measuring standing rigging

[homer]

The manual for my yacht quotes lengths for the standing rigging. Can anyone tell me exactly where the measurements are taken from and to? The top of the wires have toggles and the bottom ends are forks.

 

[Avocet]

I've no idea whether this is standard or even common practice, but when we had a new forestay for roller reefing, they asked for the measurement to be taken "bearing-surface-to-bearing-surface". I'd imagined they might have wanted "centre-to-centre" distance between the centres of the pins going through each end, but that wasn't the case - more like "furthest-to-furthest" end of each hole.

 

[NormanS]

I've no idea whether this is standard or even common practice, but when we had a new forestay for roller reefing, they asked for the measurement to be taken "bearing-surface-to-bearing-surface". I'd imagined they might have wanted "centre-to-centre" distance between the centres of the pins going through each end, but that wasn't the case - more like "furthest-to-furthest" end of each hole.

That is quite confusing, because while the bearing surfaces of the wire etc is "furthest to furthest", the bearing surfaces of the fixed elements are "nearest to nearest". IMHO an engineer would specify, centre to centre. That way there is no dubiety.

 

[sutton sailor]

I have never heard of a standard method but as an engineer I would expect it to be from bearing surface to bearing surface. The reason being that this means you will have two known points on the rigging from which to measure to give a reading. If it was to be from centre of pin to centre of pin you will be measuring from two points in air.

 

[rob2]

Whilst I have always heard of measuerments being bearing surface to bearing surface, I doubt such a definition is critical as the difference is only the diameter of one pin - easily accomodated either way by a couple of turns of the bottlescrew.

Rob.

 

[William_H]

Presumably you are interested in wire length because you want to replace the wires. As is vital after 10 to 15 years.
I don't know if Moody builds their boats in such a repeatable manner but I would never trust any data like that for older boats I know of. The only safe way is to remove the old wire and have a rigger use it as a sample for the replacement. Even then you may want the length varied a little to bring turnscrews (bottle screws) into mid range if any are nearer the limit. Hulls can distort mast supports sag or you may find the manufacturer or some subsequent owner has changed things. good luck olewill