replacing running rigging on a sailboat replacing running rigging on a sailboat

Old turning blocks, padeyes, sheaves and cam cleats as well as genoa tracks and rope clutches are just not capable of handling the loads you can exert using high tech line. However, they generally cost more than a swaged fitting; Herman says while Hi-MODs newer mechanical fittings are definitely more user-friendly to assemble, theyre twice the cost of a swaged fitting. Some riggers will recommend swaged fittings for the mast end of the rigging and mechanical fittings at the deck level: Corrosion is less prevalent at the top of the mast, and you can more easily and regularly inspect mechanical fittings at deck level, where theyre frequently subjected to salt water. Give us a call, and we can give you a rough quote. To avoid excessive wear, make sure your halyard sheaves are the proper type for whatever line you select. Small dents in either the mast or the boom are often hotspots for failure, as they weaken the form of the spar. For all remaining running rigging, you can use polyester double-braid rope. 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. Depending on the spreader joint, cap shrouds can sometimes prove troublesome as well, often requiring the spreaders to be disconnected at their roots. A little less than the semi-circular groove on the sheave (or pulley).Generally its not strength issue for diameter but rather thick enough to be easily handled. It's also called antifouling paint because it helps to protect your hull from weeds, barnacles, and so on. That cost me $10k. I used the Sta-Set solid color line to easily identify the lines. This process . 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. The bottom of the top half just slides into the top of the bottom half. 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. Down Haul. Cleat the halyard and pull it to the tape mark on one side . Now would also be a good time to change those old cotter pins and circlip rings as well. On a sailboat, a distinction is made between running rigging and standing rigging. Inspect any integral reefing sheaves or bearing wear or UV degradation. Marine-suitable stainless wire is called 316 grade, but even that doesnt mean youre necessarily getting high-quality wire. Start at the bottom, working your way up from the lowers, to the cap shrouds and finally the stays. A dormant maneuver has both ends fixed at each end. That said, some sailors prefer wire over rod for a number of reasons. By taking on the labor yourself, youll probably save as much as $2,000 on the re-rigging cost, he says. You should have the boat itself (the hull), the dagger board, the rudder and tiller, your mainsheet, both mast pieces, boom, boom bang and sail in one place. If you follow directions, they are fairly straightforward to install, although not especially easy. Where you can really save some money, is on the labor. The average annual maintenance cost of sailboats is between $2,000 - $3,000. I personally take stock of a pleasure boat's components and their age and will not load an older boat's rigging as much as I would a newer one. 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. Does that mean that replacement time for those is longer? So here are some tips and things to look for so that you can replace your running rigging before it breaks. What would be the maintenance cost if you were on a tight budget? From canvas and cushions to rigging and hardware by top suppliers like Lewmar, Schaefer, Gray, Ronstan, and more. Running rigging varies between vessels that are rigged fore and aft and those that are square-rigged. I think the owner needs to replace those but there's a Covid problem. (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.). Most engines will last you about 20 years, depending on the amount of use and whether you use it properly. Seems like a lot for a 40' boat. 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. But you can't really detect corrosion down into the swage. They can provide a higher percentage of nominal capacity than lead-acid batteries, without shortening their life. The rig or rigging on a sailboat is a common term for two parts, the standing, and the running rigging. From knowing the parts of the sails to understanding the need for tension, I'll go over everything you need to know about rigging sails. For dry storage, part of the process can be to shrink wrap your boat. WE SHIP WORLDWIDE: More Info. Mount the masts. We are a proud supplier of Yale Cordage. Remove the clevis pins at each end if you haven't already, replace the old cable with the new cable, and reinstall the clevis pins. We offer a full range of sailing lines to replace any or all the running rigging on your boat such as halyards, sailboat sheets or control lines. Why do you want to suddenly replace all your running rigging? (Deck-stepped masts are less prone to corrosion as the foot of the mast is open to the air and can dry quickly.) How exactly do you determine how much line you need for a given size sailboat? Chafe usually happens gradually over long periods of time and it is only a serious problem when it goes unnoticed. How much does a used sail cost? Sailboat Running Rigging You don't want to have faulty sailboat running rigging. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. With all of these factors in mind, what can you expect to pay for standing rigging replacement? Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your running rigging. The idea is you come on deck with this small canvas bag and make it happen, Cockerill says. So I've added it to the "be aware this might happen" list - but won't add it to the monthly recurring costs. Please try again. Personally, Im in favor of it, but if you replace the standing rigging frequentlyevery 10 years, saythen it might not be necessary. Its imported and sold through distributors like Alps Wire Rope. Youll need about 500 feet for an average 30 footer. I can only assume this is due to the risk of rocking the hull off its jackstands. With chainplates its often not the actual hardware that fails, but the structure that supports them. 0 www.rigbos.com. Polyester double braid works great for frequently adjusted lines, like main and jib sheets, or moderately loaded control lines. On our old boat we had the Port Aft lower shroud fail while sailing. The Down Haul consists of a line attached to the mast end of the boom. How do you know when its time to re-rig? We're the first and last stop for parts and accessories. For a medium-sized boat (30-50 feet), the cost will be somewhere between $2000 and $4000. FWIW, I just replaced all my running rigging on my 30' with 3/8" Sta-Set for thr halyards and 3/8" XLE for topping lift and downhaul, the halyard were wire-rope but now all rope. Some boaters don't shrink wrap in the winter because of it. A standard 15HP or 20HP outboard gas engine will cost you about $5,000 - $6,000 and needs replacing every 20 years or so. Get all your parts together. A forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. The biggest thing we like to have is the history of the boat: what kind of boat it is, how its been sailed and where has it been sailed, says Jay Herman, owner of Annapolis Rigging. Plus, this line won't harden with age. 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 So youve determined your sailboats standing rigging needs work. On sailboats, however, there aren't a lot of non-essential parts. For over 40 years we have specialized in manufacturing standing rigging for all of the major sailboat manufacturers nationwide. Headed by Dona Bertarelli, the Spindrift team has been on a mission to set a read more, In some stunning footage from onboard reporter Antoine Auriol, Boris Herrmann and his team aboard Malizia decided to cut their Code 0 free after it came loose and got tangled in the keel last night. Your sail area will most likely also be larger, which means your sail replacement will be more expensive. It's a really helpful post (with a formula) if you want to know what to expect. Before long this will create slack in the rig, generating bends and stresses elsewhere. This halyard definitely needs to be replaced. Deck hardware consists of the bullseyes, tiller, eye straps, cleats, and so on. 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. Send messengers up mast for in-mast rigging - 3/2018 The mechanical fasteners are great in that you can terminate and then look inside to be sure its formed correctly, so you do have a way of inspecting your work, Madden says. Many boat owners are reluctant to replace their running rigging, and for good reason, it can be expensive! 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 . 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. A stripped cover dyneema halyard is a great way to reduce the splice diameter and weight aloft for racers, however, they do have their downsides. 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. 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. Use a low stretch Dacron such as Sta-Set-X for halyards. The wire itself rarely fails midway along a shroud, so this makes good sense. A good boat supply store will be able to help. The following resources contain do-it-yourself information on upgrading and maintenance. Batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. Run the remaining standing rigging. Keep the tension equal on each side by counting the turns on each turnbuckle. Your subscription could not be saved. If you go DIY, you will be limited to mechanical end fittings unless you hire a rigger to swage your end fittings. Depending on the answers to those questions and others, a professionally done re-rig for a 40-footer could be closer to $6,000 or more. Over time, the halyard still moved in the wind and the shroud chafed through the cover, exposing the core. Sticking to the 10-year rule, Madden says, means that for the most part, any corrosion or failure points will be eliminated with a re-rig. Inboard engine (and generator) starters cost from $40 - over $1,000 depending on the engine. Running Rigging & Cordage to Order . 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. Read more about the cost of replacing risers and manifolds here. Leave each line with extra length, and coil the lines up. It's about a days worth of work. 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. Would you replace this? Consider this a half inch diameter Samson Tech-12 (12 Strand Technora) line has an average breaking load of 33,000 pounds. I've read that the inner stays rarely snap. Thus the standing rigging is made up of all the cables and . For each diameter of rigging wire your boat requires drill a hole that size near the corner of the block. Hed estimate more like $4,600 for a 40-foot boat, but all of these numbers depend on how much is involved: Are there furlers? If you live on a boat in a location where it falls below freezing temperature (good luck!). Copyright 2023 ImproveSailing.com This was rod rigging and increased the price quite a bit. Most insurance companies reckon you should replace your standing rigging about every 10 years. Fisheries Supply is your premier supplier of sailing and rigging rope from top brands like Samson, Marlow, Robline and New England Rope. The cost to replace standing rigging obviously varies from boat to boat. Tensioning them will be done later in the rigging sequence. This produces an easy-to-handle rope that is strong and durable. It will always be a judgment call. Regardless of what fittings you currently have the choice for multi-stranded wire rigging is between swaged terminals or mechanical fittings. The total maintenance cost for a bluewater cruiser will average around $3,225 per year or $269 per month. Generally its much better to stay with the more traditional line for the running rigging of older boats. Every sailboat has an Out Haul