replacing running rigging on a sailboat

Click here for a full walkthrough with diagrams. It is comprised of fixed lines, wires, or rods that are designed to support each mast or bowsprit on sailing vessels. Most people need 2 risers + 2 exhaust manifolds. Replacing your old worn out or damaged standing rigging is a crucial requirement to insure your safety and the safety of others. The average annual maintenance cost of sailboats is between $2,000 - $3,000. Shes the director of media relations at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, and she and her family continue to pine and plan for the day they can return to the cruising life. It is very flexible and easy to handle, and is still the line of choice for most applications on cruisers and club racers. Running the halyards Both the Jib and Main halyards are purple , high-load, Marlow Spectra line. Some boaters don't shrink wrap in the winter because of it. 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). Where you can really save some money, is on the labor. Next check the back and forestay fittings where they connect to the mast, ensuring any clevis pins are straight and secure. 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. In other words, if your boat already has rod rigging, with all of the end fittings to terminate the rods both on deck and in or on the mast, then sticking with rod will ultimately be less expensive than making the switch to wire. But Marissa and Chris Neely on Avocet saw a weather window and jumped, making their first big offshore passage the wrong way from Santa Barbara to San Francisco and loving itmostly. Our sailboat ropes and lines were designed to withstand any weather condition without fraying, tearing, or catching. Check your spreaders, chainplates and turnbuckles for cracking, fatigue, missing cotter pins/rings, etc. How exactly do you determine how much line you need for a given size sailboat? For that reason, its difficult to give an accurate estimate of the cost of making the switch, even for an average 40-footer. Not all maintenance is as important. With inboard engines, this is not something you can easily do yourself - it isn't just unscrewing a motor and screwing a new one in. Dyneema is especially susceptible to UV degradation. Batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. LittleSister said: Re-rigging my 27 footer in 2017 cost me about 860 (though I was something of a captive audience, and didn't shop around - presumably both the boatyard and the riggers made money out of it). Also look to see if there are any broken wires where the shroud enters the terminal. Use nylon 3-Strand for anchor, dock, mooring and tow lines or polyester 3-strand for running rigging on traditional cruising boats. The cost of replacing the standing rigging is, on average, $4,000 every 10 years. Replacing the roller-furling control line is an easy do-it-yourself job for the boat owner. From canvas and cushions to rigging and hardware by top suppliers like Lewmar, Schaefer, Gray, Ronstan, and more. This is a quick and easy job for a rigger to do and covers can be replaced each season rather than discarding the rope. Why replace sailboat running rigging? - Boat and Equipment Reviews Allow at least a foot for each splice or knot. Step 1 - Hire a professional rigger with a good reputation to do a thorough survey of your standing AND running rigging. Market Scan: Running Rigging - Practical Sailor All rights reserved. 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. Running rigging The running rigging consists of all the lines, sheets, and so on that is used to haul and operate the sails. The average price of used sailboats is $111,000, ranging from $19,000 to $518,000. Sun wear and constant use will wear down the sails and rigging even more. Get all your parts together. I personally take stock of a pleasure boat's components and their age and will not load an older boat's rigging as much as I would a newer one. For a 26' sailboat, that's just 500 bucks. Listing Results for Shore Support & Services, Sailing & Rigging and ENG1 Medical Certificate in Marans, Levallois Perret and Cap D'Agde 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. Although anyone can walk into a local chandlery and buy wire, that doesnt mean the wire is of the highest quality. Every time I think Ive seen it all, my people outdo themselves and serve up the unexpected. You can see the difference between the old line on the right and the new line on the left. On modern boats, chainplates are fitted outboard (right) and covered with a plate that lets water drain. The total maintenance cost on a tight budget can get as low as $275 per year, or $23 per month. I just replaced all the rope running rigging on a Catalina 27 for about $300. Polyester double braid works great for frequently adjusted lines, like main and jib sheets, or moderately loaded control lines. Before re-tuning the rig the mast base, turnbuckles and stay fixtures should be inspect. Let me explain. Also, there are a lot of costs you can save on substantially if you do simple maintenance yourself or have a simple boat. Do disconnect them and inspect them very carefully for cracks on a well-lit workbench. It requires more careful consideration of condition, usage, and inspection for signs of failure. When inspecting your rig you should also make an inventory of all its parts and their dimensions. Why do you want to suddenly replace all your running rigging? Yes, doing it yourself will theoretically save money. I'll pull the standing rigging and as much hardware as reasonably possible (tangs, bolts, pins, turnbuckles, etc) and drop it off to a local rigger. 