Some advice on rerigging my yacht myself

[WaldPinkler]

I've decided to replace my unknown aged standing rigging rather than take chances. I gave the local rigger a call who spoke of $19-20k on a 40ft boat. I'm a DIY guy and I don't really want to pay that either.

I've done way too much research over the last days which just seems to create more questions so I'm hoping to hear some advice on where I'm at.

I'll attach some rig pictures and here are some specs:

- 40ft boat. Single spreader. Solent rig with 2 furlers.
- 5/16" fore/aft lowers and intermediate.
- 3/8" shroud, backstay and both furlers.
- 50ft mast.

I'm kind of sold on mechanical fittings. Bluewave swageless are about AU$100 (US$67) each. That's 22 fittings on 11 wires. People seem to get swaged fittings for the top because it's cheaper. I'm not sure it would be using the local rigger here.

There's also toggles for the chainplates and reusing the old chrome bronze turnbuckles. Probably less than $1k in wire rope. (Already sorting out new chainplates too).

There's obviously some time involved but it seems like a big saving and no need for swaged wire rope.

One thing is that there are T terminals up top. There are swageless T terminals available. Then I started reading they aren't very good and tangs are better? How to decide?



The sail track plastic is cracked so that's probably another job. Now I'm thinking it may be easier to drop the mast. I don't really want to leave the river I'm in right now (it's not very accessable to cross the bar and come back with a 6ft keel). I may be able to do something crazy and use a trailer boom lift on a nearby dock. A friend is licensed. It would depend if someone complains or not

The other option is go up and down the mast with the wires and do the track when I can get somewhere with a shipyard and ignore any other issues until then.

So I'd love to hear some thoughts, I'm sure everyone goes through it and doesn't have the money for professionals to do all the work. I would like to hire him to inspect things afterwards though).




I've since fixed that moldy looking finish!


Profurl and reefit furlers. One removed to service the bobstay.


Furler top


T terminal



I have to get moving. My lines are getting green with mold.

[Benz]

I've used the Blue Wave hardware--it's very good. I wouldn't hesitate to use T-fittings again....how long have they kept your mast up already?

I'd do whatever necessary to get the rig down--all your service work will be so much easier. That said, I've replaced shrouds on stepped masts--it's just a lot of up and down.

Those turnbuckle bodies are fine, but the studs should go, or at least be replaced--that T-and-strap setup is notorious for failing.

Also, you probably need new lines....

[nuku34]

I have done all my standing rigging replacement work on my 3 boats (40ft to 32ft). I've used both Stayloc and Norseman end fittings on both ends of some wires, and have had the local rigger put a swaged fitting on the upper ends of some wires. I have no experience with "T" fittings, but I really don't trust them. All my mast attachments have been via tangs machine screwed and through bolted to the mast.

I have dropped masts to do the re-rigging and have also done it with the rig in place. Much easier with the mast down! I have a solo climbing rig (based on mountaineering gear) which makes it easier with the rig up.
Its not rocket science.

[neilpride]

$19-20k single spreader mast???my goodness

[capt jgw]

I redid my Columbia 36 a few years ago. Furler got damaged and had to replace the headstay with it so I had the local shop (Torreson) do that with swaged fittings. Then I looked at StaLok terminals and found that even though they were about 4 times the cost of the swaged ones, by the time I paid to have them swaged it was a wash. So I went ahead and did the other 7 wires myself. Replaced the wire and all terminals but reused the old turnbuckles. They were the original bronze ones and were in good shape Total came to about $2000 as I recall. Had the mast on the ground for the job. The storage yard I use has a hand crank gin pole my wife and I use to lower and raise the mast almost every winter. It's really no big deal. Up here in Michigan we have to haul out every winter and it's common for the masts to come down too. Once you learn how it's easy.

[Calif.Ted]

Best rigger in my area just did a Catalina 320 for $4700 USD, did it piecemeal with boat in water using a shop 16 miles away. Any OTHER riggers available in your area? Maybe that one just doesn't want to do it.