and a Down Haul. I'll explain each line item in detail later on. Our sailboat running rigging includes sailboat mainsheets, sailboat halyards, and all major sailboat lines. The short answer is, lithium batteries perform better and last longer than many lead-acid batteries. Enough tape to cover a cotter pin suffices; otherwise, leave the metal open to the air. Replacing Running Rigging on an Older Sailboat If you're thinking of buying a used sailboat it's probable that your final selection will be a boat that is a few years old - and the halyards, mainsheet, backstay, jibsheets and other running rigging will probably look a little old, dirty and frayed. We are cruisers who sail around 500 nm per year, and are able to avoid frequent encounters with heavy weather by laying over if storms are in the offing. how much fuel a sailboat uses in my article, ICC (International Certificate of Competence, Average Cost of Buying & Owning a Sailboat (With 4 Examples). For that reason, its difficult to give an accurate estimate of the cost of making the switch, even for an average 40-footer. Splices should be made by a professional, high tech line is very difficult to cut. 2. The diameter of the sheets and halyards will depend on what fits the blocks that you have. if it were wire you could get away for about half that price. Boats used for coastal cruising, week ending or day sailing may go longer. I'm on Lake Michigan. we have provided rigging services and have specialized in running rigging. Usually the owner's manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. Top manufacturers of swaged fittings are Hayn Marine Rigging Products, Alexander Roberts and C. Sherman Johnson. Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. These carry a good deal of compression load, so check their roots for damage and make sure the spreaders arent bent in any waythey should exactly bisect the angle of the shroud. Allow at least a foot for each splice or knot. If line is properly taken care of, it can last many decades. 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! Inexpensive, double-braid Dacron is a fine choice for furling lines on most boats shorter than 40 feet. Deep cycle batteries (which are best for household functionality) need replacing every 4-6 years and will cost roughly $600. 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. Additionally, a DIY sailor needs to do plenty of research, particularly when it comes to wire quality, which is something professional sailboat rigging companies watch like hawks. I have broken more than my share of components in newer boats while a lot less in older boats. If youre thinking of buying a used sailboat its probable that your final selection will be a boat that is a few years old and the halyards, mainsheet, backstay, jibsheets and other running rigging will probably look a little old, dirty and frayed. I'll agree that most of the kinks were created during stepping or prepping for storage. Let's hoist the sails and get started! Spreader tips that are covered can often encourage and hide corrosion as they can trap water and reduce air flow over stainless steel fittings, causing them to corrode. The first decision is whether to tackle the job with the mast up or down. You mean all together don't you? The November 1969 Modern Boating magazine . Running rigging The running rigging consists of all the lines, sheets, and so on that is used to haul and operate the sails. Dear improvesailing.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-supported by facts and figures. The final price depends on two things - what type of engine you have, and how hard it is to get to the starter. Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. We replaced the line AND the sheave box to ensure that the new halyard wont chafe. Check the deck around the chainplates and mast for cracking and delamination. Your engine will wear out faster, and you'll need more incidental repairs as well. Their solidworks simulations revealed the rigging was on the lighter side. Start by digging out the bosuns chair and finding a trusted (and hopefully fit) buddy to help you. Replacing your Standing Rigging with Jimmy Green Marine. I'm the owner of ImproveSailing. Theres no reason good quality rigging shouldnt last up to 20 years or so if it is well maintained and any problems that arise are sorted right away. While its often difficult to know whether, say, a swaged terminal is in good condition, there are a few common signs of possible failure to look for. 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. 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. The masthead is a good place to start, and while youre at it, its worth looking closely at the mast as well as the rigging, to see if any corrosion, cracks or weld defects are evident. It does not all wear out at the same rate. LUBE SAIL TRACK MATERIALS 3/2019. If your running rigging has seen better days, now might be the time to replace it. Still a lot of people single braid nylon for docklines, its a little more flexible. It sounds to me that the question is when, not if you will go for new rigging. But a newly cracked sheave or an exposed cotter pin can quickly shred a line that otherwise would have lasted much longer. The total maintenance cost for a small daytripper will average around $1,600 per year or $133 per month. Check by sighting up the backside of the mast to see how straight your spar is side to side. The screw threads and locking nuts need regular cleaning and some light greasing to prevent corrosion. You can see that the chafe is only occurring on one side of the line, the side that comes in contact with the sheave. This way you wont risk deforming the mast or pulling a fitting out of line. This video illustrates how to change your halyard rope in your sailboat. Some have an extra light sheet for real light winds so the sheet doesnt weigh the jib down. In this article, we'll break down the average prices of different sailboats by type, age, condition, and size. Your first thought may be to replace this old stuff with some of the bright new high tech line you can find in your local chandlery. A rope with a Dyneema core (SK 78 or better) with a polyester cover that can be removed from the working ends would be best. 26' Bermuda Sloop rig will cost you about $1,000 - $2,500. With the tension off its a lot easier to waggle the terminal around and check closely for cracks, wear, distortion or corrosion. But not just any kind of sailing. But if you want the good stuff, need more fire extinguishers, plan on spending more like $600. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. This is the furling line for an in-mast furler. Tag each line with a sticker noting which line it is. The easiest place to work on your rig is on the ground. Picking up early signs of corrosion or replacing select components after a thorough inspection is a worthwhile exercise because it may extend the lifespan of your standing rigging. Although the hull actually read more, It was March, and Id made it through another Maine winter. Steps. Let me explain. If you want to learn how to make your sailing dream reality within a year, leave your email and I'll send you free updates. It's the best way to protect your boat in wintertime, period. If you're like me, and not so lucky to live in Florida, you need to winterize your boat. Privacy Policy, Improve Sailing helps you to make your sailing dream actionable, by writing in-depth articles on practical questions. This is a quick and easy job for a rigger to do and covers can be replaced each season rather than discarding the rope. In marine environments, everything can go wrong exactly one time for it to be critical. To be more precise, the highly tensioned stays and shrouds that support the mast are known collectively as standing rigging, whilst the rope halyards, sheets and other control lines come under the heading of running rigging. Redoing the running rigging on a cruising sailboat involves measuring, measuring and measuring. It is comprised of fixed lines, wires, or rods that are designed to support each mast or bowsprit on sailing vessels. Ground tackle is a complete system, including the anchor itself, the rode (chain, rope, or some combination thereof, read more, French builder Dufour Yachts has rolled out another new design bringing their line to eight models from 32 to 61 feet. Lifejackets have to be replaced every 10 years. When we talk about sailboat rigging, we mean all the wires, ropes and lines that support the rig and control the sails. 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. . Let them know any of your concerns before they get started. The average price of a used cruising sailboat is between $10,000 and $100,000. Step 1 - Hire a professional rigger with a good reputation to do a thorough survey of your standing AND running rigging. You can see the difference between the old line on the right and the new line on the left. I recently sailed on a boat that had rust around the wire/swage on all the shrouds. Since each one is 34' and then add another 6-10 to be safe? Most people need 2 risers + 2 exhaust manifolds. A smaller loop is a makeshift chainplate attachment you can attach it to a neighboring chainplate and attach the stay to it. Low-cost tension gauges are now available and are a useful addition to your cruising toolbox anyway. I ended up just replacing all of the standing rigging through rigginonly.com in Fairhaven Ma. If you don't have that you may be able to find it on line or on line at your boat class owners' association. First the desired end fitting is chosen (left), and the fitting is slid onto the end of the wire (center). Every time I think Ive seen it all, my people outdo themselves and serve up the unexpected. I think another factor to consider is how much of the "life time" of the rigging was spent with the boat in the water and the mast up. I'll also inquire about upgrading to one size up. Sometimes it can be very obvious, but other times it is not. The boat owner or previous rigger had clearly replaced the old line without looking for the source of the chafe. Researchers have announced the discovery of the wreck of the schooner barge Ironton in Lake Huron, sitting upright with masts and rigging still intact and with the lifeboat that could have saved her crew still lashed to the ships stern. Then the swager is used to compress the fitting so tightly that the wires merge into a solid piece of stainless steel and cant pull out (right). Die testing wont pick it up, and its rare that a wire will give you warning before breaking.. 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. The only thing we can really do is regularly inspect lines to look for wear. Final words Congratulations! If line is properly taken care of, it can last many decades. The actual total annual cost is $3,000 to $7,000, due to other recurring costs like docking and insurance fees. A professional needs roughly 8 hours to get the job done. All rights reserved. Just because a line or even the whole boat is new, doesnt mean there isnt something wrong with the running rigging. This is a very serious problem for the average sailor. Sailboat rigging very rarely fails from being overloaded. Youre out there offshore and theres a squall coming and you start worrying about the craziest of things, and you dont want to have any unknowns. Thats especially true of the system that keeps the mast and sails up. Overall, this halyard looked relatively new compared to some of the other lines on this boat, and this sheave probably caused the demise of the previous halyard. 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. However, what you'll actually pay really depends on the type of boat you have and what you do with it. Replacing the running rigging on your sailboat seems like it should be fairly simple, and a decade or two ago, it was.