Belize 43: Standing Rigging Replacement

[peteatbeach]

Preparing for winter cruising and going through all systems to repair/replace to ensure we have minimal issues while cruising. Our Belize is 2003 - hull#83.

Standing rigging looks in pretty good order with no signs of rust on cap shrouds or diamond rig. Can't see forestay to determine its state. My question is how many have changed out partial or full standing rigging and at what age of boat? I recently received an estimate of $11K to replace full rigging.

Thanks

Pete

[Sam_Plan_B]

I own a Columbia 41 built in 1974. I saw some online posts with stories of rigging failure due to cracked turnbuckles so it seemed wise to replace it all. The crane to pull out and replace the mast was $1200. The cost at West Maring for replacement rigging was $2400. It may have been less because I delivered all the rigging coiled up and labeled with instructions to duplicate. It took them about two weeks but everything went back in perfectly. The new turnbuckles look great. That all happened about five years ago so their prices may be a bit more now.

[Niagara Les]

We just replaced the standing rigging on our 36' pilothouse. According to the previous owner(s) of the boat, it was the first time in the life of the boat that it has been replaced (built in 1978). This is not uncommon in our parts (Great Lakes).
The rigging was not showing any obvious signs of failure, rather was replaced as part of preparation for a 600 mile sail home. Obviously, your salt-water rig would be subject to a whole different of guidelines for replacement.
The only comment of any possible value that I may be able to offer, is that after replacement of our stainless rigging, I spent some time reading about the synthetic rigging offerings. I've always been one to embrace technology (admittedly, for better or worse), and now I wish I'd tried synthetic.
Good Luck!

[STG]

I'm curious too. How many have done it themselves, and if that is practical? Seems like common sense, but I don't know much about it.

I want to do it myself (to save costs). I have access to a free crane at a dock, to take the wait off while disconnecting and then lower the mast. Seems like I could just match sizes and lengths and get pieces swaged at supplier, and put back together, close to original measurements, and then use a tensioner to adjust and fine tune? Eyeing the mast to make sure it appears plumb (perpendicular to the deck).

Is there a lot of problems that a rookie wouldn't be able to anticipate? This is just an old cruising boat, and not a high performance racer.

Maybe pay a rigger to just look it over, and double check tensioning and mast positioning?

[TacomaSailor]

Have you had your standing rig inspected by a professional rigger?

We were in a similar circumstance last winter - an 18 year old Caliber 40 with mostly original standing rigging. The boat had spent four years in the Sea of Cortez and had a few miles and big storms on the the rig. We were preparing for another Mexican cruise and wanted to replace all the running and standing rigging.

I had already determined the cost of replacing almost all the standing rigging and figured it to be over $4,000 depending on what fittings I used and how many turnbuckles I had to replace.

Two friends here in San Diego who are professional captains and have a lot of tropical cruising and sailing experience convinced me to spend the $180 needed to have very experienced riggers examine Mirador's mast and standing rigging. The two guys spent an hour up the mast and another hour going thru all the fittings and turnbuckles.

The end result was that I needed to replace one forestay toggle at a cost of $120.

All of the rest of the rig was in near perfect condition.

I am very satisfied with spending $180 for the inspection and saving almost $3,600 on an un-necessary rig replacement.

My estimated costs were pretty low because I do all the labor and can purchase parts at a substantial discount.

[Niagara Les]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

Two friends here in San Diego who are professional captains and have a lot of tropical cruising and sailing experience convinced me to spend the $180 needed to have very experienced riggers examine Mirador's mast and standing rigging. The two guys spent an hour up the mast and another hour going thru all the fittings and turnbuckles.

The end result was that I needed to replace one forestay toggle at a cost of $120.

All of the rest of the rig was in near perfect condition.

I am very satisfied with spending $180 for the inspection and saving almost $3,600 on an un-necessary rig replacement.

My estimated costs were pretty low because I do all the labor and can purchase parts at a substantial discount.

This seems like sound advice!

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by peteatbeach

Preparing for winter cruising and going through all systems to repair/replace to ensure we have minimal issues while cruising. Our Belize is 2003 - hull#83.

Standing rigging looks in pretty good order with no signs of rust on cap shrouds or diamond rig. Can't see forestay to determine its state. My question is how many have changed out partial or full standing rigging and at what age of boat? I recently received an estimate of $11K to replace full rigging.

