Youre out there offshore and theres a squall coming and you start worrying about the craziest of things, and you dont want to have any unknowns. Thats especially true of the system that keeps the mast and sails up. Running Rigging & Cordage to Order . Gas engine will last a lot less long than diesels. This video illustrates how to change your halyard rope in your sailboat. Don't forget that this site will also replace your rigging. If you use your batteries extensively, they will most likely need replacing after 3-4 years, for example, for liveaboards or full-time cruisers. The two primary manufacturers of mechanical fittings presently are Sta-Lok and Petersen Stainless, which produces Hi-MOD. You can't eliminate all risk on a sailboat and how to make that call will be different bassed on an individual's risk tollerance. 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. Wire rigging is generally less expensive and easier to handle. Its when the leeward side starts flopping around that youre asking for trouble., Stainless steel has a finite number of cycles essentially, movements, whether fore and aft or side to side. Flares have to be replaced every 42 months. Gas engines run for about 1,500 hours, diesel engines run for 5,000. 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. [advertisement] Take this opportunity to check out your spars as well. If you want a life raft, that's another $1,500. Keep the tension equal on each side by counting the turns on each turnbuckle. Then the swager is used to compress the fitting so tightly that the wires merge into a solid piece of stainless steel and cant pull out (right). We're looking for writers! I have broken more than my share of components in newer boats while a lot less in older boats. This is some excellent information! The cost of replacing the standing rigging is, on average, $4,000 every 10 years. Replacing the mast is uncommon, but if you're unlucky and get demasted, it will need to be fixed. For those with external halyard blocks, check to make sure all lines run freely and that block bearings arent worn. If your standing rigging is . So I've added it to the "be aware this might happen" list - but won't add it to the monthly recurring costs. It would help if we knew what your boat was! 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. 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! For all of these reasons, most riggers agree that when your sailboats standing rigging approaches 15 years old, its a good time to consider replacing it. A boat with sound supports should not require re-tuning in less than 5 years. 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. Complete, illustrated 16 page instruction guide to get your new DragonForce 95 rigged, setup and on the water! If in doubt, get a professional opinion. For instance, Madden says, he recently had a customer whose 46-foot cutter had a rigging failure at six years. Some have an extra light sheet for real light winds so the sheet doesnt weigh the jib down. Standing rigging are the cables that support the mast. These carry a good deal of compression load, so check their roots for damage and make sure the spreaders arent bent in any waythey should exactly bisect the angle of the shroud. 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. I'll explain how below. Some boaters don't shrink wrap in the winter because of it. The golden rule has always been never to work on a rig with the boat out of the water. Contact us 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. The typical sheets for a low-tech, limited budget sailer is single braid Dacron. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Does that mean that replacement time for those is longer? Winterization is an often-overlooked cost, but it can be one of the largest expenses each year. Aside from the relative cost differences between rod and wire (rod is more expensive), what also makes a switch pricey is having to significantly modify the mast to accept the different rigging. The worst-case scenario, of course, is that the chainplates pull right out of the deck, with catastrophic consequences. 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%. 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. If you're on a budget, you can maintain your boat reasonably well for just $1,000 / year. Replacing Running Rigging on an Older Sailboat, a bowline or other knot in a high tech line reduces the breaking strength by up to 80%, for jib sheets you must increase the line size to account for the reduced strength more $$$$, an eye splice is required to attach a shackle to a halyard. 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. The only thing we can really do is regularly inspect lines to look for wear. What would be the maintenance cost if you were on a tight budget? First, check for cracks (usually longitudinal), particularly if the terminal looks misshapen or the stay is misaligned in any way. 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. Do you hire a pro or go it alone? and about a 200' " anchor .line. Replacing electronics won't be very important - however, your batteries will need to be replaced more often. Labor total: $1,000 on average 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. Do this by placing a wrap of tape 3 up from the upper chainplate pin hole on each upper shroud. 