Replacing standing rigging

[scott]

Hi all,

I don't have a boat yet (but slowly getting closer...) and am looking at costs now for some maintenance that I may have to consider getting done. One of these jobs is rigging.

Could anyone give me a rough idea on the cost of replacing all standing rigging using s/s? I'm not sure what the standard size is, but I'd like to go a little big larger, but not sure if I should do this on all standing rigging or just some.

Grateful for any advice.

Scott.

[auriga]

Scott

I had the standing and running rigging done on my mark 3 late last year. Cost was around $2,800.

The cost will depend on your rigger and if they want to take the mast down by hand or by crane. Mine was taken down by hand in-situ at my mooring. Will also depend if everything needs to be replaced or just the wire.

If the mast comes down its a good opportunity to re-lay the internal cabling for lights, vhf etc. Also you can look at changing over the pulleys/rollers in the masthead unit.

Cheers
Dan

[Tales]

Scott,
I had the standing rigging replaced late 2008 and the quote was for $1800 aprox. This included mast removal and new turnbuckles.
Before the job started I decided to go one size up in cable (ie 7/32" instead of 3/16") which brought it in line with Illingworths rule of thumb for offshore work. (breaking strain of shroud = 2 X keel ballast weight). Also wanted a new masthead light, VHF antenna, conduit and cable in the mast.
Job finally came to about $3600.
Have since decided to increase the size of the backing plates under the shroud "U" bolts and improve the bow fitting.
Cheers,
Tom

[scott]

Thanks Tom and Dan,

If I need to do it, I'll go to 7/32. My intention is to do some coastal sailing so the extra cost I think is worth it. And as you both mention, it's a good chance to check anything else that moves on the mast and replace u-bolts etc.

Interesting you mention mounting the VHF up the mast. All of the boats I've looked at so far have had the antenna mounted off the back somewhere. I'd also rather it up top for better coverage and to free up some space for a small HF whip off the pushpit.

Thanks again for the info.

Scott.

[masquerade]

Gday All,

In regards to rigging, what are peoples opinion on inner forestays? Are they needed? I guess it might make a difference depending on the size (width) of your mast, I think that the mast on Masquerade consists of a fairly heavy duty section compared to other pictures and yachts that I have seen. Also she has a mast head rig, are most Top Hats setup this way? or do some people have 3/4 rigs? And also Masquerades inner forestay is static (fixed length), does anyone have an adjustable one? Maybe that would come in handy? Not sure, just throwing ideas around...

Whilst Im on the topic of rigging, how many people have their Top Hat setup to lower the mast easily? I have my boat in the Swan River in Perth and if I want to get out to the ocean (which I do alot!) I need to drop the mast (well masts to be more accurate at the moment) and I recently swaged a stainless ring into the forestay, and clip my two spinaker poles directly into these to lower off the stay, rather than using my running rigging to lower off. But I was contemplating getting a furling headsail, which would mean doing away with the stainless ring in the forestay. Would like to know other peoples setups for mast lowering. Oh and another adjustment I made when fitting the stainless ring was to fit some solid stainless poles at the base (deck) of the side stays, in order to raise the pivot point of the stays to be in line with the tabernacle, thus allowing for the sidestays to stay taught during lowering.

Also I currently dont have a proceedure for getting someone up the mast whilst shes up, how do people do this? Do you run a block off the tabernacle, and then run the rope back to one of the main winches? If so where can you attach the block? If I attach to the tabernacle then the rope will need to rub/run over the cab, which wont work, maybe one block at the tabernacle, then one out on the deck near the sidestay and back from there?

One more thing (sorry for the length of the post people), I have read that some of the later Top Hats (Mk3 I think) were produced with a good running rigging system where all adjustments can be made from the cockpit, with a winch on the cab, wondering if anyone could post a pic (outside - and inside to see the structure below the winch), as I would like this set up on my Mk1.

Cheers,
Derek
MASQUERADE

[Dolphin]

G'Day Derek,
Re Climbing the mast;
I use ascenders like maintaineers use. See the A1 811 from this site;
http://www.srte.com.au/ascenders.htm.
I am not trying to plug them. I climb up the spinnaker halyard with the ascenders. One ascender is attached to the top of the bosuns char. One ascender is attached to two stirrups that your feet sit in. It is a simple matter of standup, sit down to go up. The genoa halyard is attached to the top of the bosuns chair as well.
Coming down, the ascenders are released but not taken off the rope. You keep them open with your fingers only. Another crew lowers you down on the genoa halyard. You must be in front of the mast. If you wanted to use the main halyard you would have to be behind the mast. If you have snapshackels don;t trust them and shackel directly to the eye on the halyard.
Take a lanyard up with you that is attached to a bucket so that you can haul up or lower bits to the deck. Saves coming up and down the mast. The crew on the deck has no load.
My wife usually controls the genoa halyard. How is that for trust !
All the climbing effort is taken by the person climbing the mast in the stand up sit down method.
I use a second halyard as I once was winched up a moored trailer boats mast and 3 months later the halyard broke as it was rusted at the wire to rope splice. In hindsight we should have noticed the rust at the joint. Its always nice to have a backup.
Inner forestays;
I've sailed on two boats that have lost 3 masts. The first was lost because the mast was pumping when working into a SE chop off Sydney. An inner forestay would have stopped that. My boat has fore and aft lowers so it is pretty stiff, don;t know about other Top hats? The second boat had a "Baby Stay" that is only used in choppy conditions.
Felicite is a mast head rig.
I hope that helps and its definitely not too many questions. Im sure others will fill in the blanks and have different opinions.
Greg.

[masquerade]

Hey Greg,

I hadnt thought about the ascender option, I will look into this for sure. Sounds good.

And re the wire/rope splice breaking, last year when I was refurbishing the mast I decided to do away with this setup and swap the running rigging (and associated sheaves) over to full length rope. Better in my opinion, for one you can end-for-end them.

Two boats losing three masts! Wow, well thats something that Im definately trying to avoid... You say that you have fore and aft lowers, so you do not have an inner forestay? Masquerade has the fittings on the mast and deck to have fore and aft lowers, but only had aft lowers fitted, so I only replaced these. But maybe I will do away with the inner forestay and fit some fore lowers.... Not sure yet, have to think about it abit more. What do you think? I also want to have an easier setup for disconnecting, reconnecting, and tensioning the innerforestay (or fore lowers) for when I need to drop the mast. I currently have a shackle and a regular SS turnbuckle. I guess this would be the strongest option and not too much work really. Maybe its fine.

I would still would like to hear from any others that have mast lowering setups. But from pictures that I have seen it appears that not many others do.

Cheers,
Derek
Masquerade

[robf]

Hi all

I've recently had a rigging check done for insurance and require a re-rig. I've been quoted $3400 for all the standing rigging from the turnbuckles up and $1600 for the mast to be sand blasted and re-painted with sheaves replaced for all-rope halyards, new anchor light & internal wiring. This guy sends the mast away, so I'll be rigless for a while. The quote is from a rigger who works out of the SIRSI Marina on Pittwater. I'll also ask him to replace the windvane and install a masthead VHF aerial while he's at it.

Cheers

Rob
Isabella II

[storm petrel]

Sounds a bit expensive Rob. Try getting a quote from Roospars on the Central Coast: www.roospar.com.au/
I have no financial connection with them, but have used them and found their prices very competitive.

Cheers,
Mark