Here's the average cost to shrink wrap a boat. Its good enough to get you to safety and someplace you can make a more permanent repair. Riggers say very few sailors re-rig from wire to rod or the reverse, but if switching is on your mind, have a professional make a full assessment first. 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. This way you wont risk deforming the mast or pulling a fitting out of line. 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.. The Rigging Company gears much of its sales to DIY sailors and is beginning an e-commerce site to cater specifically to handy individuals. Now is a good time to give it a quick spray with some track lubricant as you descend. A Bonnier LLC Company. Installing the new standing rigging is simple for a trailer sailor after the mast is unstepped. On top of that, maintaining your boat properly is critical. If the leeward shroud flops around underway, the constant flexing will weaken the metal over time and make it more prone to fail. However, larger boats of 30 feet and up will cost considerably more. Place the top of the sail in the mast track and pull on the halyard. Similarly, its easier to find usable replacement parts far from busy ports. Are the chainplates sound? 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 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. 2. Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. It's also called antifouling paint because it helps to protect your hull from weeds, barnacles, and so on. They are all full re-rigs from 119 wire with new rigging screws (please note all examples given are for supply only): These boats have less moving parts and less critical parts. Cut a square piece of wood about 3-4 on each side. Mount the masts. Final words Congratulations! I'll also inquire about upgrading to one size up. Strong, durable lines are essential for controlling the sails on your boat without risking your own safety, or that of the sails. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your running rigging. Exhausted In Singapore, For All the Wrong Reasons, Cruising World Takes Multiple Honors in Annual Writing and Photography Contest. This is the furling line for an in-mast furler. 26' Bermuda Sloop rig will cost you about $1,000 - $2,500. ImproveSailing is compensated for referring traffic and business to this companies. If in doubt, get your deck buddy to rig temporary stays using the halyards and check each stayone at a timewith it slackened off. Make Wire cutting Jig. Allow at least a foot for each splice or knot. It was this mistakefailing to untie the read more, After four long months poised to spring into action at the first sign of the right weather window, Spindrift has announced that its record-breaking circumnavigation attempt wont be possible this year. How do you know when its time to re-rig? 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. As with electronics, safety gear, and even sails, technology has significantly improved cordage. However, what you'll actually pay really depends on the type of boat you have and what you do with it. We are a proud supplier of Yale Cordage. If you're on a budget, you can maintain your boat reasonably well for just $1,000 / year. Well, for starters, I'd recommend doing most small maintenance yourself and ignore all non-essential. Another factor in your DIY decision-making process is simple: peace of mind. They aren't even worn enough to require end-for ending yet. On this site for example someone posted the specs for a Catalina 27 and they were bang on and agreed fully with the specs I got from the Catalina owners association. For those with external halyard blocks, check to make sure all lines run freely and that block bearings arent worn. For a 26' sailboat, that's just 500 bucks. My boat has been in fresh water all its life. Wendy Mitman Clarke is currently between passages. The running rigging consists of the halyards, sheets . The warm trade winds in the West Indies were calling; time to go sailing. The only thing we can really do is regularly inspect lines to look for wear. Check and make sure the sheaves run freely, that the bearings are not worn oval and that the retaining pins are secure. For docklines a 27 ft. boat would use 1/2" nylon: 25' bow, 15' stern, and 20' spring. When the rig is tuned the wires are stretched. If you carry a life-raft you'll need to replace that every 12 years as well. Picking up early signs of corrosion or replacing select components after a thorough inspection is a worthwhile exercise because it may extend the lifespan of your standing rigging. This site is owned and operated by Truly Content. A professional needs roughly 8 hours to get the job done. Gas engine will last a lot less long than diesels. Swaging must be professionally done, and the result is extremely strong and generally has a long life. The total maintenance cost for a small daytripper will average around $1,600 per year or $133 per month. Our sailboat running rigging includes sailboat mainsheets, sailboat halyards, and all major sailboat lines. Do this by placing a wrap of tape 3 up from the upper chainplate pin hole on each upper shroud. It is very flexible and easy to handle, and is still the line of choice for most applications on cruisers and club racers. 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). This produces an easy-to-handle rope that is strong and durable. splicing any of these high tech lines is not for the faint hearted. So youve determined your sailboats standing rigging needs work. Start by digging out the bosuns chair and finding a trusted (and hopefully fit) buddy to help you. If you dont have that you may be able to find it on line or on line at your boat class owners association. 