Replacing Running Rigging - Techniques for Reaving?

[wrwakefield]

We went through that when we first bought Denali Rose [43' ketch] knowing all the lines were toast from their time in the tropics.

I found a rigger in Anacortes, WA that was willing to bring his line selection to the dock and replace all the running rigging on site, and work for time and materials.

New line was selected for type, color, and size, then seized [quick stiching covered with electrical tape] to the bitter end of line it was replacing. The new line was quickly reeved into place, length adjusted per my requirements, and the specified new shackle spliced onto the business end.

Each line was measured as it came off the spool and reeved into place.

I shared a Google spreadsheet with him and he filled in the type, size, color, and length as each line was completed. [Almost 1500 ft of various lines...]

It only took a day and I didn't have to measure anything...

It is likely in the future I will only be replacing lines as needed, but now I have all the dimensions.

I can highly recommend this approach if all the running rigging needs renewing.

Cheers! Bill

[Dougtiff]

I stitch and shrink tube.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Thumbs Up

No need for a messenger. Just tape the new line to the old one and pull it through.

I've used the tape method on the main and jib halyards twice now.

First time was in 2011 when I took the old molded, dirty halyards off the boat that had been on the hard for 5 years so I could wash them then reinstalled.

Second time was last year when I finally replaced them. One of them got slightly jammed at the top of the mast going through. but I gave it one more tug and got it to go through.

I also replaced the topping lift in 2011 with tape method........

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Rick Williams

I've always had great success with heat shrink tubing. If you use the kind with adhesive for one thing you can't pull it apart and for another, cut the joint in half when you get it through and your line is already whipped.

I have always used tape and some stiching for security but this seems an exellent idea.
Will certainly try it.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

I'm in the process of purchasing a 2007 Hunter 38. I intend to replace all running rigging immediately. It's all original and it's looking anywhere from pretty tired to dangerous.

My plan was to have all the lines made up to spec (hunterowners.com) and then to use the following technique on each halyard/topping lift:

• Using a spool of mason's line, attach to the bitter end if line to be replaced
  Lower the main/jib
  Remove any shackle on the end of the line
  Pull the line back through the mast/blocks etc until reaching the mason's line
  Detach the original line, attach the bitter end of the new line
  Using the mason's line pull the new line through the clutches, blocks, mast etc
  Remove mason's line and reattach any shackles
  Reattach sails as appropriate, hoist and furl

I'll need to use this technique on topping lift, main halyard, jib halyard. There is not currently a spinnaker halyard although there is what appears to be a factory original messenger line in place that I can use. I won't need to do this obviously for vang, traveller, mainsheet and so on.

What's the best way to attach the mason's line? I was thinking of stitching it through the line where its whipped a few times.

Any pointers? is this likely to work/fail? Is the use of mason's line a good choice or is there a better option for a messenger line?

Thanks

I usually use a loop of monel seizing wire then tape over. Dont be in such a hurry you make yourself spend a ton of time trying to reroute a lost halyard etc. You plan of seizing sounds good too.

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by StuM

Another vote for Jim's stitching method!

One more vote for stitching, but I also wrap tape around the join to ease it through all the bits that it needs to move through. I do this even if there is a reeving eye on the end of the line.

When leaving the boat for extended periods (usually this is a couple of months, but this time it will be two years for the boat in Tahiti), I replace the running rigging in the mast with runners. The runners are usually small diameter yacht braid that is much cheaper than the working line. It can be hard to sew so when necessary I tie on an even smaller diameter line with a running hitch and wrap everything with tape.

[thunderhoof]

If shackles are spliced into the new line and you don't want to cut away the shackles on the old line it is necessary to use a reeving line so that the new line is pulled through the mast with the shackle on the correct end of the line.

I have also found the reeving line itself needs to be fairly stout because the connection point between the lines does not always slide smoothly over sheaves and into mast openings. I use 1/4 inch low stretch line. Feed it through the reeving eye on the old or new halyard and back about 8 inches along itself. Then starting above the reeving eye smoothly wrap a spiral of paper tape past the end of the overlapped line. It is important that the wrap not be too bulky or too stiff.

One more small thing. I have found that internal halyards sometimes get twisted together in the mast, especially on older boats. This results in considerable friction on line 1 when line 2 is tensioned, such as a jib halyard after the mainsail is raised. The way I fix this is, with the mast raised, to remove either line at the mast exit and then attach it to a length of reeving line which has a number of nuts or washers that will fit through the mast opening. Apply tension to all other lines still in the mast and then drop the assembly into the mast until it appears at the lower exit. It helps if the line is marked at the point where the weights should appear at the exit and if you have a small hook to fish them out of the mast.

[David B]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

I'm in the process of purchasing a 2007 Hunter 38. I intend to replace all running rigging immediately. It's all original and it's looking anywhere from pretty tired to dangerous.

