Rig Examination & Tuning

[MMNETSEA]

Here is a good check list for routine planned maintenance of the Sail boat's rigging.

Also included are references to 2 makes of tuning gauges :-

Rig_Tuning_Paper.pdf

[OceanDove]

Thanks for the files We have just bought a Whitby 42 and are now fitting her out. I installed new halyards yesterday. One of my next jobs is a trip up the mast (49') to check out the rigging and replace some bulbs. The boat came with a Top Climber unit for going up the mast has any one used one of these units?

I will post my opinion after I go up and come back alive.

Derek and Darlene

Ocean Dove

[MMNETSEA]

Hi D+D ,

I had no idea what a Top Climber was - so here is a site giving some detail :-

TOP CLIMBER

Looking forward to your report on what's happening at the top of your mast !

Richard

[gails]

Hi,

Interesting piece of information I have picked up recently is that rigging has dates on the swages - especially the older ones. Our newly bought boat had rigging from its original time of 1974 marked. The newer rigging had rigging numbers and the riggers number. we were told if you can find these you can date your rigging accurately.

cheers gail

[MMNETSEA]

Thanks Gail,

34 years is a long time ! You are so right, the ability to date the standing rigging is so important especially when carrying out the boats PLANNED rigging inspection as per schedule.

A very good idea is to keep an equipment LOG (as opposed to the boat log) in which all inspection findings are noted and dated. The log will also have records of replacements, repairs and additions. As far as rigging is concerned terminal fittings such as 'Staylog and 'Norseman' which don't have dates - their inclusion in the log duly dated is vital.

Richard

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Thanks Gail,

34 years is a long time ! You are so right, the ability to date the standing rigging is so important especially when carrying out the boats PLANNED rigging inspection as per schedule.

A very good idea is to keep an equipment LOG (as opposed to the boat log) in which all inspection findings are noted and dated. The log will also have records of replacements, repairs and additions. As far as rigging is concerned terminal fittings such as 'Staylog and 'Norseman' which don't have dates - their inclusion in the log duly dated is vital.

Richard

Agree. One reason we're replacing our entire rig when we relaunch the boat is that we have absolutely no way of knowing how old the swages are. Plus, there are poured sockets that we'd just like to be rid of. We suspect that the rig dates to the late 1970's but may be as old as the early 1970's. Yes, there's a bit of rust on that stainless too! We'll re-use the bronze turnbuckles and bronze toggles that remain in good shape (a few to be replaced) but pretty much all else is "history" as they say.

[SeaOtter1]

Hi Guys,

First a Happy New Year to all!

I am getting more confused the more I try to find out about when to change the standing rigging. During a few weeks now I have "googled" a lot of websites and forum to find an answer to my question, but cannot find anything satisfying or at least a firm knowledge of when it is time to do so. I know about looking for meathooks on the wires and excessive rust on the lower swages. On our boat all looks fine, but I have no idea how old the rigging is. Is there anything else to look for?

We have an old Beneteau Idylle 15.50 that was a charter boat for Moorings in the Caribbean during the late 80:s and early 90:s. We bought it in 98 brought her on land 99 for a complete refit (rebuild inside actually) which took 7 years. The standing rigging wasn't changed because the yard where we did most of the job, told us it woul be OK for years to go. The boat was ready and launced late in 2005 (winter on land 2005/2006) and now we have lived onboard since 2006, mainly cruising the Mediterranean. Next year we are crossing the Atlantic over to the Caribbean and further on to the Pacific.

The mast is 60' high with double swept spreaders, two backstays, forestay and a cutterstay. Further, two lower shrouds and the main shroud. The main shroud is one of these "bullit proof" types of 14mm diameter (1/19 type), each side is divided into two parts, where the top part goes from the top and down to the lower spreader where it ends in a turnbuckle. The second part of the main shroud starts from the lower spreader and ends at the deck in a huge turnbuckle. If you have time you can check out various picturs on our website http://seaotter1.com to get an idea how the rig is arranged.

As we are talking about serious money to change the whole standing rig, I need every available advice, pro's and con's to get closer to a decision on what to do. I have ben sailing all my life, but only coastal sailing in Scandinavian waters and now two years in the Med. I have had boats up to 30' but we took them on land every winter in Scandinavia and everything was examined every spring with ease before stepping the masts.

But the rig on this boat is of a different caliber and I have no experience at all with this bigger type. Please help me out with this question about when to change and what to change. Maybe some part is more prone to break than others etc. As I said, visually I cannot find any faults on it but.....................????

Many thanks in advance,

Chris and Bea on Sea Otter

[redbopeep]

Hi, Chris and Bea on Sea Otter,

You, like us, have some major rigging to consider (read $$$). Having said that, its pretty easy to decide what to do--put on a new rig and start the count from here. You've got a rig that's 3 decades old. That's pretty much at the end of life for any kind of stainless steel rig, even if the wire is oversized for the load conditions and was stored in a barn for all that time. Yours was in use in salty seas. A parceled, served, and properly maintained galvanized rig can last 50, 75, or more years--but we don't see these on modern boats, so lets not even go there...