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). Your engine will wear out faster, and you'll need more incidental repairs as well. Cleat the halyard and pull it to the tape mark on one side . I actually just replaced the outer turnbuckles. To avoid excessive wear, make sure your halyard sheaves are the proper type for whatever line you select. It wears with time due to UV exposure, flogging, strain from the wind, and regular use. The running rigging consists of all the lines, sheets, and so on that is used to haul and operate the sails. A running manoeuvre has a free end that can be acted upon. Their solidworks simulations revealed the rigging was on the lighter side. Dyneema is especially susceptible to UV degradation. Read more on boat engine replacement costs here. Remove old lifelines and frayed running rigging. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more! Most insurance companies reckon you should replace your standing rigging about every 10 years. Double braid lines are used in running rigging and dock . I would think at the first notice of a few broken strands in more than two of the wires. Standing rigging supports your boat's mast. Bluey Williams's yard was a cowshed in Lawnton near the North Pine River, on the northern side of Brisbane and inland from Redcliffe. Money well spent. We are a proud supplier of Yale Cordage. Write the diameter near the hole with sharpie. Put together both the pieces of your mast. Check and make sure the sheaves run freely, that the bearings are not worn oval and that the retaining pins are secure. As you can see, most of these costs are longterm recurring maintenance costs. Here's the average cost to shrink wrap a boat. Cleat the jib off on the port side of the mast and the main on the starboard. 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. Check the deck around the chainplates and mast for cracking and delamination. 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. In this article, we'll break down the average prices of different sailboats by type, age, condition, and size. Are the chainplates sound? I use a 3D model and some diagrams. The former requires someone with a swage machine to fit terminals, the latter you can fit yourselfwith care. 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. This could be a marine eye, a marine fork, a T-head or a J-hook, among others. Inexpensive, double-braid Dacron is a fine choice for furling lines on most boats shorter than 40 feet. Theres such a safety margin in rigging. The theory is that it can take 10 to 15 years of cycling, but this continual motion when its unloaded is what fatigues the wire, Madden says. The Down Haul consists of a line attached to the mast end of the boom. Any requirement to re-tune the rig more often than that would point to wires been stretched beyond their tensile strength minimums. 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.). Inboard engine (and generator) starters cost from $40 - over $1,000 depending on the engine. If you own a bluewater cruiser, your maintenance cost will go up a lot. Not all maintenance is as important. To avoid you have to go cheap on your safety gear, I've put it in the budget for $500. A rope with a Dyneema core (SK 78 or better) with a polyester cover that can be removed from the working ends would be best. I'm the owner of ImproveSailing. I'll explain each line item in detail later on. 26' Bermuda Sloop rig will cost you about $1,000 - $2,500. To differentiate the frame from the current, remember that the current is mobile (it runs). You could consider buying a LED electric distress light instead, which will last you a lifetime. However, larger boats of 30 feet and up will cost considerably more. You must log in or register to reply here. sailboats with inboard engine: $5,000 - $10,000, sailboats with outboard engine: $1,000 - $1,500, most powerboats (inboard engine): $15,000 - $35,000, small outboard engines (2-5 hp): $1,000 - $1,500, large outboard engines (100+ hp): $10,000+. 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. In the US, Sampson, New England Ropes and Yale all make a double braid dacron line very suitable for almost all the running rigging on an older sailboat. Kinks in wire is like chafe on a line. Dont forget the turnbuckles and chain plates. This is a perfect example to illustrate why a thorough, yearly inspection of running rigging is important. Wendy Mitman Clarke is currently between passages. 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. PACESHIP PY26 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com. If you go DIY, you will be limited to mechanical end fittings unless you hire a rigger to swage your end fittings. To the best of my knowledge it hasn't had a trailer until last year so the mast was up through the winter. 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. The warm trade winds in the West Indies were calling; time to go sailing. I push the boat hard whenever conditions allow and am always a bit leery of its old rigging. We're the first and last stop for parts and accessories. The most common location of chainplate failure is where one disappears into the deck and cant be inspected. Every five to six years, the mast should be pulled out of the boat so all fittings and wire or rod can be carefully inspected. Down Haul. Clean and lubricate them, then refasten them, and remember to mouse them with new galvanized wire and tape over the ends to avoid chafe. About us Tag each line with a sticker noting which line it is. JavaScript is disabled. 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 swaged fitting is a terminus thats attached using a machine called a swager. 