Replacing Rigging

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AlistairM

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I am looking to replace the standing rigging, I have one or two questions to put to the panel.

I replaced all the bottlescrews last year, its just the wire itself that has kinked, can I simply replace this ?

How much is it likely to be?

Its for a small vivacity 20 and is probably at the minimum diameter end of the market.

I anticipate removing it and taking it to the relevent parties then replacing with the new stuff, is this a reasonable assumption or a pipe dream?

Will I be able to apply the same process when replacing the running rigging as well?

As ever thanks for your valuable advice
 
When I did my Alacrity 19 ..... took all to rigger behind Aladdins cave - Bursledon and he made up new on the spot. He asked me about set of bottle-screws - to indicate how much stretch etc. was in old ..... and compensated in new. Fine.

Did your kinks happen when tightening / or removing bottle-screws ?? I had a guy help me on a boat - did just that ...... it unlaid load of the 19 strands ... and 2 never sat back correctly again. Sailed that boat for years after .... before replacing. ( I never raced or pushed that boat ....)
 
The kinking appeared at the end of last season, after I had dropped the mast. It all looks very dodgy I think I would rather replace the lot, for peace of mind if nothing else.

Also I am in Wales which probably isnt so easy to suggest riggers for.

Thanks anyway
 
Kinking can occur fopr various reasons ....

Yours - if appeared once mast was down and stays untensioned .... would most likely be due to twist imparted in stays while rigged ..... Once rig is slacked - it then uses that tension to "coil" and kink.

Others can be due to not holding top part of screw when tensioning ....this twists the stay and unlays the strands - like my mate did !!

Or when de-rigging .... similar can happen.

It is essential that while tensioning / slackening rig to allow built up twist etc. to "turn" out before releasing screw completely. Also that maximum effort to keep top part from imparting twist to stay during the process..

But you know this already ... just typing out for some who haven't played with rigging before !


Your first post also mentioned running rigging. Best way for this is to buy a coil of rope for replacing the old. Clean up end and "SEW" this to end of old .... butting ends together. Then take insualtion tape and wrap it very tight to keep diam. same as old rope ..... Now you can pull through new rope to replace old ..... joint comes out other side etc. Cut and end as required. Repeat for all others. Now a Viv 20 should have all outside halyards ? So in fact its easier than say mine which have an internal run. If you are doing the standing rigging - that means mast is down ... so reave ropes yourself with wire feeder (short length of wire to feed through mast head over sheaves etc.). Cut and end.
 
Excuse me being completly ignorant but can I check I understand propelly.

You suggest that When I put the mast back up I carefully tighten the bottle screws so as to allow the kinks to "turn themselves out". This would be achieved by making sure the top of the screw remains still whilst tensioing.

Sorry to keep questioning but I am a bit new to this level of things. Most previous activity has been on some one elses boat (thus some one elses maintenance)

Thanks
 
Just do exactly what you had planned, take it to somebody, have it re-made.
But..... first make sure you have plenty of tension adjustment left on your bottle screws, as the new rigging will stretch, might be an idea, to have the new made one inch shorter if your bottle screws can accomodate that. If you understand what I mean. Running rigging is easy, just make it the same length, unless you feel you might want a wee bit extra tail on some of the halyards etc.

You should always hold the top of the fork/eye/etc when adjusting bottle screws, otherwise the wire will twist and/or unravel itself, causing all kinds of hassle.
 
mmmm sorry for my quick typing there ......

When re-rigging make sure that all rigging is laid out and allowed to untwist when hanging from stepped mast BEFORE connecting up ............. make sure that you prevent top of bottle screw from turning when tightening ... this way no twists etc. wil be put into the rigging.

It is actually natural for tigging to want to turn when tension comes on - due to the lay-up ..... so don't be alarmed when the stay turns slightly when you remove spanners.
 
I got all my rigging, including bottle screws from ap lifting gear supplies, wolverhampton. lost the catalogue, so I can't give you an address. I sent them a rough drawing of what I wanted, lengths, end details etc, spec of wire, dia, 1*19 stainless steel.
the whole lot for a hunter duette was a little over a hundred pounds.
when I lost the mast, the rigging was fine, it was the deck head that let go on the unsupported side of the mast step. A friend of mine is still using the rigging on his very low buget racer.
 
I replaced all the standing rigging on my 19 footer this winter. Took all the old ones off and measured. Sent the exact measurements to Jimmy Green with my exact requirements, i.e. eyes, etc and they made it all perfectly and received within the week. Total for mine was £140 (backstay, forestay, caps & lower shrouds & all eyes).
 
[ QUOTE ]

It is actually natural for tigging to want to turn when tension comes on - due to the lay-up ..... so don't be alarmed when the stay turns slightly when you remove spanners.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to clarify this shouldn't be the case unless some crazy unknown wire - 1x19 has the outer strands one way, and inners the opposite, so as load comes on the wire is 'balanced' and doesn't try to wind itself up. Dyform I think has the lay all in one direction, but it's generally used on race boats only so not likely to be seen on cruising vessels.
 
The best way to avoid misunderstandings is to hand the rigging man your old stays and say "replace the same" you may want a little longer or shorter depending on the adjustment currently needed. In my experience it is the smaller boats with lighter rigging that need it replaced more often. So if is more than 10 or 15yo then replace it. Especially cap and intermediate side stays. Racing has nothing to do with life. If you are doing it by mail then the distance from the inside of the thimbles is the critical distance. If the wire is swaged directly to threaded part of turnscrew then he will need to supply new threaded part so make sure you describe the threaded part acurately. (maker and dimensions)
As for running rigging you probably want different coloured ropes so just measure and order a little longer is good and replace by attaching to existing halyards and pull through. As for sheets I tend to run em untill they are dead as they have on my boat a short life. especially in the sun.
Enjoy the hot weather here it is cold stormy and blowing a gale. Boat is at home in the yard and I am glad. olewill in WOz
 
Balanced ....

Sorry - disagree ..... every boat I have worked / assisted on / owned has 1 x 19 standing rigging and when tightened and spanners taken of - the stay has turned 1/4 sometimes 1 full turn - due to the tension on the construction .....

A 1 x 19 is not actually 100% balanced as you think. In fact I can't think of a rope or wire that is truly balanced except maybe something like octoplait etc.
 
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