The number one destroyer of line is chafe. Copyright 2023 ImproveSailing.com Die testing wont pick it up, and its rare that a wire will give you warning before breaking.. Learn More; Reliable Standing Rigging. If you need to replace the mast and boom, prepare to spend anywhere between $15,000 - $25,000. 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. Average installation and setup takes around 30 hours (at $105 per hour), which would add another $3,105 to the bill, bumping the cost to re-rig up to $8,010 for an average re-rig. A little less than the semi-circular groove on the sheave (or pulley).Generally its not strength issue for diameter but rather thick enough to be easily handled. Hello improvesailing.com webmaster, You always provide useful information. Any line that you have to handle such as jib sheets, halyards and mainsheet should be about half inch (12mm) diameter for a good grip, and jib sheets and mainsheets should be one of the softer feel products. Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. So I've added it to the "be aware this might happen" list - but won't add it to the monthly recurring costs. Parts total: $600 on average (Deck-stepped masts are less prone to corrosion as the foot of the mast is open to the air and can dry quickly.) Make Wire cutting Jig. Hi, I'm Shawn, and when I was 2 years old, I was sailing (with my parents) on the English Channel during a proper storm (and by proper I mean something along the lines of force 10). The deciding factor of how much will this cost exactly is whether you can simply bolt the new engine in or whether you have to adjust all other parts, including shaft logs, exhausts, electrics, and so on. They are all full re-rigs from 119 wire with new rigging screws (please note all examples given are for supply only): Steps. On longer boats, you can opt for a furling-line material of more esoteric double-braids with less stretch. Start at the bottom, working your way up from the lowers, to the cap shrouds and finally the stays. Do a few turns on one side before going to the other and applying an equal number. I found some tests that some SBO folks had done many years ago on the O'Day 25's standing rigging. Barnacles can slice through your boat's bellow! 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. Inevitably. The mast stayed up, but it sounded like a gun shot and was scary as hell. The total maintenance cost for a liveaboard will average around $1,550 per year or $129 per month. If you carry a life-raft you'll need to replace that every 12 years as well. Boom Vang. That said, it is perfectly possible, though somewhat tedious, to change shrouds and stays in pairs with the mast up by using halyards and intermediate tackles to support it. A swaged fitting is a terminus thats attached using a machine called a swager. Many boat owners are reluctant to replace their running rigging, and for good reason, it can be expensive! Send messengers up mast for in-mast rigging - 3/2018 I used the Sta-Set solid color line to easily identify the lines. That said, some sailors prefer wire over rod for a number of reasons. Buy some light line and run it as you would your sheets and halyards and measure that. What would be the maintenance cost if you were on a tight budget? As you can see, most of these costs are longterm recurring maintenance costs. It will be important to maintain a couple of parts, though: With a first boat, you most likely won't invest in new sails or the standing rigging if you don't have to. A sailboat doesn't have to be expensive if you know what you're doing. At minimal cost you can rig a permanent preventer that is easy to use, is fully adjustable, and does not require going forward on deck. The theory is that youve crushed it so tightly that all the wires inside have just merged into one solid piece of stainless, Madden says. 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. Deck hardware consists of the bullseyes, tiller, eye straps, cleats, and so on. Yes, doing it yourself will theoretically save money. Much depends on where it is manufactured; Herman and other riggers say the best wire today is coming from South Korea through a manufacturer called KOS, making wire to military specifications. It rolls the end fitting through two opposing dies and compresses the fitting on the wire so tightly that it cant pull out. That history will affect what kind of life you get out of your standing rigging. Some insurance companies, he says, will require a re-rig if youre purchasing a used boat that has standing rigging older than 15 years. It would help if we knew what your boat was! The next area deserving close scrutiny is the spreaders. I've read that standing rigging should be replaced anywhere from 10 all the way up to 20 years and also simply based on condition. Where you can really save some money, is on the labor. If the existing is frayed and faded - then a decision should be made to contract a rigger, preferably to x) inspect and give a written report on the condition of all the running rigging; to y) provide a written quotation to supply and fit new line; to z) provide a written quotation to replace sheeves and other running rigging components with new. For instance, for an offshore bluewater boat, Madden recommends 10 years, and for a serious coastal cruiser, more like 12. Theres such a safety margin in rigging. The bottom of the top half just slides into the top of the bottom half. A boat in the water is in constant motion and the rigging experiences constant micro shock loads even when sitting in the slip. . The following resources contain do-it-yourself information on upgrading and maintenance. 