Changing My Rigging One Stay at a Time Solo

[Hazard808]

Aloha all, this is my first thread. I'm on a 1973 Columbia (deck)/Coronado (hull) with original rigging. Obviously this 3/16" rig needs to be changed. I worked under a rigger for awhile learning quite a bit. He was hard to work with & we had a falling out but I'm confident I can do this. I'm debating whether to make the new rigging 3/16" also then trying to sell it when it's all done or to bump it up to 3/8" & try to make this coastal cruising hull my blue water boat? I am going to be attempting this solo with my girl spotting me (S.O.S. hehe) changing one stay at a time using halyards temporarily. Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated! Mahalo & aloha.

[skipmac]

First, replacing the rig one stay at a time should be fine. Have done it my self with no problems.

I don't think I would go from 3/16 to 3/8 on the wire. That's a pretty big jump. Plus you have to look at more than just the wire when you are looking at the strength of the rig. You also have to look at the chainplates size and how/where they are attached, mast tangs, and all the other fittings.

IF I were planning to increase wire size on a boat I might go up one step from 3/16 to 1/4 but would maybe speak with a rigger (another rigger since you had a falling out with your former buddy) to get their opinion.

[rebel heart]

One stay at a time is fine. If you can, replace the "big four" first. Forward stay, back stay, and upper shrouds. If you only get those done you'll be in good shape.

Also, consider disconnecting and inspecting/cleaning the chainplates for each one of those as you disconnect them.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

One stay at a time is fine. If you can, replace the "big four" first. Forward stay, back stay, and upper shrouds. If you only get those done you'll be in good shape.

Also, consider disconnecting and inspecting/cleaning the chainplates for each one of those as you disconnect them.

[Hazard808]

I figured as much. Thanks again!

[delmarrey]

My question is how do you plan to get to the top to do one at a time. Hopefully you have a free manlift. A Manlift per day rental cost's just as much as to have it de-masted.

And if you up size in wire, you have to remember the tension rating is higher. So are the chain plates, mast and attachments rated to handle the tension? And then there is the compression post/keel mount.

Any time you change the structure of a boats design, engineering has to be considered, just like on an airplane. Something will eventually give and it will be the weakest point. Making one part stronger doesn't change anything except making other parts weaker.

[Hazard808]

No need a manlift, I have a bosun chair

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Hazard808

No need a manlift, I have a bosun chair

+A1..

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Hazard808

No need a manlift, I have a bosun chair

Lets see? 160# man up in a chair on a mast that only take 3/16" wire, and then disconnect a stay, oops! It's not deck stepped is it?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Lets see? 160# man up in a chair on a mast that only take 3/16" wire, and then disconnect a stay, oops! It's not deck stepped is it?

Thats what Halyards are for... to take the strain... did a 37ftr like this ok...

[delmarrey]

Be safe! Don't want you being like humpty.

[Nicholson58]

The rating of your cable increases roughly by the ratio of the square of the diameter. Increasing to 1/4 over 3/16 is significant. What this will get you is Safety factor. That means that you can afford to operate with less worry within the normal expecations of our rig loading. You will not be loading the chain plates or anything else any greater than you did with the original rigging. The load is only due to wind loading on the rig and you will only load to the extent that you can stand the heal. That doesn't change with heavier cables.

Good advice regarding the chainplates. I read somewhere that most rigs are lost to broken chain plates (not shrouds). I also read in water sailing">Blue Water Sailing that you can probably change them out to Titanium for about the same cost as SS.

[roverhi]

I've changed out my fore and back stay using my Top Climber. Tied off the jib halyard to back up which ever stay I was R&R'ing. Used the main halyard for the Top Climber. Upsized wire from 1/4" to 9/32" and used Norsman terminals. Only difficulty was finding someone to help me pull down and put up the roller furling equipped headstay. Was afraid I wouldn't be able to haul the furler/stay down/up by myself without kinking the furler extrusion.

What Columbia do you have that only has 3/16" wire??

[charliehows]

good on you, i'm most way through re-rigging my 38 ft ketch - i figure its going to cost me about 1/8 the cost of getting it done - and so far the only bit of rigging that has been done by a pro rigger turned out they didnt bother replacing a splitpin at the mast head on the stbd main shroud - i guess they were busy that day and couldnt be f**d going back up when they forgot to take one up... lucky i didnt lose my rig cos i only found it after i went up to check everything after a knockdown - there was 1/8 inch of the pin bent over holding her together. i got mast steps and i use a mountaneers climbing clamp on a halyard AND a second tie up when i'm in place - i think the main thing is to be very safety conscious. I also use a spare length of cable to take the load of any mainstays removed cos my masts are deckstepped. i've also gone back to the old method of putting chain between stay and turnbuckle so i dont have to be too accurate in measuring the lengths - i'm using gal wire and dont trust s/s swages - you cant see cavitation. good luck to you.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

The rating of your cable increases roughly by the ratio of the square of the diameter. Increasing to 1/4 over 3/16 is significant. What this will get you is Safety factor. That means that you can afford to operate with less worry within the normal expecations of our rig loading.

The load is only due to wind loading on the rig and you will only load to the extent that you can stand the heal. That doesn't change with heavier cables. How do you figure that when the tension setting is around 1/3 higher? If you don't properly load per size they will go slack when healed more so then the smaller size.

Good advice regarding the chainplates. I read somewhere that most rigs are lost to broken chain plates (not shrouds). I also read in Blue Water Sailing that you can probably change them out to Titanium for about the same cost as SS.

How to use 90 & 91 Series Tension Gauges

HOW MUCH TENSION?

Table 1 recommends an initial tension setting, but there is no simple solution since the optimum rigging tension will be a function of the boat design, the rig (masthead or fractional, one or more spreaders, etc.), and even the cut of the sails. Many skippers use insufficient tension because of a fear of "breaking something." It should be noted that on America's Cup contenders, where electronic state of the art tension instrumentation is available, the standing rigging is set as tight as is structurally feasible.

Table 1
302 / 304 1 X 19 Stainless Steel Rigging Cable
Diam,. In. Breaking Strength Pounds Forestay* Pounds Shrouds* Pounds
3/32 1200 180 120
1/8 2100 320 240
5/32 3300 500 350
3/16 4700 750 500
7/32 6300 1000 700
1/4 8200 1300 850
9/32 10,300 1600 1000
*Suggested initial settings.