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. Have a feel for any rough or sharp edges, especially cotter pin ends that might chafe lines or sails. Generally its much better to stay with the more traditional line for the running rigging of older boats. Steps. What would be the maintenance cost if you were on a tight budget? 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 . Pip Hare explains when to check and replace your standing rigging Although rod rigging is more common on racing boats, many well-known cruising-boat builders, such as Valiant, Bristol, J/Boats and Hinckley, have rod-rigged models. Its common to choose to fit lighter swaged terminals at the top of a stay or shroud and mechanical ones at the bottom, where swaged terminals are more vulnerable to corrosion. Start at the bottom, working your way up from the lowers, to the cap shrouds and finally the stays. Adhering to the minimum safety requirements shouldn't cost you more than 150 - 250 dollars every 5 years. Let's hoist the sails and get started! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Saltwater is a lot more corrosive, and the stress on your rigging and sails will be higher. The actual total annual cost is $3,000 to $7,000, due to other recurring costs like docking and insurance fees. But you know what is more expensive? Top manufacturers of swaged fittings are Hayn Marine Rigging Products, Alexander Roberts and C. Sherman Johnson. NEW FLAT SCREEN 36" TV IN THE V-BERTH - 2019 Replace Running Rigging, Lifelines and Engine Repairs 3/2018. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your running rigging. 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. First the desired end fitting is chosen (left), and the fitting is slid onto the end of the wire (center). They aren't even worn enough to require end-for ending yet. Dont forget the turnbuckles and chain plates. The three most commonly used types of attachments are swaged and mechanical fittings for wire, and cold heads for rod. 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. What cost standing rigging? | YBW Forum The former requires someone with a swage machine to fit terminals, the latter you can fit yourselfwith care. The standing rigging consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the sails when sailing. 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. It will always be a judgment call. Cleat the jib off on the port side of the mast and the main on the starboard. Overall condition is good with some kinks here and there. 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. If you want to know exactly what the USCG safety requirements are, including checklists, definitely check out my article here. For docklines a 27 ft. boat would use 1/2 nylon: 25 bow, 15 stern, and 20 spring. Good question. Read more about the cost of replacing risers and manifolds here. This is a perfect example to illustrate why a thorough, yearly inspection of running rigging is important. . If in doubt, get a professional opinion. Finally, rod rigging requires a particular type of terminus called a cold head that can be fabricated only with a purpose-built machine, which only a rigging shop will have. PACESHIP PY26 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com. 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. That's a broad range, but if you know what you need for your boat, then you can get a better idea of the cost. . Cleat the halyard and pull it to the tape mark on one side . JavaScript is disabled. 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. The most common location of chainplate failure is where one disappears into the deck and cant be inspected. Listing Results for Sailing & Rigging and ENG1 Medical Certificate in Marans, Levallois Perret and Cap D'Agde 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? 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. When we talk about sailboat rigging, we mean all the wires, ropes and lines that support the rig and control the sails. Chafe usually happens gradually over long periods of time and it is only a serious problem when it goes unnoticed. The following resources contain do-it-yourself information on upgrading and maintenance. The fastest route to crevice corrosion is to cover the metal with plastic or leather turnbuckle covers or to coat the fittings in tape. 