How to Tune a Sailboat Mast - The Rigging Company Many boat owners are reluctant to replace their running rigging, and for good reason, it can be expensive! NEW FLAT SCREEN 43' TV IN THE SALON - 2019. First the desired end fitting is chosen (left), and the fitting is slid onto the end of the wire (center). Depending on the answers to those questions and others, a professionally done re-rig for a 40-footer could be closer to $6,000 or more. How Much Does It Cost to Replace Standing Sailing Rigging? Similarly, its easier to find usable replacement parts far from busy ports. When inspecting your rig you should also make an inventory of all its parts and their dimensions. Master The Running Rigging On A Sailboat: Illustrated Guide If you have (reasonable) evidence that the PO replaced only the worst sections, it's safe to assume that the rest of the rig is getting ancient and failure prone. 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. With very slippery high tech line it is also possible to pull the knot through itself, and with an extra slippery line such as Yale Light its even possible to pull an eye splice out.. It is very flexible and easy to handle, and is still the line of choice for most applications on cruisers and club racers. However, what you'll actually pay really depends on the type of boat you have and what you do with it. Sun wear and constant use will wear down the sails and rigging even more. That's just what it is. Every time I think Ive seen it all, my people outdo themselves and serve up the unexpected. 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. If you carry a life-raft you'll need to replace that every 12 years as well. Onboard Rigging - Florida Key's Premier Rigging Service Company There is no hard and fast rule for when to replace your running rigging. Keep your sailboats mast securely in place by carefully inspecting all of your spars components and replacing parts before you have a breakdown. This halyard has minor chafe right now, but the chafe is acute and has an identifiable source. Most people that own a sailboat will have to replace the sails and rigging at least once in their lifetime. To be more precise, the highly tensioned stays and shrouds that support the mast are known collectively as standing rigging, whilst the rope halyards, sheets and other control lines come under the heading of running rigging. 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. The condition of this halyard is likely due to UV degradation. I just replaced all the rope running rigging on a Catalina 27 for about $300. This is some excellent information! 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. Inexpensive, double-braid Dacron is a fine choice for furling lines on most boats shorter than 40 feet. I push the boat hard whenever conditions allow and am always a bit leery of its old rigging. Three strand is referable and less expensive than braid for dock and anchor lines also a lot easier to splice. I think the owner needs to replace those but there's a Covid problem. A detailed rig check takes no more than two hours or so to completeabout as long as it takes to provision the boat with a weeks food suppliesonly the result of not doing it can be a good deal more drastic! You must log in or register to reply here. While its often difficult to know whether, say, a swaged terminal is in good condition, there are a few common signs of possible failure to look for. Write the diameter near the hole with sharpie. For a medium-sized boat (30-50 feet), the cost will be somewhere between $2000 and $4000. Well, for starters, I'd recommend doing most small maintenance yourself and ignore all non-essential. It does not all wear out at the same rate. They might have swollen, so the new will appear to be a smaller gauge. Tartan 30 - Sailing Magazine Read more on the lifetime expectancy of marine diesels here. How to Rig a Laser Sailboat: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow 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. Check out my guide on standing rigging here! Its imported and sold through distributors like Alps Wire Rope. Buy some light line and run it as you would your sheets and halyards and measure that. Usually the owner's manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. I have got quotes for sails for my 40' boat and they range from $8k for a jib and a main and I replaced the standing rigging on my boat. It requires more careful consideration of condition, usage, and inspection for signs of failure. Good quality cruising sails will need to be replaced every 10 years or so. When the rig is tuned the wires are stretched. Clean and lubricate them, then refasten them, and remember to mouse them with new galvanized wire and tape over the ends to avoid chafe. Preparing The Boat For Rigging. Low-cost tension gauges are now available and are a useful addition to your cruising toolbox anyway. Swaging must be professionally done, and the result is extremely strong and generally has a long life. 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. 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. You should have the boat itself (the hull), the dagger board, the rudder and tiller, your mainsheet, both mast pieces, boom, boom bang and sail in one place. 