winter standing rigging

[saltyrob]

Hi

Boat now lifted out and in cradle for winter. Is it advisable to loosen standing rigging or leave it reasonable tensioned. Have seen boats in yard where rigging has been loosened and mast is rocking in the wind, doesnt seem right. Any advice on best practise gratefully recieved.

Rob

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[tugboat]

I read somewhere that you shouldn't slack off the standing rigging, but I do! I think it's a matter of quantity and being sensible. I usually slack each bottlescrew 2 turns to let the boat breathe and in the spring take up the same number of turns again. Bit like loosening a corset, not that I wear corsets, you understand! /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif

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[tyce]

problem with loosening the rigging is, the mast can oscillate in the wind carrying vibration to the terminal connections, resulting in possible failure

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[Phoenix of Hamble]

The same oscillation also allows the loads to change in the rigging too much potentially causing work hardening.... best left tensioned...

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[boatless]

You shouldn't leave the mast up at all.

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[VicMallows]

YM covered this only yesterday (well that's when mine arrived). Advice as above ... don't slacken.

Vic

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[andy_wilson]

Don't slacken your rigging, and don't have your yacht chocked up within a domino strike of any others that have slackened theirs.

Slack rigging will allow oscillation in the wind which can work harden wire near terminals and bring the rig down before it's time.

Before thaty happens however, the chocks and blocks holding the boat up will be gently working themselves loose.

To the gentleman who releases his corsets every winter, I would just add that the stress on the hull/rig/keel frame when chocked up properly ashore are a mere fraction of those dynamic strains when under sail, so the rest will be sufficient, and will reduce the possibility of shaft alignment being necessary on re-launch.

If however your yacht has started to lift at the ends due to excessive rig tensioning - say due to over enthusisatic tweaking whilst racing, then the same rule applies. Secure firmly ashore with normal rig tensions and everything will be just right.

Unless of course you are de-rigging which is worthwhile every 3-4 years just to have a real close look, closer than I ever seem to manage on my at least annual trip up in a chair.



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[steve_l]

Yep, my mast is unstepped for winter and placed on top of purpose built cradles on the boat, forming the "ridge-pole" for the all-over winter cover.
Then the boat is craned out and sits in a supporting cradle.

Gives a chance to check everything above the spreaders every year.

If only the bottle-screws on one side and the back-stay are slackened when unstepping, retensioning in the spring is really easy...

-steve-

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[boatless]

I'm surprised that unstepping isn't a condition of insurance really. When the '87 (?) hurricane hit Hamble Point, all the masted boats blew over.

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[AndrewB]

Probably because dropped/damaged masts are themselves a large source of claims.

One marina I was in had such a rotten reputation for this that when they started to insist that masts be unstepped ashore, my insurers asked me to go elsewhere to be lifted out.

 

[boatless]

Hadn't considered that. Must say that the mast racks at HP weren't the best managed facility in the world. (At that time, obviously, sure they're perfect now). We kept ours on the boats themselves.

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[Piere]

yep andy
agree entirely
I have to drop mast every winter because off the nature of my winter storage
but if mast stood aloft all winter I would keep rigging under tension.
I heard or one such boat that suffered damage to the base of the mast because of the rocking motion caused by movement in winter winds
Piere

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[saltyrob]

Many thanks for your advice these forums are great

Robert

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[roger]

I've seen a bilge keel boat on the hard at Torquay with its mast up shuffle its feet one night when there was a strong wind blowing. Taking the mast down seems a good idea to me unless you are very well sheltered.

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