Replacing standing rigging

[Ron Hill]

Cliff : You do NOT need to take down the mast to replace all of the standing rigging.

Now if you want to sand the mast and do other things take the mast down, but to just change the rigging NO you can do that in the water with the mast up!!

A thought

[Noah]

If you want to change the masthead sheaves or remove the masthead "sheave box" that would be very tricky with the mast up if you were on a halyard. Any thoughts on that?

[Ron Hill]

Noah : Unless your Bosuns chair are attached to a "sky hook", you'll need to remove the mast to change out the sheaves and or remove the mast cap.

I did all that (BB sheaves) and and ran a TV wire for my Hinkley TV Antenna while the mast was down.  (Mainsheet Tech Note article)

A thought

[Noah]

Yep. Done all of that 6 years ago. Now I MAY have to install a longer spinnaker crane which involves taking the cap off. I am having issues with limited clearance for my top down spinnaker.  I was thinking a crane at the yard in a bosuns chair. Also, one rigger said he could go up on a halyard, tie off "somewhere else" up there, then disconnect himself, still sitting in the chair, and remove mast cap assembly to switch out the spinnaker crane—which is through-bolted to the cap. Hopefully I can sort this issue out without having to install a new spinnaker crane.

[Steve Hansen]

Not sure how your rigger could tell "it was 1987 original rigging"??? Carbon dating?? But if if looks bad, or has had over 10+ years of heavy use, or you don't know its history on an older new-to-you boat... change it.

Apparently there is an identifying mark on some part of the rigging, I don't remember which, the manufacturers started using sometime in the early 90's. Prior to that there was no mark. Ours had no mark confirming my suspicion it was original rigging. 

[PaulJacobs]

New England Yacht Rigging (East Greenwich, RI) has now completed all the standing rigging and installed all six shrouds and the headstay and split backstay on the mast, which is still on the hard.  The mast should be re-stepped early next week, with everything tuned thereafter (viz. mast centered, all standing rigging tensioned, insuring the mast is straight, and also positioning Pleiades solar panel high on the split backstay). 

In addition to doing all of this they also: (1) replaced a surprisingly worn vertical gooseneck bolt (31 years of tacks and gybes), (2) removed the old, bent Windex (evidently a gull sat on it) and installed a new one, (3) installed new rubber spreader tip "booties", and (4) removed the evidently 31 year old main halyard masthead sheeve, and replaced it with a brand new ball bearing sheeve.  I did not care about the sheeves for the genoa halyard - since we only use it to tension the genoa halyard in the spring, and release it in the fall, so extra friction there is briefly noted, and we also rarely fly the asymmetric chute anymore.  However, we use the main halyard almost every time we sail, and reduced friction should help with both raising and lowering the mainsail.

Has anyone else replaced their main halyard masthead sheeve with a new ball bearing sheeve?  Did it make much difference when raising the main?

Paul Jacobs
Pleiades
1990 MK 1.5 No. 1068
TR / FK
Wickford, RI

[Ron Hill]

Paul : I replaced all 4 sheaves with BB sheaves.  You will note some difference, but the main friction is from the couple of 90 degree turned down below!! 

I lessened some of those angles and got the BB deck turning blocks.  My friend said his main difference was when he mounted a #30 winch on the mast and hoisted his main there!

A few thoughts

[PaulJacobs]

The final numbers are in.

Pleasant Street Wharf, Wickford, RI.
1. Disconnect all the standing rigging and mast wiring.
2. Remove the solar panel from the split backstay.
3. Un-step the mast and place it on saw horses.   Then, after the riggers had done their thing;
4. Reposition and reconnect the solar panel, and its wiring.
5. Step the mast
6. Connect the new standing rigging.    Total = $ 990

New England Yacht Rigging, East Greenwich, RI.
1. Swage new 5/16" 316 SS 1x19 headstay, P&S upper shrouds, and upper backstay.
2. Swage new 1/4" 316 SS 1x19 P&S forward lower, aft lower, and split backstays.
3. Attach all new 316 SS turnbuckles, clevis pins, marine eyes, toggles, and round cotters.
4. Install a new ball bearing main halyard masthead sheeve.
5. Install a new masthead Windex.
6. Install new white rubber spreader tip "booties".
7. Tune the rigging.                                            Total = $4598

I noted immediately that the shrouds were tighter than they had been previously.  Nancy and I took Pleiades out onto Narragansett Bay yesterday.  The winds ranged from 5-7 knots around noon to  20 - 25 knots by 4 pm, so these presented a nice sailing range.  Boat speeds and apparent wind angles were extremely close (viz. +/- 0.1 knots and +/- 2 degrees) on both starboard and port tacks.  The shrouds and turnbuckles are all "bright and shiny", the boat sails beautifully, and the new standing rigging will likely outlive me!  As my beloved Nancy often says "IOMH" - "Its Only Money Honey" and we can't take it with us!

[waughoo]

Thanks for reporting back.  This is on my short list of need to do's.