Diy standing rigging replacement

[Baddox]

I replaced the standing rigging on our 32ft boat while the mast was still stepped. A local chandler made up the wire and swaged fittings for well under £1k in 2020/21.
A few tips.
Oil the threads on the bottle screws before disassembling and again before reassembly to avoid galling.
Have spare split pins available.
Expect to add a Staylock fitting to the end of the forestay if you need to it the wire through a furler – they are easy to fit if the wire is cut square.
Beg, borrow or buy a Loos tension gauge.

Selden’s guide to tuning the rigging is very good and easy to follow. http://www.riggingandsails.com/pdf/selden-tuning.pdf

 

[emmalina]

Did mine with compression fittings few years back one wire at a time with the masts in place !

 

[PetiteFleur]

I also replaced my standing rigging in 2018, I had the mast lowered when ashore for the winter, took the rigging to a local boatyard who made some recommendations which I agreed to. It had some toggles at deck level and some of the stainless turnbuckles were knackered, in addition the fitting for the mast babystay needing re- riveting. Bronze body turnbuckles with built in toggles fitted, fitted to the mast by myself and it all fitted perfectly when launched in the spring. All I had to do was set the rigging up when afloat but I do have a rigging tension gauge. Cost was cheaper than well known suppliers, from under £1000 for a Moody 33 mk2.

 

[mattonthesea]

If the mast is coming down then it's a doddle. Just remember to mark where the turn buckles are so you get the right length (new ones might be different lengths).

If keeping mast up then the hardest part is removing old split pins on baby stays. The cotter pins have to go in the tangs towards the mast so the split is awkward to get at when in a bosun's chair.

Worth rebuilding the furler bearings while you're at it; they've been in a really hostile environment for quite a while!

As others have said, the Selden guide is good. I used a two metre rule with an extra three ml mark to adjust tension.

Jimmy Green gave excellent service and actual price cheaper than the quote/estimate.

Edit: forgot to say that recent replacement of 4 baby stays for 32ft yacht was just under£500 including turn buckles and postage

 

[William_H]

If you want to be a cheap skate then for preference I would replace the cap shrouds and intermediate shrouds first. As a priority. Bottle screws are not known to fail often by comparison to wire and swages. Back stay then forestay as next priority. Assuming mast head rig inner forestay perhaps not so critical. Turn screws and bottom toggles if they are very old. As said just remove stays and send to rigger for identical replacement unless you want some variation in length. Check your attachment at the mast top and chain plates while you are at it. ol'will

 

[Crinan12]

If you want to be a cheap skate then for preference I would replace the cap shrouds and intermediate shrouds first. As a priority. Bottle screws are not known to fail often by comparison to wire and swages. Back stay then forestay as next priority. Assuming mast head rig inner forestay perhaps not so critical. Turn screws and bottom toggles if they are very old. As said just remove stays and send to rigger for identical replacement unless you want some variation in length. Check your attachment at the mast top and chain plates while you are at it. ol'will

Hi will why the cap shrouds and intermediates first? What's the logic behind that?
Thanks

 

[William_H]

Hi will why the cap shrouds and intermediates first? What's the logic behind that?
Thanks

I think they are the most stressed and critical. In my case at least the forestay is backed up by the jib luff and halyard and the back stay in my fractional rig is not critical. In the cases of back stay and forestay I have had them let go while sailing different times with no disaster and able top effect repairs. (in a short races without loss of place). Mast head rig perhaps forestay and back stay more critical. ol'will

 

[pyrojames]

Perfectly possible to DIY as you describe.

Exactly what I am just about to do, but with the mast up. Although, this time round I am not doing forestay/backstay or the upper diamond. I'm doing it in two stages, forward lowers and intermediates, then aft lowers, check stays and inner forestay. I stepped into a rolling 5 year replacement program 10 years ago, so I only have half the cost every 5 years rather than the full whack every 10.

 

[pyrojames]

Hi all

I've been quoted 2500+VAT to replace my standing rigging. That's for 7 wires plus the bottle screws. It is a 30ft yacht, masthead rig.

I was considering taking everything off the mast myself this winter and sending it away to get replacements made. Or Scotia rigging is near me so i could get them to do it.

Is this fairly straightforward? The only bit that looks like it could be tricky is the forestay.

My knowledge of rigging is limited so just trying to get an idea if a DIY job is sensible. Are there obvious pitfalls?

Obviously the yard would put the mast back on and i could then get someone to tune the rigging.

Thanks.

It seems a bit steep to me. I have just been quoted for 9 stays, in 8 and 10mm, a total of £1400+vat. about 50 m of 10mm, and 20 of 8mm. This is with swaged eyes on both ends, which are pretty much the cheapest option. The boat was setup that way when she had a new mast. (pre my ownership).

 

[Crinan12]

It seems a bit steep to me. I have just been quoted for 9 stays, in 8 and 10mm, a total of £1400+vat. about 50 m of 10mm, and 20 of 8mm. This is with swaged eyes on both ends, which are pretty much the cheapest option. The boat was setup that way when she had a new mast. (pre my ownership).

My quote was for a rigger to do all the work though. Yours is just for materials?

I'm going to give it a go myself i think anyway.
Ta

 

[pyrojames]

My quote was for a rigger to do all the work though. Yours is just for materials?

I'm going to give it a go myself i think anyway.
Ta

To do the stay assembly, so swaging the eyes on, but the removal and replacement is up to me. They did quote £600 for doing the r/r part.