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! Opti Running Rigging Sheets Halyard Line Sailboat Kit However, what you'll actually pay really depends on the type of boat you have and what you do with it. So how often should standing rigging be replaced? On our old boat we had the Port Aft lower shroud fail while sailing. Sailboat rigging very rarely fails from being overloaded. I'll agree that most of the kinks were created during stepping or prepping for storage. Inspecting, Maintaining and Replacing Standing Rigging Specific Gravity is 1.38, so it does not float. 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. 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. My boat has been in fresh water all its life. In the past, long-distance cruisers typically chose wire rigging with mechanical fittings for all of these reasons. This video illustrates how to change your halyard rope in your sailboat. If you want a life raft, that's another $1,500. Here's the average cost to shrink wrap a boat. Hello improvesailing.com webmaster, You always provide useful information. Tag each line with a sticker noting which line it is. The sheave in the halyard exit box is chipped and has sharp edges. Most people that own a sailboat will have to replace the sails and rigging at least once in their lifetime. The typical sheets for a low-tech, limited budget sailer is single braid Dacron. All rod rigging terminates in a cold head, which accommodates the end fitting or is encapsulated by the end fitting. The Rigging Company gears much of its sales to DIY sailors and is beginning an e-commerce site to cater specifically to handy individuals. [1] Theres such a safety margin in rigging. Labor total: $1,000 on average This could be a marine eye, a marine fork, a T-head or a J-hook, among others. 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. Lastly, check your boom, starting with the gooseneck, mainsheet and vang fittings, where huge forces are applied when the rig is under load. Let's go over each type and break down which costs to expect exactly. The wire itself rarely fails midway along a shroud, so this makes good sense. 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. The idea is you come on deck with this small canvas bag and make it happen, Cockerill says. Master The Running Rigging On A Sailboat: Illustrated Guide Switching to Lithium Batteries on Your Boat - Power & Motoryacht The cost of replacing the standing rigging will vary greatly depending on the size of your boat and the location you get the job done. ImproveSailing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Sailboat Running Rigging Lines | Sailing Lines - Vela Sailing Supply Hed estimate more like $4,600 for a 40-foot boat, but all of these numbers depend on how much is involved: Are there furlers? The worst-case scenario, of course, is that the chainplates pull right out of the deck, with catastrophic consequences. Some of these might not apply to your situation. The next area deserving close scrutiny is the spreaders. Do this by placing a wrap of tape 3 up from the upper chainplate pin hole on each upper shroud. The condition of this halyard is likely due to UV degradation. Spreader tips that are covered can often encourage and hide corrosion as they can trap water and reduce air flow over stainless steel fittings, causing them to corrode. 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. By taking on the labor yourself, youll probably save as much as $2,000 on the re-rigging cost, he says. Most masts have integral sheaves, which are rarely serviced except when the mast is unsteppedoften only at five-year intervals. For those with external halyard blocks, check to make sure all lines run freely and that block bearings arent worn. 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. The only thing we can really do is regularly inspect lines to look for wear. You can take a masthead halyard from side to side to ensure that the masthead is on center. Clean and lubricate them, then refasten them, and remember to mouse them with new galvanized wire and tape over the ends to avoid chafe. If you live on a boat in a location where it falls below freezing temperature (good luck!). It would help if we knew what your boat was! Then we head over to Bacon Sails and Marine Supplies for a tu. The total maintenance cost varies a lot, depending on the following factors: Still, we want a general feel of what to expect. The cover on core dependent dyneema line normally acts as the first defense against UV rays and chafe, but when you strip it back, the dyneema has to fend for itself. Send messengers up mast for in-mast rigging - 3/2018 1. Flares have to be replaced every 42 months. Its imported and sold through distributors like Alps Wire Rope. Likewise, if you are re-rigging your sailboatboat, use the opportunity to check your chainplates (easily the subject of another article entirely), since thats one of the most common points of rigging failure. Replacing Your Standing Rigging - RIGWORKS INC. For dry storage, part of the process can be to shrink wrap your boat. Hardwood would be best but we used epoxied plywood and it was adequate. These products sell from $1.00 to $2.50 per foot. 