Thanks

Pete

What is bothersome is the swage fittings. Mine is hull #91, basically the same vintage as yours. But my boat is only used 4-5 months a year, hence the stress on the fittings would be less than a full-time cruiser (I think). The riggers have told me standing rigging should be changed at 8-10 years, but I'm going to try for 12-15 before replacement. Like yours, mine looks as good as new. If I were starting a multi-year trip, I might think about it.

$11k sounds high to me, I was thinking in the $8k range based on what I was told (using the same mast).

[Neptune's Gear]

Here in New Zealand the Category 1 requirements (before you can leave the country) are that standing rigging cannot be over 10 years old, regardless of it's outward appearance.
This is due to the fact that SS rigging with swaged connections can fail catastrophically with no prior warning, due to internal crevice corrosion. This is often not possible for even an experienced rigger to determine, hence the regulation.
I changed all my standing rigging myself. Never took the rig out - take the rigging off one shroud at a time, take it to the rigger and get another made the same, refit, do the next one etc. Actually I did both caps together, then both lowers, then forestay, then backstay. Used a temp dyneema setup to replace them while doing it. It was quite easy, and a LOT less expensive. Next time I'm going to use Sta-lok fittings, and do the whole job myself....

[StuM]

How long it lasts depends on climate (cool climate: freshwater lakes v salty tropical seas, sailing environment: weekend bay sailing v ocean crossings, sailing style: crank on every ounce of sail and push it hard in all weather v reef early and cruise slowly).

Several mono owners have chimed in with tales of long lasting rigging. Be aware that the stresses on cat rigging are higher and as a rule cats require more frequent re-rigging than monos.

Also, check what your insurance company has to say about rigging that is over 10 years old.

[Tintin sailor]

For what it's worth my rigging just failed on day one of my summer cruise. Just over 10 years old, no visible problems anywhere but first tack broke port shroud. Managed to keep the mast up but it killed my sailing and cost a small fortune. The idea of a professional check sounds pretty good to me now!


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Bill Brealey]

Hi,
I have a 2005 Belize 43, we had the rigging checked and surveyed and he said it was good as new and should give us another 10 years, all going well. The key is as always, don't over stress your gear and look after it and it will look after you.
Cheers & fair winds.
Bill

[barnaclejim]

A few thoughts. We do regular rig checks aloft and pull the masts down every few years and have rerigged with Norseman and or stalock fittings and keep several lengths of wire stowed just in case. Learn the particulars of your rig and get a good Loos rig tensioner and you will rest easier when a squall hits you or you didnt reef soon enough. I am surprized to meet so many cruisers who dont check their rig tension. It is not rocket science and you will become quite popular if you can impart correct advise. I think the 11 th commandment should be check your rig tension to keep it from failing And you may gain another couple of knots! Amen

[svmariane]

This hits home. Currently at tail end of standing rigging replacement.
Got nailed coming out of New Zealand three YEARS ago. (damn it)

Broken shrouds.
Chain plates ripped out.
Sail inventory torn to shreds.
{Except for the storm try'sl & storm stay'sl - Imagine that... }

And more more more........
Sprung portholes, broken hatches, and god giveth unto me a break....

Actually, She did. We lived and saved the boat.

Doing the repairs myself.
Norseman fittings are a god-send.
Read about it; heed what others have done...
and take it slow. It CAN be done by owner/operator.
Yeah - My almost three years of slow work VS what... a month or two in a shipyard? Depends on your budget, I guess.


Oh, hell. If your vessel is in decent shape then its NOT a problem to replace the standing rigging yourself.

Sort of like reefing sails: If you start to think/worry about it, its time to do it.

And IMHO, you can trust the evaluations/advice of professional riggers about as much as (comment deleted due to the "be nice" rule.)

[svmariane]

Originally Posted by peteatbeach

(snip) I recently received an estimate of $11K to replace full rigging. Thanks

Pete

BTW... I hope that the 11K INCLUDES replacing the chain plates as well as turnbuckles, etc. Otherwise.... Roll up your sleeves, mate.

[sapient sue]

Pete

We have replaced our standing rigging on our Naut 40. We purchased a roll of wire direct from the wire company and they shipped it to us free of charge (not usual). We opted to go with Staylock fittings as they were available in Aus at the time. We replaced old for new wire by wire while moored at a dock (we have friends who replaced their rig while at anchor).

We purchased one extra long Staylock fitting so we could replace any wire if need be and only carry one length of wire as a spare.

This was a much cheaper option than getting a rigger to install and easy to do - we had no previous knowledge before tackling the task.

Here in Australia, insurance companies require new rigging every 10 years if cruising and every 7 years if a racer, regardless of how good the rigging looks.

Sue