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. [1] 2. Running the halyards Both the Jib and Main halyards are purple , high-load, Marlow Spectra line. The golden rule has always been never to work on a rig with the boat out of the water. Tag each line with a sticker noting which line it is. Some have an extra light sheet for real light winds so the sheet doesnt weigh the jib down. It sounds to me that the question is when, not if you will go for new rigging. Contact us Send messengers up mast for in-mast rigging - 3/2018 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. First, its easier to fix in remote places and on your own. Replace this after pinning the shroud as it is a safety device if the main pin happens to come loose (It happens!) In marine environments, everything can go wrong exactly one time for it to be critical. Good question. Usually the owner's manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. Remove old lifelines and frayed running rigging. Most engines will last you about 20 years, depending on the amount of use and whether you use it properly. Money well spent. 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. 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. Where you can really save some money, is on the labor. Dear improvesailing.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-supported by facts and figures. With the forestay removed, take the opportunity to fully service your headsail furling gear as well. Deep cycle batteries (which are best for household functionality) need replacing every 4-6 years and will cost roughly $600. Inspect the area around tang plates and toggle fittings for cracks, preferably using a magnifying glass. 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. Standing rigging are the cables that support the mast. Do disconnect them and inspect them very carefully for cracks on a well-lit workbench. Buy some light line and run it as you would your sheets and halyards and measure that. And if you get a young, strong, enthusiastic gorilla on a halyard winch, he could pull the headboard out of the sail, damage the sheave at the masthead or pull the turning block at the base of the mast out of the deck. 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. The mechanical terminals most commonly used by DIY riggers are Sta-Lok and Norseman terminals. JavaScript is disabled. Write the diameter near the hole with sharpie. On longer boats, you can opt for a furling-line material of more esoteric double-braids with less stretch. Seems like a lot for a 40' boat. You can see that the chafe is only occurring on one side of the line, the side that comes in contact with the sheave. For a medium-sized boat (30-50 feet), the cost will be somewhere between $2000 and $4000. So how often should standing rigging be replaced? Just because a line or even the whole boat is new, doesnt mean there isnt something wrong with the running rigging. . In the past, long-distance cruisers typically chose wire rigging with mechanical fittings for all of these reasons. This is a very serious problem for the average sailor. The short answer is, lithium batteries perform better and last longer than many lead-acid batteries. I can only assume this is due to the risk of rocking the hull off its jackstands. You must log in or register to reply here. The total maintenance cost varies a lot, depending on the following factors: Still, we want a general feel of what to expect. Top manufacturers of swaged fittings are Hayn Marine Rigging Products, Alexander Roberts and C. Sherman Johnson. So I've added it to the "be aware this might happen" list - but won't add it to the monthly recurring costs. It wears with time due to UV exposure, flogging, strain from the wind, and regular use. Sailboat Running Rigging You don't want to have faulty sailboat running rigging. For instance, for an offshore bluewater boat, Madden recommends 10 years, and for a serious coastal cruiser, more like 12. 0 www.rigbos.com. Both are located in the U.K., and the products are distributed in the U.S. through vendors like Hayn, West Marine, Defender, and local chandleries and riggers. 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. Attach as many of the rigging lines as possible to the masts, booms, and gaffs. [advertisement]. how much fuel a sailboat uses in my article, ICC (International Certificate of Competence, Average Cost of Buying & Owning a Sailboat (With 4 Examples). (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.). The boat owner or previous rigger had clearly replaced the old line without looking for the source of the chafe. Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. 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. It wears with time due to UV exposure, flogging, strain from the wind, and regular use. This is some excellent information! The mast stayed up, but it sounded like a gun shot and was scary as hell. 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. On a sailboat, a distinction is made between running rigging and standing rigging. Keep your sailboats mast securely in place by carefully inspecting all of your spars components and replacing parts before you have a breakdown. 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. Please try again. The two primary manufacturers of mechanical fittings presently are Sta-Lok and Petersen Stainless, which produces Hi-MOD. You can also use sacrificial covers to protect halyards from clutch damage,. Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Connect the halyard to the head of the sail, here we are looping the halyard back over its plastic stopper to lock it in place. 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. Regardless of how it happened, the integrity of the line has been compromised and it needs to be replaced. Read more on the lifetime expectancy of marine diesels here. But not just any kind of sailing. Modelers Central guide you through the importance it adds to the beauty of your finished model. I live in Friesland, The Netherlands, which is famous for its great lakes and lots of sailing opportunities. 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. I agree with a general average of 20 years for replacing the standing rigging. Still a lot of people single braid nylon for docklines, its a little more flexible. Hello improvesailing.com webmaster, You always provide useful information. 