My plan was to have all the lines made up to spec (hunterowners.com) and then to use the following technique on each halyard/topping lift:

• Using a spool of mason's line, attach to the bitter end if line to be replaced
  Lower the main/jib
  Remove any shackle on the end of the line
  Pull the line back through the mast/blocks etc until reaching the mason's line
  Detach the original line, attach the bitter end of the new line
  Using the mason's line pull the new line through the clutches, blocks, mast etc
  Remove mason's line and reattach any shackles
  Reattach sails as appropriate, hoist and furl

I'll need to use this technique on topping lift, main halyard, jib halyard. There is not currently a spinnaker halyard although there is what appears to be a factory original messenger line in place that I can use. I won't need to do this obviously for vang, traveller, mainsheet and so on.

What's the best way to attach the mason's line? I was thinking of stitching it through the line where its whipped a few times.

Any pointers? is this likely to work/fail? Is the use of mason's line a good choice or is there a better option for a messenger line?

Thanks

Get the new lines made with a soft eye (the inner core is removed and the eye made from the other sheath only). Makes reeving mousing lines each year (we pull all of our running rigging at the end of each season, and it is still looking pretty well as new after eight seasons) much easier.

With the old lines, if you lose one, you have a significant problem. Tape is not enough. Tie a couple of rolling hitches around the line, so that when pulled, the mousing or reeving line is pulling the knots tighter. Then tape over that, to make smoother, and run through the sheaves better.

Be very aware of the danger with thin lines, of getting it jammed between the sheave and the cheek - then you have a problem ....
Keep the lines tight so this can't happen, pull steadily, and only start breathing again, when all is safely run.

Now, if you intend using the old lines as the mousing line (means you can't take the old lines in and ask for them to be replicated, but ...), then again use a double rolling hitch with a short length of 2-3mm cord to join the two together, and also tape.

This vid shows a bit of how I get our lines back on at the beginning of a season - might be helpful, might not ....

First bit starts around 01:00, second bit around 04:45

https://youtu.be/EuGQUR7qwGY

[Jim Cate]

Now, if you intend using the old lines as the mousing line (means you can't take the old lines in and ask for them to be replicated, but ...)

Why in the world would you pay a rigger to make up halyards? Talk about check book sailing! This sort of routine maintenance should be part of any cruiser's capabilities, for it isn't very hard to master and paying someone 100+$/hr to do such mundane tasks is (IMO) a poor allocation of your cruising budget.

Jim

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Why in the world would you pay a rigger to make up halyards? Talk about check book sailing! This sort of routine maintenance should be part of any cruiser's capabilities, for it isn't very hard to master and paying someone 100+$/hr to do such mundane tasks is (IMO) a poor allocation of your cruising budget.

Jim

God's gospel...
All you need a lighter (or if you want to spend the money an electric rope cutter) and preferably some splicing tools if you want to make eyes at the end of some lines (e.g. boom end of topping lift).

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Why in the world would you pay a rigger to make up halyards? Talk about check book sailing! This sort of routine maintenance should be part of any cruiser's capabilities, for it isn't very hard to master and paying someone 100+$/hr to do such mundane tasks is (IMO) a poor allocation of your cruising budget.

Jim

Although I make my living right now by making up other people's halyards, I agree with Jim that splicing and ropework ought to be learned by sailors. It's far easier than learning 12-volt voodoo or engine maintenance, and IMO a necessary part of good seamanship to be able to do basic rig maintenance and at least field repair.
I only wish I could get $100 an hour for it....

[Chris Cringle]

The goal is to have the new line render smoothly through the blocks as you draw the new line behind the old line into place. If you use a "masons line" messenger there is a big difference in the diameter of the mason line and the new running rigging line. There will be an edge where the small line meets the big line. That "edge" is almost guaranteed to foul on at least one of the block swallows as it reeves through the system. A taped joint is also very likely to foul and fail. I suggest that you clap a very tight whipping on the new line, compressing the rope so that it's diameter is slightly less that the old line. Then cut the end square, about an eight of an inch from the whipping.use a hot knife to fuse the fibers at the end of the rope. You want a smooth end with no loose fibers. Make sure the end of the old rope is clean. Whip it if necessary. You don't want an 'Irish pennant' here. Now butt the two ropes together and sew them tightly together with four stitches, 90 degrees apart. Now pull the old line and watch the new line docilely follow through the blocks.

[carstendenmark]

I'm a bit confused now...
Could we have some photos of the different methods, please ?
Or a link to a rigger's page ?

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by carstendenmark

I'm a bit confused now...
Could we have some photos of the different methods, please ?
Or a link to a rigger's page ?

Here is one page demonstrating some of the techniques discussed:

https://theriggingco.com/2016/01/31/reeving-halyards/

Hope this helps.

Cheers! Bill

[carstendenmark]

Thanks, Bill !!
Cheers !


That is true GOLD !