[pcmm]

I did my entire rig on my Morgan Out Island KETCH - 14 stays in all for less than $5k CAD. I took the existing stays to a local shop and had them replicate everything. Its pretty easy to reinstall yourself.

Do youself a favour and do all of this with the mast on the ground!

[RaymondR]

I have done both my boats with the mast up, a lot of climbing was involved.

The first boat I changed to Stayloks and cut the wires to length after fitting the upper ends. The second I removed the wires a pair at a time and took them to a chandlery and had them make replacements.

Don't recall the actual costs but it was far less than a rigger would have charged.

[MicHughV]

hands down...having the mast removed is the way to go. The cost of doing so is quickly absorbed by the ease of taking the old off and replacing with new...easily 1/4 of the time...
I had a rigger assist me with my first boat...a ketch. The whole job was done in an afternoon. He swaged the top ends and used stalocks on the bottom.

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

hands down...having the mast removed is the way to go. The cost of doing so is quickly absorbed by the ease of taking the old off and replacing with new...easily 1/4 of the time...
I had a rigger assist me with my first boat...a ketch. The whole job was done in an afternoon. He swaged the top ends and used stalocks on the bottom.

With the yard I used it was free if you DIY'd it. One of the reasons I chose that yard. They were a little cheaper than the others but if you figured unstepping they were a LOT cheaper. Pointe Marine in N Muskegon, MI.

[Jim Cate]

Do a price check on Sea-Rig terminals from NZ. I was able to get them here in Oz much cheaper than Sta-Locs. And I too have T-ball upper terminals, originally Norseman, and the Sea-Rig balls were compatible.

I've done several complete re-rigs with the mast standing and while it is a lot of trips aloft, it worked OK. However, doing it with the mast down allows easy inspection and refurbishment of the masthead sheaves... a worthwhile task.

Jim

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Do a price check on Sea-Rig terminals from NZ. I was able to get them here in Oz much cheaper than Sta-Locs. And I too have T-ball upper terminals, originally Norseman, and the Sea-Rig balls were compatible.

I've done several complete re-rigs with the mast standing and while it is a lot of trips aloft, it worked OK. However, doing it with the mast down allows easy inspection and refurbishment of the masthead sheaves... a worthwhile task.

Jim

Yea I changed out my sheaves too when I replaced the wire. They were in bad shape. Would have been impossible with the sick up.

[Nekton73]

Another vote for dropping the mast to make things easiest, but if you can't, an option to save you many trips aloft might be to temporarily guy the mast and just make one trip up to install the guys and remove all your rigging all at once. Galvanized wire and related hardware are fairly cheap and available where I am, not sure about you. Or you could get fancy (but more expensive) and make yourself some temporary guys out of dyneema which you could then keep aboard for just-in-case...



If you have 4 halyards, and assuming you are using two to ascend/descend, then two can be put into service as temporary fore and aft stays, and a spin halyard used as additional support. That leaves a couple of guys to replace the cap shrouds. Lowers shouldn't be an issue to remove short term without replacing but if you feel paranoid a couple of stout lines clove hitched just above the lower tangs and tensioned to your toerail or some other appropriate point abeam would provide plenty of support. A good old trucker's hitch would provide plenty of tension. For the cap shroud guys, personally I would use round slings, choke them to the top of the mast, and connect to them with your temporary guys to make things easy. Climbing slings would work just fine and be plenty strong.



Once temporary guys are secure drop your standing rigging, measure and have it made to order. If you have a local chandlery or rigger that is reasonable great, or maybe order online, not sure what is available to you. You can still have them swage one end and then use mechanical terminations at the bottom if you prefer.



Or, if you decide to do all the terminations yourself with swageless fittings then, order everything ahead of time and you can probably have it all done in a day with only a couple of trips up the mast.



I am fortunate to have access to all the temporary support gear I might need locally and very reasonable mail order options for pre-made rigging with a short turnaround time if I give them accurate measurements. This might not be the case for you but if it is you may only have your temporary stays up for a short time.


Just throwing other ideas out there to consider.