1. Boom Vang. However, they generally cost more than a swaged fitting; Herman says while Hi-MODs newer mechanical fittings are definitely more user-friendly to assemble, theyre twice the cost of a swaged fitting. Some riggers will recommend swaged fittings for the mast end of the rigging and mechanical fittings at the deck level: Corrosion is less prevalent at the top of the mast, and you can more easily and regularly inspect mechanical fittings at deck level, where theyre frequently subjected to salt water. Learn More; Reliable Standing Rigging. Now would also be a good time to change those old cotter pins and circlip rings as well. Start by digging out the bosuns chair and finding a trusted (and hopefully fit) buddy to help you. Consider this a half inch diameter Samson Tech-12 (12 Strand Technora) line has an average breaking load of 33,000 pounds. The former need careful scrutiny and often sustain damage from misalignment. Replace this after pinning the shroud as it is a safety device if the main pin happens to come loose (It happens!) 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. Most engines will last you about 20 years, depending on the amount of use and whether you use it properly. It will always be a judgment call. splicing any of these high tech lines is not for the faint hearted. How much does a used sail cost? 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. Sun wear and constant use will wear down the sails and rigging even more. When the rig is tuned the wires are stretched. If you replace the rigging preventively, you should never experience the failure I did. In marine environments, everything can go wrong exactly one time for it to be critical. It sounds to me that the question is when, not if you will go for new rigging. On average, it costs about $15 to $20 per foot to get your sailboat hull painted professionally. 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. For my 41 feet sloop, I did most of the installation myself and paid approximately $4700 for the entire rig replacement. 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. rigbos.com our online store is a progression allowing us to more effisantly supply customer Members of ABYC . We replaced the line AND the sheave box to ensure that the new halyard wont chafe. All standing rigging, whether rod or wire, has to end in a fitting that attaches to the deck and mast. 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. Another factor in your DIY decision-making process is simple: peace of mind. The mechanical fasteners are great in that you can terminate and then look inside to be sure its formed correctly, so you do have a way of inspecting your work, Madden says. It's a really helpful post (with a formula) if you want to know what to expect. Theres no real way of measuring that. The three most commonly used types of attachments are swaged and mechanical fittings for wire, and cold heads for rod. A boat in the water is in constant motion and the rigging experiences constant micro shock loads even when sitting in the slip. You will most likely also need (or want) to replace toggles and cotter pins, even if you keep the turnbuckles. 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. Buy some light line and run it as you would your sheets and halyards and measure that. Let's go over each type and break down which costs to expect exactly. The standing rigging consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the sails when sailing. 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. They can provide a higher percentage of nominal capacity than lead-acid batteries, without shortening their life. 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 . How do you know when its time to re-rig? A smaller loop is a makeshift chainplate attachment you can attach it to a neighboring chainplate and attach the stay to it. Polyester double braid works great for frequently adjusted lines, like main and jib sheets, or moderately loaded control lines. All this small hardware needs to be replaced every 20-30 years and will amount to about $1,500. There is no hard and fast rule for "when" to replace your running rigging. To save you from surprises, here's a full overview of costs you can expect when owning a sailboat. These boats have less moving parts and less critical parts. Account. Plus, this line won't harden with age. The diameter of the sheets and halyards will depend on what fits the blocks that you have. They aren't even worn enough to require end-for ending yet. Hello improvesailing.com webmaster, You always provide useful information. Read more about the cost of replacing risers and manifolds here. One of the most common areas of rig failure is where the shrouds terminateboth at the mast tang or socket fitting and the wire terminal, toggle or T-ball. The mechanical terminals most commonly used by DIY riggers are Sta-Lok and Norseman terminals. Maybe dying or some other high tech test would. The Estimated Costs of Replacing a Jibs and Genoas Sails for boats measuring 42' to 50' can cost around $5,500-$9,000 Sails for boats measuring 36' to 42' can cost around $4,000-$7,000 Sails for boats measuring 32' to 36' can cost around $3,000-$5,000 Sails for boats measuring 24' to 32' can cost around $2,500-$4,000 Ensure swivels are working and remove any shackles. Regardless of what fittings you currently have the choice for multi-stranded wire rigging is between swaged terminals or mechanical fittings. On this page you will find both rigging hardware and rigging tools. For a small boat (under 30 feet), you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $2000 for standing rigging replacement. Just tell us the best email address to send your tips to: Improve Sailing We only sell guaranteed-content, guaranteed-process wire, Herman says. 