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. But if you want the good stuff, need more fire extinguishers, plan on spending more like $600. From knowing the parts of the sails to understanding the need for tension, I'll go over everything you need to know about rigging sails. All standing rigging, whether rod or wire, has to end in a fitting that attaches to the deck and mast. You want a reliable boat, which means you'll fix anything that needs fixing immediately. Would you replace this? Perhaps a rogue cotter pin sticking out of a turnbuckle. Batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. I ended up just replacing all of the standing rigging through rigginonly.com in Fairhaven Ma. Yes, doing it yourself will theoretically save money. Double Braid: A braided core inside a braided cover. When youre happy everything is in place, its time to tune your rig. Chafe occurs when line rubs against a sharp or rough surface. 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. We're looking for writers! On the other hand, it will be very important to maintain hull health, as even small leaks will lead to condensation and mold, which is horrible for your health and living standard. Shrouds and stays should be replaced in pairs, applying just enough tension to support the mast with you climbing it, but not tuned to sail. The fastest route to crevice corrosion is to cover the metal with plastic or leather turnbuckle covers or to coat the fittings in tape. 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. 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? You will most likely also need (or want) to replace toggles and cotter pins, even if you keep the turnbuckles. Running rigging The running rigging consists of all the lines, sheets, and so on that is used to haul and operate the sails. Do you hire a pro or go it alone? (Deck-stepped masts are less prone to corrosion as the foot of the mast is open to the air and can dry quickly.) They can provide a higher percentage of nominal capacity than lead-acid batteries, without shortening their life. The sails, rigging, and engine will be less critical if you won't take her out very often. Clean and lubricate them, then refasten them, and remember to mouse them with new galvanized wire and tape over the ends to avoid chafe. Gas engines run for about 1,500 hours, diesel engines run for 5,000. Marlow Ropes in the UK produce Marlowbraid. But you should think carefully before you go ahead and buy any high tech replacement running rigging. Three strand is referable and less expensive than braid for dock and anchor lines also a lot easier to splice. Hardwood would be best but we used epoxied plywood and it was adequate. 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! 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. With a spare mechanical end fitting, wire and the proper tools, you can replace a stay pretty much anywhere. This line is double braided polyester, so the cover is responsible for carrying up to 30% of the load. Replacement of the rigging components is more frequent and based on inspection. Customize your boat, or put it back in its original factory condition with parts and gear from MacgregorOwners.com. The November 1969 Modern Boating magazine . Usually the owners manual gives you the specifications of all the running and standing rigging. A boat in the water is in constant motion and the rigging experiences constant micro shock loads even when sitting in the slip. For an idea of the costs involved to replace your standing rigging, here are some examples of sets of rigging we have made for customers in the past 12 months (prices as of Sept 2022). I would think at the first notice of a few broken strands in more than two of the wires. If in doubt, get a professional opinion. Skilled marine technicians charge from $75 - $150 per hour. Whether you are setting up the hardware for a trapeze or trying to create the perfect mast rake before a big race with your tension guage, we at MAURIPRO Sailing will meet your Rigging needs. Also, there are a lot of costs you can save on substantially if you do simple maintenance yourself or have a simple boat. Die testing wont pick it up, and its rare that a wire will give you warning before breaking.. 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. Overall condition is good with some kinks here and there. Too narrow for equivalent ropeshould be 10% wider than the diameter of the rope. We only sell guaranteed-content, guaranteed-process wire, Herman says. Use a low stretch Dacron such as Sta-Set-X for halyards. If you need to replace the mast and boom, prepare to spend anywhere between $15,000 - $25,000. Check by sighting up the backside of the mast to see how straight your spar is side to side. Click here for a full walkthrough with diagrams. Then we head over to Bacon Sails and Marine Supplies for a tu. How Much Does it Cost to Dock a Boat for a Year? To differentiate the frame from the current, remember that the current is mobile (it runs). Before long this will create slack in the rig, generating bends and stresses elsewhere. 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. On this eye splice, the core has herniated out of the cover. I won't go into detail, but I have written an in-depth article about the cost of new sails (opens in new tab). 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. For each diameter of rigging wire your boat requires drill a hole that size near the corner of the block. Replacing Running Rigging on an Older Sailboat If you're thinking of buying a used sailboat it's 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. If your running rigging has seen better days, now might be the time to replace it. Why do you want to suddenly replace all your running rigging? Rig inspections, rig replacement and rig upgrades is how we can help. That's why I've calculated the average maintenance costs for four different types of boat below: Your specific maintenance cost will vary depending on what type of boat you have and how you'll use it. The wire itself rarely fails midway along a shroud, so this makes good sense. Lifejackets have to be replaced every 10 years. Now would also be a good time to change those old cotter pins and circlip rings as well. Included are halyards, main sheet, headsail sheets, and topping lift. The first decision is whether to tackle the job with the mast up or down. On average, it costs about $15 to $20 per foot to get your sailboat hull painted professionally. 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. This halyard had been wrapped around a shroud and tightened to prevent it from slapping against the mast while at the dock. I use a 3D model and some diagrams.