replacing running rigging on a sailboat

Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more! The cost of replacing the standing rigging is, on average, $4,000 every 10 years. The total maintenance cost varies a lot, depending on the following factors: Still, we want a general feel of what to expect. Redoing the running rigging on a cruising sailboat involves measuring, measuring and measuring. Tensioning them will be done later in the rigging sequence. The reason it is a scheduled item is that a visual inspection prolly won't detect defects. I ended up just replacing all of the standing rigging through rigginonly.com in Fairhaven Ma. And never forget the golden rule: if in doubt, sling it out. Your engine will wear out faster, and you'll need more incidental repairs as well. Parts total: $600 on average Do disconnect them and inspect them very carefully for cracks on a well-lit workbench. Old turning blocks, padeyes, sheaves and cam cleats as well as genoa tracks and rope clutches are just not capable of handling the loads you can exert using high tech line. One of the most common areas of rig failure is where the shrouds terminateboth at the mast tang or socket fitting and the wire terminal, toggle or T-ball. The cost of replacing the standing rigging is, on average, $4,000 every 10 years. Replacing your old worn out or damaged standing rigging is a crucial requirement to insure your safety and the safety of others. This was rod rigging and increased the price quite a bit. On this eye splice, the core has herniated out of the cover. Whether youre buying a used sailboat thats new to you or youve owned your boat for decades, the standing rigging is what keeps the mast in place, and thus requires particular attention. Generally its much better to stay with the more traditional line for the running rigging of older boats. There is minor chafe on all sides of the line and along the entire length. Inboard engine (and generator) starters cost from $40 - over $1,000 depending on the engine. Let's start by getting a good overview of the different maintenance costs. The interval of longterm maintenance will increase dramatically in these conditions. Standing rigging supports your boat's mast. If you live on a boat in a location where it falls below freezing temperature (good luck!). Included are halyards, main sheet, headsail sheets, and topping lift. The latter is very important, as its a common cause of weakness, so wherever possible ensure stainless steel fittings are insulated from an aluminum mast. Shrouds and stays should be replaced in pairs, applying just enough tension to support the mast with you climbing it, but not tuned to sail. I use a 3D model and some diagrams. We replaced the line AND the sheave box to ensure that the new halyard wont chafe. Start by digging out the bosuns chair and finding a trusted (and hopefully fit) buddy to help you. The running rigging consists of the halyards, sheets . I don't like spam - I will only send helpful content. How Much Does it Cost to Dock a Boat for a Year? Overall condition is good with some kinks here and there. Good question. Batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. The next area deserving close scrutiny is the spreaders. I cant understand why they wanted 75 feet for the main as I still have 25-30 feet even when the main sheet is eased all the way. Low-cost tension gauges are now available and are a useful addition to your cruising toolbox anyway. To save you from surprises, here's a full overview of costs you can expect when owning a sailboat. The Rigging Company gears much of its sales to DIY sailors and is beginning an e-commerce site to cater specifically to handy individuals. Don't forget that this site will also replace your rigging. Running rigging is the rigging of a sailing vessel that is used for raising, lowering, shaping and controlling the sails on a sailing vesselas opposed to the standing rigging, which supports the mast and bowsprit. But Cockerill says it quickly becomes evident whether an owner feels comfortable enough to do the work. Researchers have announced the discovery of the wreck of the schooner barge Ironton in Lake Huron, sitting upright with masts and rigging still intact and with the lifeboat that could have saved her crew still lashed to the ships stern. Also, there are a lot of costs you can save on substantially if you do simple maintenance yourself or have a simple boat. If line is properly taken care of, it can last many decades. If you're hoisting the sail on land, make sure the bow of the boat is pointing towards the wind. It rolls the end fitting through two opposing dies and compresses the fitting on the wire so tightly that it cant pull out. A stripped cover dyneema halyard is a great way to reduce the splice diameter and weight aloft for racers, however, they do have their downsides. Proper size and material components for the rig are further consideration. The biggest thing we like to have is the history of the boat: what kind of boat it is, how its been sailed and where has it been sailed, says Jay Herman, owner of Annapolis Rigging. Seems like a lot for a 40' boat. You can take a masthead halyard from side to side to ensure that the masthead is on center. For an average 40-foot boat, Cockerill estimates about $100 per foot to re-rig with wire rigging ($4,000), as well as the round-trip cost to haul and launch the boat and unstep and step the rig (an additional $2,500 or so). If the leeward shroud flops around underway, the constant flexing will weaken the metal over time and make it more prone to fail. Thus the standing rigging is made up of all the cables and . If you want to learn how to make your sailing dream reality within a year, leave your email and I'll send you free updates. Skilled marine technicians charge from $75 - $150 per hour. Probably the trickiest