2. The only thing we can really do is regularly inspect lines to look for wear. 26' Bermuda Sloop rig will cost you about $1,000 - $2,500. Top manufacturers of swaged fittings are Hayn Marine Rigging Products, Alexander Roberts and C. Sherman Johnson. Either way, Jimmie Cockerill, co-owner of the Rigging Company in Annapolis, recommends that for a sailboat with wire rigging, the mast should be pulled and all fittings and wire visually inspected every five to six years. Now, this is expensive, and it is hard on the environment. If the baseplates, for example, are leaking, water will penetrate the deck, making the surrounding deck core mushy and weak (if a core exists) and possibly compromising supporting bulkheads and structures belowdecks. And never forget the golden rule: if in doubt, sling it out. I should have changed mine sooner than I did. We're the first and last stop for parts and accessories. A third visual indicator are cracks in swaged fittings, some of the most common end fittings for wire. These products sell from $1.00 to $2.50 per foot. It is very flexible and easy to handle, and is still the line of choice for most applications on cruisers and club racers. Read more on the average cost to replace a boat starter here. This line wont last long in these conditions. 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. The masthead is a good place to start, and while youre at it, its worth looking closely at the mast as well as the rigging, to see if any corrosion, cracks or weld defects are evident. 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). With the tension off its a lot easier to waggle the terminal around and check closely for cracks, wear, distortion or corrosion. This could be a marine eye, a marine fork, a T-head or a J-hook, among others. You could consider buying a LED electric distress light instead, which will last you a lifetime. Boats used for coastal cruising, week ending or day sailing may go longer. A good set of rigging is of great importance in order to ensure navigation without causing any damage. 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. 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. Do you hire a pro or go it alone? Does that mean that replacement time for those is longer? Note wire and pin diameters and measure the wires as accurately as possible between pin centers with the rig fully tensioned. The running rigging consists of the halyards, sheets . Connect the halyard to the head of the sail, here we are looping the halyard back over its plastic stopper to lock it in place. The average annual maintenance cost of sailboats is between $2,000 - $3,000. ImproveSailing is compensated for referring traffic and business to this companies. Let me explain. How exactly do you determine how much line you need for a given size sailboat? The Out Haul can be simply a single line the pulls the foot of the sail toward the free end of the boom or the Out Haul can consist of an elaborate arrangement of blocks. The former need careful scrutiny and often sustain damage from misalignment. You can see the difference between the old line on the right and the new line on the left. Inboard engine (and generator) starters cost from $40 - over $1,000 depending on the engine. A standard 15HP or 20HP outboard gas engine will cost you about $5,000 - $6,000 and needs replacing every 20 years or so. With all of these factors in mind, what can you expect to pay for standing rigging replacement? The annual maintenance cost is $2,000 - $3,000 for most boats, but the actual total annual cost is $3,000 to $7,000. If in doubt, get your deck buddy to rig temporary stays using the halyards and check each stayone at a timewith it slackened off. In this article, I'll show you what to expect. Don't forget that this site will also replace your rigging. Generally its much better to stay with the more traditional line for the running rigging of older boats. On this page you will find both rigging hardware and rigging tools. I think the owner needs to replace those but there's a Covid problem. Bluey Williams's yard was a cowshed in Lawnton near the North Pine River, on the northern side of Brisbane and inland from Redcliffe. Check your spreaders, chainplates and turnbuckles for cracking, fatigue, missing cotter pins/rings, etc. Enough tape to cover a cotter pin suffices; otherwise, leave the metal open to the air. That was a case of not knowing that the worst thing you can do to standing rigging is have it loose on the leeward side, he says. Get it wrong, and your boat could wind up on the beach in a bad blow. Before you contemplate the task of renewing your standing rigging you need to thoroughly inspect all components at close quarters to find out exactly what needs to be replaced and what items can be safely transferred to the new rig. Improve Sailing 14.8K subscribers In part 3 of our series on sailboat parts, we dive into two types of rigging: standing rigging and running rigging. 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. We're looking for writers! Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Hardwood would be best but we used epoxied plywood and it was adequate. [1] 2. This is the furling line for an in-mast furler. Skilled marine technicians charge from $75 - $150 per hour. If you go DIY, you will be limited to mechanical end fittings unless you hire a rigger to swage your end fittings. If you use your batteries extensively, they will most likely need replacing after 3-4 years, for example, for liveaboards or full-time cruisers. Consider this a half inch diameter Samson Tech-12 (12 Strand Technora) line has an average breaking load of 33,000 pounds. All rod rigging terminates in a cold head, which accommodates the end fitting or is encapsulated by the end fitting. Inexpensive, double-braid Dacron is a fine choice for furling lines on most boats shorter than 40 feet. Our sailboat running rigging includes sailboat mainsheets, sailboat halyards, and all major sailboat lines. Read more on the cost of antifouling your boat. 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. Your engine will wear out faster, and you'll need more incidental repairs as well. Usually the owner's manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. There are also a few spots where the chafe is more serious. The fastest route to crevice corrosion is to cover the metal with plastic or leather turnbuckle covers or to coat the fittings in tape. OK, it isn't cheap, but it can absolutely be done on a budget. Click here for a full walkthrough with diagrams. 