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. Having to hire a rigger to climb your mast to run a new halyard after the old one breaks. If you're on a budget, you can maintain your boat reasonably well for just $1,000 / year. Complete, illustrated 16 page instruction guide to get your new DragonForce 95 rigged, setup and on the water! The running rigging consists of all the lines, sheets, and so on that is used to haul and operate the sails. A boat spending most of the last 10 years on a trailer with the mast in a cradle has only corrosion to consider. Contact us When we brought our Oday 25 home ,I knew judging from the lack of care the previous owner shown the rigging might also be suspect. Cruising Boat Running Rigging Inspection - morganscloud.com How much does it cost to replace rigging on a sailboat? If you do the work yourself, it's more something like $1,000 - $1,500. Deck hardware consists of the bullseyes, tiller, eye straps, cleats, and so on. Privacy Policy, Improve Sailing helps you to make your sailing dream actionable, by writing in-depth articles on practical questions. 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. 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. Overall condition is good with some kinks here and there. You will most likely also need (or want) to replace toggles and cotter pins, even if you keep the turnbuckles. Sailing Rope, Boat Rigging Rope & Lines | Fisheries Supply This was rod rigging and increased the price quite a bit. Colligo Dux: A relative newcomer to sailboat rigging, Colligo Dux is pre-stretched and heat-treated Dyneema. On a sailboat, a distinction is made between running rigging and standing rigging. 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. Likewise, if you already have wire with fittings that accommodate your boat and mast, stick with wire. For all remaining running rigging, you can use polyester double-braid rope. 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 . But if you want the good stuff, need more fire extinguishers, plan on spending more like $600. Next check the back and forestay fittings where they connect to the mast, ensuring any clevis pins are straight and secure. And if you see evidence of wear, ask yourself (or your local rigger) What could have caused this? The cost of having a professional rigger inspect your running rigging can save you more money down the road. The Netherlands 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. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. We are cruisers who sail around 500 nm per year, and are able to avoid frequent encounters with heavy weather by laying over if storms are in the offing. 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. So youve determined your sailboats standing rigging needs work. I can only assume this is due to the risk of rocking the hull off its jackstands. Overall, this halyard looked relatively new compared to some of the other lines on this boat, and this sheave probably caused the demise of the previous halyard. FWIW, I just replaced all my running rigging on my 30' with 3/8" Sta-Set for thr halyards and 3/8" XLE for topping lift and downhaul, the halyard were wire-rope but now all rope. The reason it is a scheduled item is that a visual inspection prolly won't detect defects. Youll need about 500 feet for an average 30 footer. To save you from surprises, here's a full overview of costs you can expect when owning a sailboat. How Much Does It Cost to Replace Standing Sailing Rigging? Winter storms and ice can damage the hull and mast as well. On this eye splice, the core has herniated out of the cover. I should have changed mine sooner than I did. Regardless of how it happened, the integrity of the line has been compromised and it needs to be replaced. How to Replace Your Standing Rigging for Less - The $tingy Sailor I live in Friesland, The Netherlands, which is famous for its great lakes and lots of sailing opportunities. On longer boats, you can opt for a furling-line material of more esoteric double-braids with less stretch. Cut a square piece of wood about 3-4 on each side. What kind of end fittings? But a newly cracked sheave or an exposed cotter pin can quickly shred a line that otherwise would have lasted much longer. How much does a used sail cost? 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. A Bonnier LLC Company. Buy some light line and run it as you would your sheets and halyards and measure that. I'm On A Boat- Running Rigging - YouTube We replaced the line AND the sheave box to ensure that the new halyard wont chafe. Look for cracks, corrosion and worn clevis pins or shackles, removing any tape and replacing cotter pins and split rings where necessary. Replacing your Standing Rigging with Jimmy Green Marine. Personally, Im in favor of it, but if you replace the standing rigging frequentlyevery 10 years, saythen it might not be necessary.