will be the forestay and backstay, as these carry the greatest loads, although all the standing rigging can be loosened to some degree when at rest. It's a really helpful post (with a formula) if you want to know what to expect. From knowing the parts of the sails to understanding the need for tension, I'll go over everything you need to know about rigging sails. Click here for a full walkthrough with diagrams. You should be mechanically inclined, he says, and the way to find that out is if I start talking all this technical jargon and you decide whether youre suited to handle that at all.. At least once a year, at the beginning or end of the sailing season, you should visually inspect all of your running rigging and look for signs of wear. The simple answer is to measure it. Winterization is an often-overlooked cost, but it can be one of the largest expenses each year. Replacement of the rigging components is more frequent and based on inspection. Marine-suitable stainless wire is called 316 grade, but even that doesnt mean youre necessarily getting high-quality wire. [1] 2. Picking up early signs of corrosion or replacing select components after a thorough inspection is a worthwhile exercise because it may extend the lifespan of your standing rigging. If you need to replace the mast and boom, prepare to spend anywhere between $15,000 - $25,000. Masthead sloop, single spreader, 2 cap shrouds, 4 lowers, r/r forestay, single backstay. The mast stayed up, but it sounded like a gun shot and was scary as hell. Normal rigging knives and hot knives are almost useless, all turning blocks and sheaves must have a diameter of at least 8 times the line diameter, old sheaves, turning blocks and other hardware will probably not be strong enough for high tech line, high tech line can cost up to $10 per foot. My boat has been in fresh water all its life. I recently sailed on a boat that had rust around the wire/swage on all the shrouds. The biggest problem with rigging and older sailboat with high-tech lines to control the sails is that the lines are too strong for the boat. Enough tape to cover a cotter pin suffices; otherwise, leave the metal open to the air. I think another factor to consider is how much of the "life time" of the rigging was spent with the boat in the water and the mast up. If you use your batteries extensively, they will most likely need replacing after 3-4 years, for example, for liveaboards or full-time cruisers. SKIRMISH was built for Clarence Noble in Brisbane. 9034 GD Marsum Running the halyards Both the Jib and Main halyards are purple , high-load, Marlow Spectra line. Dear improvesailing.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-supported by facts and figures. Get it wrong, and your boat could wind up on the beach in a bad blow. Liveaboards that don't really sail that much have less maintenance to do in one way, and more in another. Most people need 2 risers + 2 exhaust manifolds. Swaging is a strong and durable way to attach end fittings to wire rigging. Sailboat Running Rigging You don't want to have faulty sailboat running rigging. A forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Standing rigging are the cables that support the mast. The most common location of chainplate failure is where one disappears into the deck and cant be inspected. Read more on the lifetime expectancy of marine diesels here. Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. However, what you'll actually pay really depends on the type of boat you have and what you do with it. Do a few turns on one side before going to the other and applying an equal number. I can only assume this is due to the risk of rocking the hull off its jackstands. Your costs will range from a couple of hundred dollars for a small outboard up to over a thousand for a large or difficult to reach inboard. The sails, rigging, and engine will be less critical if you won't take her out very often. [advertisement] Take this opportunity to check out your spars as well. We offer a full range of sailing lines to replace any or all the running rigging on your boat such as halyards, sailboat sheets or control lines. With a spare mechanical end fitting, wire and the proper tools, you can replace a stay pretty much anywhere. There are some question as to whether or not you should replace your turnbuckles along with the wire. These products sell from $1.00 to $2.50 per foot. Let's hoist the sails and get started! You will most likely also need (or want) to replace toggles and cotter pins, even if you keep the turnbuckles. A sailboat doesn't have to be expensive if you know what you're doing. Top manufacturers of swaged fittings are Hayn Marine Rigging Products, Alexander Roberts and C. Sherman Johnson. If line is properly taken care of, it can last many decades. . For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This was most likely caused by something sharp and pointy that poked through the cover and caught on the core. The total maintenance cost on a tight budget can get as low as $275 per year, or $23 per month. Most people that own a sailboat will have to replace the sails and rigging at least once in their lifetime. It's the best way to protect your boat in wintertime, period. Good quality cruising sails will need to be replaced every 10 years or so. Allow at least a foot for each splice or knot. The idea is you come on deck with this small canvas bag and make it happen, Cockerill says. Most racers that use stripped cover halyards are diligent about inspecting these lines and some even replace them every season. If you do the work yourself, it's more something like $1,000 - $1,500. Your subscription could not be saved. Colligo Dux: A relative newcomer to sailboat rigging, Colligo Dux is pre-stretched and heat-treated Dyneema. On the other hand, it will be very important to maintain hull health, as even small leaks will lead to condensation and mold, which is horrible for your health and living standard. Cleat the halyard and pull it to the tape mark on one side . Copyright 2023 ImproveSailing.com It is very flexible and easy to handle, and is still the line of choice for most applications on cruisers and club racers. 