Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's....

Marmalade

Marmalade

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 Feb 2005
Messages
2,362
Location
Essex
Visit site
standing rigging!?

Rafted up against an x-yacht a few days ago I realised as I clambered over it that his shrouds weren't covered with a smooth protector - they were perfectly smooth wire - ie not multiple strands twisted together.

Apart from being loverly to feel - are there any other benefits. I assume it's collossally expensive (off to Jimmy Green for a butcher's)
 
Marmalade said:
standing rigging!?

Rafted up against an x-yacht a few days ago I realised as I clambered over it that his shrouds weren't covered with a smooth protector - they were perfectly smooth wire - ie not multiple strands twisted together.

Apart from being loverly to feel - are there any other benefits. I assume it's collossally expensive (off to Jimmy Green for a butcher's)
Click to expand...

Discontinuous rod rigging is ruinously expensive - Late 80s and early 90s Bene First racer things had it. Up to £10k for a 35ft....oops.
 
Interesting. It begs 2 questions in my mind - 1. Why is it so expensive (supply/demand I guess) and 2. Why (technically) dont more yachts use it (I guess because of 1. but there must be more to it than that ......
 
CPD said:
Interesting. It begs 2 questions in my mind - 1. Why is it so expensive (supply/demand I guess) and 2. Why (technically) dont more yachts use it (I guess because of 1. but there must be more to it than that ......
Click to expand...

You dont need to fit F1 tyres to your road car.

Today, the move is toward Kevlar Dux, which is edging down the cost scale. Will save over a third of the aloft weight, and be stronger than stainless wire rigging.
 
I'm sure the boat we used to do JOG races on had it and the skipper said the downside was that it failed without warning.... so you had to be very contientous about replacing every 10 years, where as the wire the rest of us have you can inspect for signs of wear.
 
Jimmy Green doesn't even stock it - ah well. Just have to cop a feel next time I'm rafted onto something fancy.

Does that make me a boat-vert?
 
What about using Dyform wire instead? It gives a similar 'smoothe' feel (which reduces windage and noise), but doesn't cost a king's ransom. It also provides greater strength than standard wire, allowing downsizing to reduce weight. It also doesn't require replacing the mast and deck connections and most riggers can supply it. Apart from that, it hasn't got much going for it.:cool:
 
From memory it is not significantly lighter for the same strength. Slightly stiffer due to the tighter lay of the wire, and smaller diameter so less windage. More expensive though. Rod rigging is a PITA as it is continuous, ie can't be formed in a roll for delivery, and shouldn't be bent or you start strain hardening it. Something for the serious racers only I think, or the ridiculously wealthy....
 
Vreny said:
I'm sure the boat we used to do JOG races on had it and the skipper said the downside was that it failed without warning.... so you had to be very contientous about replacing every 10 years, where as the wire the rest of us have you can inspect for signs of wear.
Click to expand...

Hi that's what I have heard too. I know people who have had rod rigging then changed back to the conventional wire rigging as they weren't impressed with the 'fail without warning'
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top