed-process wire, Herman says. Whether you want to replace aging and questionable rigging, be able to handle a wider range of weather conditions, or add sail trimming upgrades for more speed and better pointing to windward, this ebook will show you . If you own a bluewater cruiser, your maintenance cost will go up a lot. Prices for new boats typically range from $100,000 to $500,000. On this page you will find both rigging hardware and rigging tools. About us Boom Vang. Since then I've enjoyed sailing very much - and I've never been afraid of the water again. This is a perfect example to illustrate why a thorough, yearly inspection of running rigging is important. You will most likely also need (or want) to replace toggles and cotter pins, even if you keep the turnbuckles. When rigging the sails of a sailboat, it is important to properly prepare the boat. When inspecting your rig you should also make an inventory of all its parts and their dimensions. Running rigging varies between vessels that are rigged fore and aft and those that are square-rigged. [advertisement]. Winter storms and ice can damage the hull and mast as well. The warm trade winds in the West Indies were calling; time to go sailing. In most cases, you'll only have to replace your running rigging every 5-10 years, but it will cost you $5,000 on average. Dyneema is especially susceptible to UV degradation. All you need is two blocks (pulley attachments) attached forward on both sides, ideally near the toerail, and enough line to run from the boom attachment up to the blocks on each side and then back to the cockpit. Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Also look to see if there are any broken wires where the shroud enters the terminal. The average price of used sailboats is $111,000, ranging from $19,000 to $518,000. That said, it is perfectly possible, though somewhat tedious, to change shrouds and stays in pairs with the mast up by using halyards and intermediate tackles to support it. Hi, I'm Shawn, and when I was 2 years old, I was sailing (with my parents) on the English Channel during a proper storm (and by proper I mean something along the lines of force 10). As you can see, most of these costs are longterm recurring maintenance costs. if it were wire you could get away for about half that price. It has a synthetic stay with an eye splice, a toolless turnbuckle (the Handy Lock, made by C. Sherman Johnson), quick-release fast pins with an attached lanyard, several high-strength Dyneema loops, and even a heavy-duty zip tie to fish loops in and out of holes in a mast. I should have changed mine sooner than I did. Send messengers up mast for in-mast rigging - 3/2018 The theory is that youve crushed it so tightly that all the wires inside have just merged into one solid piece of stainless, Madden says. If the baseplates, for example, are leaking, water will penetrate the deck, making the surrounding deck core mushy and weak (if a core exists) and possibly compromising supporting bulkheads and structures belowdecks. I have got quotes for sails for my 40' boat and they range from $8k for a jib and a main and I replaced the standing rigging on my boat. Generally, they consist of either three or four parts (Sta-Lok has three; Hi-MOD has four), including a sleeve; a cone; in Hi-MODs case, a crown wheel; and the terminal (an eye, fork, stud, etc.). The easiest place to work on your rig is on the ground. Our sailboat running rigging includes sailboat mainsheets, sailboat halyards, and all major sailboat lines.

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replacing running rigging on a sailboat

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