3. It does not all wear out at the same rate. Sometimes they let you go longer if you have the rig professionally inspected, particularly if you have an electronic check carried out on the terminals and other crucial fittings. If your standing rigging is . I've read that the inner stays rarely snap. A good boat supply store will be able to help. Few places on the planet have such a devoted, diverse, and downright joyful yacht racing season as the island read more, Ive never laughed so hard as I have on some of my charters, but its typically only funny after the fact. But Malizia is far from the only team struggling to keep their boat in good read more, Get your ground tackle setup right, and youll sleep much easier while youre cruising. Replace this after pinning the shroud as it is a safety device if the main pin happens to come loose (It happens!) One part of sailboats and yachts that must be inspected, maintained, or even replaced when necessary is the standing rigging. Theres a rule of thumb, but it varies rigger to rigger, says Steve Madden, co-owner of M Yacht Services in Annapolis and the head of its M Rigging division. The mechanical terminals most commonly used by DIY riggers are Sta-Lok and Norseman terminals. The cost to replace standing rigging obviously varies from boat to boat. NEW FLAT SCREEN 36" TV IN THE V-BERTH - 2019 Replace Running Rigging, Lifelines and Engine Repairs 3/2018. You must log in or register to reply here. This could be a marine eye, a marine fork, a T-head or a J-hook, among others. I'll explain each line item in detail later on. Read more on the average cost to replace a boat starter here. Mount the masts. rigbos.com our online store is a progression allowing us to more effisantly supply customer Members of ABYC . Fisheries Supply is your premier supplier of sailing and rigging rope from top brands like Samson, Marlow, Robline and New England Rope. The total maintenance cost for a bluewater cruiser will average around $3,225 per year or $269 per month. For docklines a 27 ft. boat would use 1/2 nylon: 25 bow, 15 stern, and 20 spring. The only thing we can really do is regularly inspect lines to look for wear. And although rod rigging may be able to last longer than wire, it too needs to be serviced every five to six years to get the most life out of it. Aside from the relative cost differences between rod and wire (rod is more expensive), what also makes a switch pricey is having to significantly modify the mast to accept the different rigging. Now is a good time to install all new cotter pins or rings to leave no doubt as to the integrity of your connections. We're looking for writers! Usually the owners manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. Use a low stretch Dacron such as Sta-Set-X for halyards. Prices for new boats typically range from $100,000 to $500,000. Theres no real way of measuring that. Deep cycle batteries (which are best for household functionality) need replacing every 4-6 years and will cost roughly $600. We are a proud supplier of Yale Cordage. For all remaining running rigging, you can use polyester double-braid rope. Sailors' hands are busy with the running rigging most on a sailboat. Lastly, check your boom, starting with the gooseneck, mainsheet and vang fittings, where huge forces are applied when the rig is under load. Your first thought may be to replace this old stuff with some of the bright new high tech line you can find in your local chandlery. JavaScript is disabled. and about a 200 anchor .line. Adhering to the minimum safety requirements shouldn't cost you more than 150 - 250 dollars every 5 years. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Attach as many of the rigging lines as possible to the masts, booms, and gaffs. It will always be a judgment call. Theres no reason good quality rigging shouldnt last up to 20 years or so if it is well maintained and any problems that arise are sorted right away. The owner didnt adjust the rigging to compensate for the stretch for several seasons. Dyneema is especially susceptible to UV degradation. Your sail area will most likely also be larger, which means your sail replacement will be more expensive. The Average Cost to Shrink Wrap a Boat (per foot), seasonal maintenance, hull, engine, rigging, don't set aside money for long-term recurring maintenance (rigging, sails, hardware, and batteries), don't outsource engine maintenance, instead do oil changes ourselves, seasonal maintenance - yearly recurring jobs. Regardless of how it happened, the integrity of the line has been compromised and it needs to be replaced. Personally, Im in favor of it, but if you replace the standing rigging frequentlyevery 10 years, saythen it might not be necessary. Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. Youll need about 500 feet for an average 30 footer. This line wont last long in these conditions. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Maybe dying or some other high tech test would. To the best of my knowledge it hasn't had a trailer until last year so the mast was up through the winter. Below, I'll go over four different situations and explain what type of maintenance you'll most likely will and won't do, and what the price tag is for each situation. For an average 40-foot boat, Cockerill estimates about $100 per foot to re-rig with wire rigging ($4,000), as well as the round-trip cost to haul and launch the boat and unstep and step the rig (an additional $2,500 or so).

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