Standing rigging advice needed (not age related)

[Gixer]

I'm going to get my mast down to replace my wind speed indicator and as my standing rigging is 12 years old I might a well replace it.
Getting a rigger to come down to me seems it be difficult and expensive. I can get the mast down and get all the rigging off easily except for the forestay which is inside the furler. I've watched videos around replacing the forestay by feeding it though the furler and then using a sta-loc or something similar. I am nervous about doing this though.
The advice I'm after is, would you do the below?
Take the rigging off including cutting the forestay out and take it to Jimmy Green or similar. With the money saved buy a brand new furler and fit it when the mast is back up, this negates the need for a rigger. My current furler must be at least 25 odd years old (might be 40) and although works fine must be towards the end of its life.
We've only taking a little 27 foot boat with a 7/8 rig. What do you think?

 

[Poignard]

Taking the opportunity of renewing it all in one go seems like a good idea to me.

 

[ctva]

I recently replaced all my rigging (34' AWB). Took all off, sent to Eurospars (great to deal with and cheaper than others). Returned with forestay bare at deck end . fed through furler and cut to length to fit Stayloc fitting. Like you nervous but in the end a piece of cake. I used this video, How to Install Sta-Lok fittings - YouTube as a guide.

As to the Furler, if it is working, why replace? Service and refit. When you come to renew the furler if it ever fails, you don't need to de mast.

Saved a fortune and I know the rigging well now.

PS, unless your insurance company insist or the boat has been raced, why replace as only 12yo?

 

[john_morris_uk]

Which furling gear to you currently have?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

If you go down that route you don't have to use marine riggers. Industrial riggers will copy what you have. I've used S3i in the past. There's no problem using a Sta-Lok swageless fitting on your forestay. It's not difficult to do and is just as good. S3i can supply that too.

 

[vyv_cox]

Most forestays have a Sta-lok or Norseman at the lower end as standard. You should be able to pull the stay from the furling drum and foil to disassemble the fitting, then pull the wire out through the top.

 

[Neeves]

If you are doing this because you worry that your insurer might demand a new rig then I think they will need it certificated. If this is correct and your rig is uncertifcated you might be wasting your money.

Others will comment

Jonathan

 

[john_morris_uk]

Most forestays have a Sta-lok or Norseman at the lower end as standard. You should be able to pull the stay from the furling drum and foil to disassemble the fitting, then pull the wire out through the top.

‘Tie what I was thinking. That’s why I asked what his current furling gear is.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

If you are doing this because you worry that your insurer might demand a new rig then I think they will need it certificated. If this is correct and your rig is uncertifcated you might be wasting your money.

My insurance weren't bothered when I did this on my Dragonfly trimaran. All they wanted was a copy of the invoice that showed that new rigging had been bought. Perhaps rigging certification is an Oz thing.

 

[john_morris_uk]

If you are doing this because you worry that your insurer might demand a new rig then I think they will need it certificated. If this is correct and your rig is uncertifcated you might be wasting your money.

Others will comment

Jonathan

Not sure I’ve heard of ‘certified rigging’ in the UK. if the insurers ever asked, I’ve got a receipt to show I replaced the rigging as requested.

 

[Gixer]

Which furling gear to you currently have?

I think its a plastimo 608.

I've only got 3rd party insurance as I do a bit of 'racing' around the cans and it cost a fortune to add it to comp insurance. No one's asking for a rig survey or anything just see 10 years as a standard rig replace time.

 

[Neeves]

Here they want rigging installed by riggers who will confirm satisfactory installation - riggers here are insured against their work - so the rigger is taking the risk, or some of it, not the insurance company.

Rigging certification is only for 'old' rigging - new rigging is covered by the boat builder and commissioning company. I don't know when rigging certification, age - 7-10 years?, is required but is becoming more common.