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. Give us a call, and we can give you a rough quote. And if your boat is in the the Seattle area, wed love to come take a look at your running rigging. The Netherlands This halyard definitely needs to be replaced. Deck hardware consists of the bullseyes, tiller, eye straps, cleats, and so on. Pip Hare explains when to check and replace your standing rigging Click here for a full walkthrough with diagrams. Read more about the cost of replacing risers and manifolds here. Generally, they consist of either three or four parts (Sta-Lok has three; Hi-MOD has four), including a sleeve; a cone; in Hi-MODs case, a crown wheel; and the terminal (an eye, fork, stud, etc.). Headed by Dona Bertarelli, the Spindrift team has been on a mission to set a read more, In some stunning footage from onboard reporter Antoine Auriol, Boris Herrmann and his team aboard Malizia decided to cut their Code 0 free after it came loose and got tangled in the keel last night. Do disconnect them and inspect them very carefully for cracks on a well-lit workbench. The total maintenance cost for a liveaboard will average around $1,550 per year or $129 per month. and about a 200 anchor .line. In the past, long-distance cruisers typically chose wire rigging with mechanical fittings for all of these reasons. Lastly, check your boom, starting with the gooseneck, mainsheet and vang fittings, where huge forces are applied when the rig is under load. Double braid lines are used in running rigging and dock . 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. Here's a full overview of all the recurring maintenance from most to least frequent. How much does it cost to replace rigging on a sailboat? Sticking to the 10-year rule, Madden says, means that for the most part, any corrosion or failure points will be eliminated with a re-rig. Gas engines run for about 1,500 hours, diesel engines run for 5,000. Yes, doing it yourself will theoretically save money. Maybe dying or some other high tech test would. As with electronics, safety gear, and even sails, technology has significantly improved cordage. Rigging comprises the system of ropes, cables and chains, which support a sailing ship or sail boat 's masts standing rigging, including shrouds and stays and which adjust the position of the vessel's sails and spars to which they are attachedthe running rigging, including halyards, braces, sheets and vangs. It's also called antifouling paint because it helps to protect your hull from weeds, barnacles, and so on. Yes, its unlikely youll suffer a massive failure during normal coastal cruising, but it is good practice to spend a little time looking carefully at each element of your rig at least once a month, or before a cruise lasting more than a few daysparticularly if heavy weather is expected. 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. Use nylon 3-Strand for anchor, dock, mooring and tow lines or polyester 3-strand for running rigging on traditional cruising boats. Most of my clients say to me without any prompting, This is one area I feel should be done by a professional, Madden says. Also, you'll have plenty of time doing odd jobs yourself, since you'll be living on the boat. To the best of my knowledge it hasn't had a trailer until last year so the mast was up through the winter. The fastest route to crevice corrosion is to cover the metal with plastic or leather turnbuckle covers or to coat the fittings in tape. 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. Remove old lifelines and frayed running rigging. This was rod rigging and increased the price quite a bit. Boom Vang. Masthead sloop, single spreader, 2 cap shrouds, 4 lowers, r/r forestay, single backstay. You could consider buying a LED electric distress light instead, which will last you a lifetime. Your subscription could not be saved. You mean all together don't you? Check by sighting up the backside of the mast to see how straight your spar is side to side. Wendy Mitman Clarke is currently between passages. This halyard had been wrapped around a shroud and tightened to prevent it from slapping against the mast while at the dock. If you want a life raft, that's another $1,500. Our selection runs the gamut, from economical polyester single- and double-braids to high-tech, low-stretch line made from materials such as Dyneema, Spectra, Technora, Kevlar and Vectran. Start at the bottom, working your way up from the lowers, to the cap shrouds and finally the stays. For a 26' sailboat, that's just 500 bucks. Personally, Im in favor of it, but if you replace the standing rigging frequentlyevery 10 years, saythen it might not be necessary. I've read that the inner stays rarely snap. How Much Do New Sails Cost? | Life of Sailing The life span of rigging depends on how heavily a boat has been sailed and on the care taken with tuning. What is the average sailboat maintenance cost? Labor total: $1,000 on average You cannot use a mechanical fitting on rod rigging. I'll explain each line item in detail later on. Master The Standing Rigging On A Sailboat: Illustrated Guide With the tension off its a lot easier to waggle the terminal around and check closely for cracks, wear, distortion or corrosion. This is the furling line for an in-mast furler. Best Price Opti Running Rigging Sheets Halyard Line Sailboat Kit 100% Original + FREE Delivery discount activity gsmsharmaji.com, US $174 sail ties Lower Spirit Halyard 1 ea and shock cords One of the best ways to improve an aging Opti is to overhaul and replace all the running rigging Upper Spirit Halyard 1 ea, Free shipping on all orders . RIGGING TIP: Why not fit a pair of mast steps a few feet from the masthead to give you a solid base on which to stand while youre