If you were puttering around the harbor or a frugal live-aboard who doesn't go anywhere but stays at the dock, yea, you could leave it in place. However, sounds like you want to cruise--blue water crossing oceans...therefore it makes absolutely good sense to re-rig and then you won't have to worry. Further, you want to find a way to inspect chainplates and the fasteners which hold them to the hull. It is likely that you may have significant corrosion with stainless steel chainplates meaning strategic replacement as well.

The really high cost of a new rig/mast/etc after your old one has failed at sea--and the potential of injury, loss of boat, or loss of life--should be driving you towards this decision anyway.

Even if you replace all the wires, turnbuckles, and strategically some chainplates, you will have a number of other rig parts that you should make a list of and one-by-one go thru rebuilding and replacing fatigue/wear items (e.g. bolts at the gooseneck or rebuild/rebed winches, and so forth).

There are numerous ways to reduce the cost of putting a new rig onto your boat--educate yourself about wholesale prices (that riggers pay) on wire, mechanical terminals, turnbuckles, etc, so you can negotiate reasonably well with a rigger. If yours are not standard fare, find out the cost of having chainplates made at a NON-MARINE shop as they'll be scads cheaper. If you're looking for something indefinitely maintainable by YOU rather than a rigger, make sure and look at each method of termination and understand how its done even if someone else puts the rig together for you.

Good luck with your projects in preparing your boat for your travels.

[MMNETSEA]

Chis and Bea,

Radiography, magnetic particle, ultrasonic & dye penetrant testing --- these are just some of the tests available to determine hidden faults,cracks, corrosion and other nasties. Most countries in the developed world have stringent regulations on the testing and certification of rigging where rigging is employed in lifting.

In the USA their are many specialist companies that can offer these services, not sure where you are now / somewhere in Europe ? just to give you an idea - here is the website listing US specialists : http://www.thomasnet.com/products/ri...7852806-1.html

Returning to your dilemma, 'what to look for' that is the question ! Yes, the obvious cracks - oxidation, broken strands etc.. One has to go beyond the obvious, let's assume 'Sea Otter' is now 20 years old - she certainly has had lots of TLC since your acquisition - If she were mine I would systematically take down the major stays (one at a time) starting with the back stays, and take them to a testing facility for examination and certification. Replacing , when necessary. By the way, because sailing boat rigging faults are USUALLY to be found in the terminal fittings and in the wire close to the terminals - there is the option of replacing the faulty terminal and a short length of wire with 2 new terminals and a new short length of wire, rather than replacing the whole stay with new terminals etc.

At the same time, chain plates should be polished and very carefully, minutely examined. Not to forget the mast and its various rig attachment points.

Have a good 2009 !

Richard

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Chis and Bea,

Radiography, magnetic particle, ultrasonic & dye penetrant testing --- these are just some of the tests available to determine hidden faults,cracks, corrosion and other nasties. Most countries in the developed world have stringent regulations on the testing and certification of rigging where rigging is employed in lifting.

In the USA their are many specialist companies that can offer these services...

Returning to your dilemma, 'what to look for' that is the question ! Yes, the obvious cracks - oxidation, broken strands etc.. One has to go beyond the obvious, let's assume 'Sea Otter' is now 20 years old - she certainly has had lots of TLC since your acquisition ...

Richard

Hi Richard, for some reason I thought the boat was closer to 30 years old...meaning truly the end of life for the SS rig.

However, even at 20 years, I don't think nondestructive testing (NDT) is the most prudent route nor the most cost effective. Here in the USA it isn't exactly cheap to have a quality NDT done--nor can you exactly trust the findings IMHO.

No amount of TLC is going to help the SS wire in the terminations. Fatigue in a SS rig can happen just as rapidly at the dock from the minute rocking back and forth of the boat...as it would happen at sea. One can only exercise care in not "over stressing" the rig causing cracks in the steel which will grow with further loading cycles (including at the dock).

If the rig were only 10 years old, I'd agree it's reasonable to go the testing and inspection route to validate the good condition of the rig. 20 years or more old rigging, when going blue water cruising, in my book, is really too far down the line for the prudent sailor. Bluewater cruising with the unknown rig is taking more risk than is reasonable given that it is NOT that expensive to replace the rig and associated components compared to the consequences of a rig failure.

If someone truly cannot afford getting their boat "in order" for safe cruising--yet still wishes to cruise--then that person really does have to decide about the risks they're willing to take. I know several folks on a shoe-string budget who just can't do more maintenance than they are doing already and a rigging replacement would be killer for them--but they've wisely chosen to go cruising in a much smaller boat (read much less $$$ for the rig) because of the tight budget, too.

Again, cost being the reason not to replace the rig now...really suggest that Chris and Bea look into all the re-rig options available (including using an industrial rigger rather than marine) to fully evaluate the risk they'll be taking compared to the cost of just replacing the rig.

Fair winds to all.