OEM Standing Rigging ?
Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:11 am
One of the next projects I'm considering is the standing rigging on Lady Anne.
During the initial re-fit, I inspected the OEM rig and naively rated it "good enough" to save the time/cost/hassle of replacement at that point. Four months "wet" on, I'm now taking a longer, more educated look at my rig, and frankly, living in terror of dismasting.
Some background: The rig looks like OEM; turnbuckle bodies are very frail (comparatively) and the adjustment nuts appear to be made of some kind of weak alloy that has seized onto the threaded ends of the shrouds...making tuning nearly impossible. The forestay looks solid, but the split backstay has minor "kinks" I missed on my less-than-adequate initial inspection. Chainplates all look "bulletproof"; I say this because the shroud plates have no "wallows" in the holes, and are fixed interior with a 12" piece of 1/4" metal, set by four bolts. The backstay plates seem "ok".
Last week, one my slipmates, a 25' Beneteau, lost his rig in high winds while tied up pier-side. Looks like his jib (on furler) got loose, and the constant whipping caused the forestay to sheer at the fitting.To be fair, this boat looked like it hadn't been seen by the owner in a while.
Never the less, this event not only "woke me up" to rigging damage, and has me wondering how strong my rig really is.
During last year's refit, I modified my mast by fabricating a steel "hinge"; the top end of which is bolted to the mast by way of two steel "arms" that go from the hinge body to about four inches up each side of the mast and bolt through. The lower hinge body is screwed to the step using the same six screw configuration as OEM. This way, if the rigging fails, the mast won't take the whole deck up as it goes, but when raising/lowering, I have little risk of the hinge breaking loose from the mast (one time was enough).
I've made inquiries, and it seems I have two options: First, the closest rigger is in Chattanooga...a day or two's transit down river, and can do the job for under $2,000, including haul-out. Second, I can lower the mast and remove the rigging myself, and send off to a variety of reputable riggers, receiving new kit in about a week or two for under $500.
Here's my problem...taking Lady Anne all the way down to 'Nooga via the locks is a logistical issue not to be taken lightly. While I'd love having a "pro" do it all, there are added costs/risk associated, beyond the relatively high cost of the repair. As to removing/sending off...this involves getting the boat out on the hard months before planned, lowering the mast (something I don't care to do solo), then leaving it on the trailer at the marina for the three to four weeks needed to do the repair...all in the mid-early winter.
Here are my questions...Am I being overly-cautious/pessimistic about my rig? Has anyone experienced "unexpected" failure under light winds outside of a racing environment with OEM rigging? Given the high difference in cost, am I simply chasing quarters with dollars to send off the rig vs. the trek downstream? Does anyone in the Watts Bar lake area know of someone who can do this (Blue Springs stated they cannot)?
Many Thanks,
Dizzy
During the initial re-fit, I inspected the OEM rig and naively rated it "good enough" to save the time/cost/hassle of replacement at that point. Four months "wet" on, I'm now taking a longer, more educated look at my rig, and frankly, living in terror of dismasting.
Some background: The rig looks like OEM; turnbuckle bodies are very frail (comparatively) and the adjustment nuts appear to be made of some kind of weak alloy that has seized onto the threaded ends of the shrouds...making tuning nearly impossible. The forestay looks solid, but the split backstay has minor "kinks" I missed on my less-than-adequate initial inspection. Chainplates all look "bulletproof"; I say this because the shroud plates have no "wallows" in the holes, and are fixed interior with a 12" piece of 1/4" metal, set by four bolts. The backstay plates seem "ok".
Last week, one my slipmates, a 25' Beneteau, lost his rig in high winds while tied up pier-side. Looks like his jib (on furler) got loose, and the constant whipping caused the forestay to sheer at the fitting.To be fair, this boat looked like it hadn't been seen by the owner in a while.
Never the less, this event not only "woke me up" to rigging damage, and has me wondering how strong my rig really is.
During last year's refit, I modified my mast by fabricating a steel "hinge"; the top end of which is bolted to the mast by way of two steel "arms" that go from the hinge body to about four inches up each side of the mast and bolt through. The lower hinge body is screwed to the step using the same six screw configuration as OEM. This way, if the rigging fails, the mast won't take the whole deck up as it goes, but when raising/lowering, I have little risk of the hinge breaking loose from the mast (one time was enough).
I've made inquiries, and it seems I have two options: First, the closest rigger is in Chattanooga...a day or two's transit down river, and can do the job for under $2,000, including haul-out. Second, I can lower the mast and remove the rigging myself, and send off to a variety of reputable riggers, receiving new kit in about a week or two for under $500.
Here's my problem...taking Lady Anne all the way down to 'Nooga via the locks is a logistical issue not to be taken lightly. While I'd love having a "pro" do it all, there are added costs/risk associated, beyond the relatively high cost of the repair. As to removing/sending off...this involves getting the boat out on the hard months before planned, lowering the mast (something I don't care to do solo), then leaving it on the trailer at the marina for the three to four weeks needed to do the repair...all in the mid-early winter.
Here are my questions...Am I being overly-cautious/pessimistic about my rig? Has anyone experienced "unexpected" failure under light winds outside of a racing environment with OEM rigging? Given the high difference in cost, am I simply chasing quarters with dollars to send off the rig vs. the trek downstream? Does anyone in the Watts Bar lake area know of someone who can do this (Blue Springs stated they cannot)?
Many Thanks,
Dizzy