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. For a medium-sized boat (30-50 feet), the cost will be somewhere between $2000 and $4000. There is minor chafe on all sides of the line and along the entire length. Probably the trickiest will be the forestay and backstay, as these carry the greatest loads, although all the standing rigging can be loosened to some degree when at rest. The sails, rigging, and engine will be less critical if you won't take her out very often. 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. However, what you'll actually pay really depends on the type of boat you have and what you do with it. In a tropical area, or high sunshine location, you should replace the running rigging every six to eight years. The installation of the engine will cost a few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars. For that reason, its difficult to give an accurate estimate of the cost of making the switch, even for an average 40-footer. I can only assume this is due to the risk of rocking the hull off its jackstands. The boat owner or previous rigger had clearly replaced the old line without looking for the source of the chafe. 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. 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. Steps. These specific components likewise reinforce the spars against increased loads when wind interacts . Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. 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. All rod rigging terminates in a cold head, which accommodates the end fitting or is encapsulated by the end fitting. Send messengers up mast for in-mast rigging - 3/2018 Installing the new standing rigging is simple for a trailer sailor after the mast is unstepped. Read more on the cost of antifouling your boat. 2. 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. Running rigging varies between vessels that are rigged fore and aft and those that are square-rigged. 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. Copyright 2023 Cruising World. 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. Make Wire cutting Jig. 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. Lets say you ripped a tang out of the mast; you can use a Dyneema loop to create another attachment point. The average annual maintenance cost of sailboats is between $2,000 - $3,000. 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 average price of used sailboats is $111,000, ranging from $19,000 to $518,000. Thus the standing rigging is made up of all the cables and . 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. Batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. It does not all wear out at the same rate. As I have done a fair amount of club racing, my personal preference would be to use any of the above products for everything except the halyards and then go for a lighter, low stretch, high tech product such as New England Ropes T-900 for the halyards and get the eye splices done professionally. NEW FLAT SCREEN 43' TV IN THE SALON - 2019. Chafe occurs when line rubs against a sharp or rough surface. 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. Please try again. Here's a full overview of all the recurring maintenance from most to least frequent. Over time, UV exposure weakens the fibers and eventually, even the slightest friction will cause chafe that will damage and break the fibers of the cover. It's a good idea to replace wire running rigging with high-modulus rope, but the reality is that in most cases we can't because many masts that were designed for wire have sheaves that are: Grooved for wire. The life span of rigging depends on how heavily a boat has been sailed and on the care taken with tuning. The total maintenance cost varies a lot, depending on the following factors: Still, we want a general feel of what to expect. 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. For all remaining running rigging, you can use polyester double-braid rope. All you need is two blocks (pulley attachments) attached forward on both sides, ideally near the toerail, and enough line to run from the boom attachment up to the blocks on each side and then back to the cockpit. Our sailboat running rigging includes sailboat mainsheets, sailboat halyards, and all major sailboat lines. For sheets, if you're happy with the length take the old ones off determine the gauge and and match them up. For docklines a 27 ft. boat would use 1/2" nylon: 25' bow, 15' stern, and 20' spring. (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.). Running rigging is the rigging of a sailing vessel that is used for raising, lowering, shaping and controlling the sails on a sailing vesselas opposed to the standing rigging, which supports the mast and bowsprit. A good set of rigging is of great importance in order to ensure navigation without causing any damage. 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. Swaging must be professionally done, and the result is extremely strong and generally has a long life. Listing Results for Sailing & Rigging and ENG1 Medical Certificate in Marans, Levallois Perret and Cap D'Agde