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. It sounds to me that the question is when, not if you will go for new rigging. But you should think carefully before you go ahead and buy any high tech replacement running rigging. The final price depends on two things - what type of engine you have, and how hard it is to get to the starter. Saltwater is a lot more corrosive, and the stress on your rigging and sails will be higher. Inspect any integral reefing sheaves or bearing wear or UV degradation. NEW FLAT SCREEN 36" TV IN THE V-BERTH - 2019 Replace Running Rigging, Lifelines and Engine Repairs 3/2018. Tests done by the magazine Practical Sailor and others show that if you tie any type of knot in a high-tech line, you can reduce the breaking strength of the line by up to 80%. Kinks in wire is like chafe on a line. On a sailboat, a distinction is made between running rigging and standing rigging. Gas engine will last a lot less long than diesels. Overall condition is good with some kinks here and there. Sailboat Rigging. Remove the clevis pins at each end if you haven't already, replace the old cable with the new cable, and reinstall the clevis pins. Next check the back and forestay fittings where they connect to the mast, ensuring any clevis pins are straight and secure. Sampson Ropes make a double braid dacron called XLS, New England Ropes make a similar product called Sta-Set and Yale Ropes product is called Vizzion. Most of my clients say to me without any prompting, This is one area I feel should be done by a professional, Madden says. Good question. Use a low stretch Dacron such as Sta-Set-X for halyards. Having to hire a rigger to climb your mast to run a new halyard after the old one breaks. They can provide a higher percentage of nominal capacity than lead-acid batteries, without shortening their life. Also, there are a lot of costs you can save on substantially if you do simple maintenance yourself or have a simple boat. Replace this after pinning the shroud as it is a safety device if the main pin happens to come loose (It happens!) The most common location of chainplate failure is where one disappears into the deck and cant be inspected. When I thought about it this way, it seemed easy to give ourselves 20 years of confidence for our Lake Erie boat, rather than take the risk of waiting. Run the shrouds and attach them to the deadeyes on the hull. I would think at the first notice of a few broken strands in more than two of the wires. Then theres just age, and this factor as a reason to re-rig is more subject to a boats history than anything else. A lot of new boat owners overlook the maintenance costs of sailboats - and maintenance can get pricey quickly. For later reference, photograph each wire end, terminal and mast attachmentditto for the lower ends, turnbuckles, toggles and chainplatestaking careful note of the positions of the turnbuckles. Madden says that cost isnt linear, though; as you go up in size (a bigger boat needs heavier wire and larger fittings), youll spend more. How do you know when its time to re-rig? There are some question as to whether or not you should replace your turnbuckles along with the wire. Sta-Set X is an ideal. Some have an extra light sheet for real light winds so the sheet doesnt weigh the jib down. If you want to know exactly what the USCG safety requirements are, including checklists, definitely check out my article here. Their solidworks simulations revealed the rigging was on the lighter side. Add winches and UV rays and the wear and tear can be significant so it's important to use a quality line. Today, with the advent of super-strong synthetic line such as AmSteel and Dyneema, the need for that extra wire and gear is eliminated. That's why I've calculated the average maintenance costs for four different types of boat below: Your specific maintenance cost will vary depending on what type of boat you have and how you'll use it. Ive had some snafus out there to be sure, and they loom large when theyre read more, When One Wrong Makes a Right Everybody knows youre not supposed to sail up the Pacific Coast! We replaced the line AND the sheave box to ensure that the new halyard wont chafe. One advantage is that you might not need to winterize if you're a fulltime cruiser since you'll probably spend your winters in Bermuda. Down Haul. By taking on the labor yourself, you'll probably save as much as $2,000 on the re-rigging cost, he says. We only sell guaranteed-content, guaranteed-process wire, Herman says. They also would carry a piece of wire as long as the longest stay on the boat coiled and stowed, which undeniably was sometimes easier said than done as well as spare end fittings and the tools needed to replace a broken shroud or stay. You cannot use a mechanical fitting on rod rigging. Look for cracks, corrosion and worn clevis pins or shackles, removing any tape and replacing cotter pins and split rings where necessary. Your mainsheet probably sees more use than your spinnaker halyard.Our spinnaker halyards- on a boat that races frequently- are about 18 years old, and do not need replacing. If you follow directions, they are fairly straightforward to install, although not especially easy. Perhaps a rogue cotter pin sticking out of a turnbuckle. On our old boat we had the Port Aft lower shroud fail while sailing. The benefits of rod are less stretch, less weight, less windage, and arguably longer life than wire, because theres less possibility for corrosion of the rod itself. Its always advisable to unstep the mast every few years to check it over thoroughly at ground level, so this is an obvious time to consider replacing the shrouds and stays, particularly if the forestay is to be replaced, as removing the furler without damaging it can be a tricky task. 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. On modern boats, chainplates are fitted outboard (right) and covered with a plate that lets water drain. I live in Friesland, The Netherlands, which is famous for its great lakes and lots of sailing opportunities. If youre thinking of buying a used sailboat its probable that your final selection will be a boat that is a few years old and the halyards, mainsheet, backstay, jibsheets and other running rigging will probably look a little old, dirty and frayed. But Cockerill says it quickly becomes evident whether an owner feels comfortable enough to do the work. 0 www.rigbos.com. The Rigging Company gears much of its sales to DIY sailors and is beginning an e-commerce site to cater specifically to handy individuals. 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.

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