working up there, rather than hanging uncomfortably in the bosuns chair? Replacing your Halyard Rope - Sailboat Halyard Line - YouTube 3. If your running rigging has seen better days, now might be the time to replace it. What kind of end fittings? WE SHIP WORLDWIDE: More Info. It would help if we knew what your boat was! Marine-suitable stainless wire is called 316 grade, but even that doesnt mean youre necessarily getting high-quality wire. Rigging Begins - The Suburban Ship Modeler On our old boat we had the Port Aft lower shroud fail while sailing. On this eye splice, the core has herniated out of the cover. Depending on the spreader joint, cap shrouds can sometimes prove troublesome as well, often requiring the spreaders to be disconnected at their roots. One thing all the riggers I spoke with expressed emphatically was that stainless steel needs oxygen to create a fine film of oxidation that protects the metal. For my 41 feet sloop, I did most of the installation myself and paid approximately $4700 for the entire rig replacement. Sailboat Running Rigging - velasailingsupply.com Let's hoist the sails and get started! The following resources contain do-it-yourself information on upgrading and maintenance. Standing Rigging - Cable Loft 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. Step 1 - Hire a professional rigger with a good reputation to do a thorough survey of your standing AND running rigging. We're looking for writers! Adhering to the minimum safety requirements shouldn't cost you more than 150 - 250 dollars every 5 years. As a basic rule, the replacement of the standing rig should be done every 10 years, except for multihulls or regattas, and rod or composite fiber rigging. The standing rigging consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the sails when sailing. (Deck-stepped masts are less prone to corrosion as the foot of the mast is open to the air and can dry quickly.) Gas engine will last a lot less long than diesels. Most sailors choose to leave this to a professional rigger, but theres no reason why you shouldnt attempt it yourself if you know the best way to go about it. The task of replacing the standing rigging on a sailing yacht may seem daunting but there is a procedure to follow that can make it a relatively straight forward process for anyone who is reasonably practical. But not just any kind of sailing. The first decision is whether to tackle the job with the mast up or down. Batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. I actually just replaced the outer turnbuckles. 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. If you need to replace the mast and boom, prepare to spend anywhere between $15,000 - $25,000. Whether you want to replace aging and questionable rigging, be able to handle a wider range of weather conditions, or add sail trimming upgrades for more speed and better pointing to windward, this ebook will show you . The mast stayed up, but it sounded like a gun shot and was scary as hell. Perhaps a rogue cotter pin sticking out of a turnbuckle. MacgregorOwners.com store Cracks are hard to see (use a magnifying glass), and sometimes marks that look like cracks can be left by the machine used to create the swage. Top manufacturers of swaged fittings are Hayn Marine Rigging Products, Alexander Roberts and C. Sherman Johnson. Your sail area will most likely also be larger, which means your sail replacement will be more expensive. If you use your batteries extensively, they will most likely need replacing after 3-4 years, for example, for liveaboards or full-time cruisers. If you're hoisting the sail on land, make sure the bow of the boat is pointing towards the wind. By taking on the labor yourself, you'll probably save as much as $2,000 on the re-rigging cost, he says. In most cases, you'll only have to replace your running rigging every 5-10 years, but it will cost you $5,000 on average. [advertisement]. For docklines a 27 ft. boat would use 1/2 nylon: 25 bow, 15 stern, and 20 spring. If you live on a boat in a location where it falls below freezing temperature (good luck!). Parts total: $600 on average (This is true anywhere there are stainless fittings by the way, so be wary of putting too much tape or tight-fitting covers on them.). Please try again. The sails, rigging, and engine will be less critical if you won't take her out very often. I should have changed mine sooner than I did. Rigging | West Marine The Tartan 30 is an ideal used boat choice for a small family looking to sail offshore in varying sea conditions or simply wanting to have fun racing around the buoys with line-honors confidence. 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. For sheets, if you're happy with the length take the old ones off determine the gauge and and match them up. It will always be a judgment call. 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. Saltwater is a lot more corrosive, and the stress on your rigging and sails will be higher. From canvas and cushions to rigging and hardware by top suppliers like Lewmar, Schaefer, Gray, Ronstan, and more. Regardless of how it happened, the integrity of the line has been compromised and it needs to be replaced. Here's the average cost to shrink wrap a boat. All rights reserved. The customer had had the boat re-rigged, and during a trip to the BVI, the new wire stretched. Hello improvesailing.com webmaster, You always provide useful information. It's about a days worth of work. 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.