Jonathan

 

[doug748]

I did a similar thing to ctva when replacing my forestay recently. No problems at all.
Note that the extrusions can sometimes drop, in use and bear on the StaLoc fitting (depending on type of gear) - it's good to put a small stainless washer on the wire above the StaLoc, to form a bearing surface. When I took the original wire to be copied, the rigging shop asked me if I had moused the extrusions. I had not. They assured me there was no way I could feed the wire through without dismantling the whole lot, in fact it was easy.

My reefing gear is maybe 30 years old but I could see no reason to replace any of it. However it is Harken, still in production and spares are easily available.
If I had obsolete gear which may be past it's best, I would probably consider replacement.

In the past I have taken the old rigging off and taken it to be copied, swaged top and bottom. If I was planning to keep my boat a long time I would probably have the top swaged and use StaLoc on the bottoms.

.

 

[ash2020]

Last winter I replaced all my rigging myself. Had it made up by a local chandlers. The furler was Plastimo and I dismantled it by drilling out the rivets joining the sections. This was the only way to do it, inside there are nylon spacers which clip onto the wire, it is impossible to withdraw it through them, so don't even attempt it. Once disassembled it's a fairly straightforward job to put the new forestay in and clip the nylon spacers on. You might have to replace one or two but I believe Plastimo can supply. I printed mine myself in nylon. It might be a bit difficult getting the sections apart if it's very old. I used a prussik knot to hold one end and then whacked the other end away with various bits of wood and a mallet. Another challenging bit is tightening the forestay bottle screw because the furling drum covers it. If you haul the furler foil up with a halyard you can get a small spanner in there. Very satisfying to have done it though and with all the money you save, you can afford to buy a rigging tension gauge and keep it in perfect tension. I would definitely go for it. I've had a gutful of "experts" and "specialists" over my lifetime. I would always much rather do it myself, then I know it's done properly. Good luck.

 

[fredrussell]

Which furling gear to you currently have?

Probably a good question. I have a Rotostay furler, and I am led to believe that Rotostay used a bespoke (or unique to them) forestay terminal at the top.

 

[Tranona]

I think its a plastimo 608.

I've only got 3rd party insurance as I do a bit of 'racing' around the cans and it cost a fortune to add it to comp insurance. No one's asking for a rig survey or anything just see 10 years as a standard rig replace time.

The Plastimo has a swaged eye on both ends of the forestay so could not be easier to replace. just in the process of buying one myself so read the installation manual last night!

 

[Gixer]

I would definitely go for it. I've had a gutful of "experts" and "specialists" over my lifetime. I would always much rather do it myself, then I know it's done properly. Good luck.

Thank you for the inspiring post! My old 608 looks to share a number or components with the newer 609 so parts should be readily available. I think when the mast is down I'll try and disassemble the furler as you suggested. I don't have a bottle screw on the forestay so it should be simpler. I got myself a Loos rig tension gauge a few years ago.
At least if I break my furler I know I've got the money saved by not using a rigger to buy a new one...

 

[Gixer]

Just found this from another thread on here. Looking at this and listening to you guys it doesn't sound so scary.
Ash2020 - is it the coupling sleeves on page 7 that got broken?

Just found this also
Plastimo - Accessories for Single Groove Reefing Systems (Top Cap, Sail Feeder & Bearings)

 

[ash2020]

Just found this from another thread on here. Looking at this and listening to you guys it doesn't sound so scary.
Ash2020 - is it the coupling sleeves on page 7 that got broken?

Just found this also
Plastimo - Accessories for Single Groove Reefing Systems (Top Cap, Sail Feeder & Bearings)

Hi, no it was the circular plastic bearings that just keep the wire central, and as you see, you wouldn't be able to pull the wire terminal through the hole in the middle.

 

[Gixer]

Hi, no it was the circular plastic bearings that just keep the wire central, and as you see, you wouldn't be able to pull the wire terminal through the hole in the middle.

Ahh, ok. They come as part of the service kit for £12.
Thanks