And while I am in the mood for asking questions

[Tam Lin]

Took the mast down today to have the rigging replaced. Don't know when it was last down or how old the fittings are. While it is down should I replace the VHF antenna, Tri-colour, steaming light as a matter of course or leave them if they seem OK and just replace the bulbs? Any thoughts welcome.

 

[nigelmercier]

Clean all the contacts and replace the bulbs. If the antenna fitting is corroded, replace it and the antenna.

Then use Contralube770.

 

[prv]

Entirely up to you. One argument says if it ain't broke don't fix it, the other says it's much easier to do these things now while the mast is down. Personally I opted for the latter course, and did every job there was while I had the opportunity (including fitting the tang for a storm forestay even though it'll probably be a couple of years before I get round to installing the stay), but I could well understand someone deciding to leave things as they are.

Pete

 

[VicS]

Took the mast down today to have the rigging replaced. Don't know when it was last down or how old the fittings are. While it is down should I replace the VHF antenna, Tri-colour, steaming light as a matter of course or leave them if they seem OK and just replace the bulbs? Any thoughts welcome.

Replace the lamps if the lenses are crazed. Consider fitting LED ones if replacing or led bulbs if not.

Replace the antenna if it looks suspect or any signs that the insulation is deteriorating.

 

[Robin]

Entirely up to you. One argument says if it ain't broke don't fix it, the other says it's much easier to do these things now while the mast is down. Personally I opted for the latter course, and did every job there was while I had the opportunity (including fitting the tang for a storm forestay even though it'll probably be a couple of years before I get round to installing the stay), but I could well understand someone deciding to leave things as they are.

Pete

+100. Do anything you think you might need when you have the opportunity. Our mast was recently lifted to replace the old radome with a new Garmin HD one and to fit a new Garmin masthead wind transducer array,. I Inspected the mast myself when down and although the rigger and the electronics installer both said the VHf antenna and other things were all OK I had them replace the VHF aerial because there was evidence to me of corrosion at the base, the anchor light, also corroded, and had them also fit a new combined steaming light and deck floodlight to replace a stupid arrangement of halogen deck flood lights the previous owner had installed in a marine TV antenna housing The TV antenna was removed completely (no longer of use with new digital terrestrial systems here and anyway we have cable TV in our berth) . We had all the rigging inspected an even though it had recently passed survey anyway but we did chose to replace several rigging screws. We also took the opportunity to add a couple of flag halyard fittings to the lower spreaders oh and all the electrical cabling inside the mast was also replaced because I thought it was looking very tired and was probably too light a guage to minimize voltage drop ,and we also replced the antenna coax cable rsther than just re-use the old one

So we could have left everything pretty much as was and just had the new radome and wind transducer fitted but took our chance and from choice did quite a bit more whilst we easily could.

 

[rivonia]

This is your one big chance so check and double check everything if in doubt REPLACE. If you do not have them fit mast steps, you will appreciate them later. Wash and polish well the mast and spreaders before it goes back up.

Good luck

Peter

 

[oldbilbo]

Took the mast down today to have the rigging replaced. Don't know when it was last down or how old the fittings are. While it is down should I replace the VHF antenna, Tri-colour, steaming light as a matter of course or leave them if they seem OK and just replace the bulbs? Any thoughts welcome.

Wot they sed....

Plus.... take off each and every sheave and sheave pin. Inspect with a critical eye every part of 'em. Any that are not pristine will eventually cost you dear in chafed, replaced halyards.

 

[prv]

Plus.... take off each and every sheave and sheave pin. Inspect with a critical eye every part of 'em. Any that are not pristine will eventually cost you dear in chafed, replaced halyards.

This is starting to encourage me that my Replace All the Things!! policy was the right one

Indeed, the big roll-pin that my main halyard and topping lift sheaves ran on had fallen out of its hole at one end. The main halyard sheave was still just about turning, though canted over, but the topping lift one was jammed. Fortunately no significant flat spot worn on the sheave yet; perhaps the former charterers always left the topping lift set at one length all the time.

I replaced the pin with a suitable length of polished stainless bar (originally out of a fuessball table my brother and I had as kids - it's been knocking around my scrap box a very long time ) with a washer and split pin at each end, which seems much more suitable from an engineering point of view.

I actually took the masthead unit home to work on the various bits and bobs in my workshop. Replaced the VHF aerial with a Metz Manta, and the downlead with some very chunky high-quality coax. I now regularly pick up Jobourg Traffic in the Solent, and we heard Brixham Coastguard the other week while just off Cherbourg. I also fitted a 12v LED to illuminate the windex, put Bebi LED lamps in the tricolour and all-round-white housings, and replaced all the cabling (which was bog standard domestic 3-core flex, probably from new ) with new tinned cable.

Because I enjoyed Kindred Spirit's capacity for traditional flaggery (main masthead unencumbered with aerials, a mizzen gaff to fly the ensign from, etc) I thought perhaps I might one day want to hoist a proper burgee on a staff at the masthead. So I fitted the sheave, which is small and unobtrusive, so that if I ever get the urge I just need to go up and poke the halyard through. Doubt I will, though, having mostly adapted from wood and leather to aluminium and stainless now.

Back at the mast, I replaced the main halyard and topping lift, took the other halyards home to wash, fitted the storm forestay tang, put a Bebi lamp in the steaming light, mounted a foghorn / hailer under the radar, and ran the cable for some deck lights (though I didn't find any lights I liked before it was time for the mast to go back up). I cut an exit slot for the spinnaker halyard so that it can be hauled on properly at the mast, and I fitted winches on pads port and starboard to take the spinnaker halyard (so that the whole hoist is worked from on deck) and genoa halyard (to free up rigging runs to the cockpit, since it's rarely used and then only for tweaking, not critical manoeuvres). I also rearranged where the halyards came out at the foot of the mast to match my new plan for the running rigging.

This was all done while the boat was locked in Desty's shed for repainting, so I couldn't be doing any other jobs anyway

Pete