Replacing standing rigging leaving mast up

[goboatingnow]

I’m looking at over the winter since I’m living onboard at replacing the standing rigging. I’m also trying to do it as reasonable as possible

Would it be practical to reive a dyneema shroud( cap, fore and back stays ) one at a time and replace each stay one at a time.

I’m trying to avoid Haulout and crane charges and riggers labour. I’d get the replacement stays done professionally or might consider Sta-lok

Ideas ?

[Wotname]

Yes, very possible, just do one at a time.

WhenI did it, dyneema wasn't around, I just used the spinnaker halyard. This isn't a lot of force needed to hold the mast vertical and the remaining stays will be doing most of the work anyway.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Yes, very possible, just do one at a time.

WhenI did it, dyneema wasn't around, I just used the spinnaker halyard. This isn't a lot of force needed to hold the mast vertical and the remaining stays will be doing most of the work anyway.

Good to know. Presumably so stayed I can still climb the mast. Don’t mind shelling out for a bit of dyneema

[JPA Cate]

It kind of depends on your plans for the boat. If you plan to keep it long enough to need re-rigging again, go with Sta-Lok or Sea Rig type DIY swages. [One time, we had a 4 yr. old forestay break in Vanuatu, and it was really handy to have the Sta-Loks. We were able to save the furler and sail, by turning down.]

The jobs will be easier if you have someone to help you go aloft. We have used halyards to stabilize the mast, and then Jim goes aloft. I gofer for him. It is good to have a gofer.

Ann

[stormalong]

I have done that. Is your mast keel stepped? I would not try it with a deck stepped mast. To risky in my book.

I'm sure others will disagree.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by stormalong

I have done that. Is your mast keel stepped? I would not try it with a deck stepped mast. To risky in my book.

I'm sure others will disagree.

Deck stepped

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

It kind of depends on your plans for the boat. If you plan to keep it long enough to need re-rigging again, go with Sta-Lok or Sea Rig type DIY swages. [One time, we had a 4 yr. old forestay break in Vanuatu, and it was really handy to have the Sta-Loks. We were able to save the furler and sail, by turning down.]

The jobs will be easier if you have someone to help you go aloft. We have used halyards to stabilize the mast, and then Jim goes aloft. I gofer for him. It is good to have a gofer.

Ann

I can get plenty of free help, loads of winter liveaboards around me

I will not have the boat next time the rigging is due to be changed , so maybe swaged fittings would be cheaper. I have a rigging service onsite.

[chrisr]

we have just replaced all standing rigging, and rigger did this one piece at a time, without removing the (deck-stepped) mast

fairly common

we did similar on previous boat, however we did different sets of rigging (both lowers , both uppers etc) at different times in different ports, over a space of 6-9 months.

easy peasy

cheers,

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Good to know. Presumably so stayed I can still climb the mast. Don’t mind shelling out for a bit of dyneema

Yes.

You will need a point on the mast cap to attach the dyneema temporary stay and a way of putting tension of the temporary stay which is why I used the spinnaker halyard. The mast cap already had a suitable strong point and it was easy to winch up the tension required. If you are concerned the spinnaker halyard is too stretchy (or old or weak) then sure, replace it with some dyneema.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by stormalong

I have done that. Is your mast keel stepped? I would not try it with a deck stepped mast. To risky in my book.

I'm sure others will disagree.

Genuinely curious, what are the additional risks involved for a deck stepped mast?

Maybe I'm foolhardy but in a protected dock and on a calm day, I would be willing to go up an aluminium deck stepped mast with cap shrouds and fore and back stays all removed providing there were running back stays and an inner forestay.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Yes.



You will need a point on the mast cap to attach the dyneema temporary stay and a way of putting tension of the temporary stay which is why I used the spinnaker halyard. The mast cap already had a suitable strong point and it was easy to winch up the tension required. If you are concerned the spinnaker halyard is too stretchy (or old or weak) then sure, replace it with some dyneema.

I can rig plenty of blocks etc to run lines to the primary winches or the drum of the windless and then lock things off

My main concern is the cap shrouds , as these are pinned at the lower spreaders and then the D1 goes from there. Not sure how to secure these while allowing the removal of the old stays.

[team karst]

Highly doable. But it gets interesting if the turnbuckles are frozen like mine were.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Genuinely curious, what are the additional risks involved for a deck stepped mast?

Maybe I'm foolhardy but in a protected dock and on a calm day, I would be willing to go up an aluminium deck stepped mast with cap shrouds and fore and back stays all removed providing there were running back stays and an inner forestay.

A keel stepped mast will stay up if the temporary forestay or backstay fails. I just feel more comfortable with that extra insurance. When I replaced my rigging - all rod rigging, it was on temporary shrouds for three weeks while it was being replicated, including the round trip shipping.

I just feel safer with seven feet of the mast inside the the boat and held in place. I have always felt that keel stepped masts are safer in the event of a rigging failure.

Not a rerig situation but around 2005 my forestay chainplate snapped from metal fatigue. I was beating hard at the time. The mast shook, the sail, roller furling and forestay were all toast but the mast stayed up. It was 250 miles downwind to get back to the Azores to do the repairs.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Genuinely curious, what are the additional risks involved for a deck stepped mast?



Maybe I'm foolhardy but in a protected dock and on a calm day, I would be willing to go up an aluminium deck stepped mast with cap shrouds and fore and back stays all removed providing there were running back stays and an inner forestay.

Yes that’s my thought

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by stormalong

A keel stepped mast will stay up if the temporary forestay or backstay fails. I just feel more comfortable with that extra insurance. When I replaced my rigging - all rod rigging, it was on temporary shrouds for three weeks while it was being replicated, including the round trip shipping.

I just feel safer with seven feet of the mast inside the the boat and held in place. I have always felt that keel stepped masts are safer in the event of a rigging failure.

Not a rerig situation but around 2005 my forestay chainplate snapped from metal fatigue. I was beating hard at the time. The mast shook, the sail, roller furling and forestay were all toast but the mast stayed up. It was 250 miles downwind to get back to the Azores to do the repairs.

With respect as are talking about a calm day in a marina

Less and less keel stepped masts about these days anyway.