How can I be sure my rigging is good?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by dive

I didn't realize that the wire itself was a minor cost compared to the fitting. If that's the case then it's a no brainer, every things goes as well as all the running rigging as I plan to under weigh at least 5 years or more. ching ching, why did I buy a boat???

Yeah... that's a thought. I was looking at an old 37 footer last year and estimated the wire for it to be about $300 at my cost. The fittings would be a lot more.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Hard A Lee

This may be a bit off topic, but does everyone use swedges or some other fitting to terminate stays? I work with wire rope as part of my job and, personally, I would trust the integrity of a spliced eye with a thimble to attach to a turnbuckle more than a swedge fitting. There is really no way to inspect the inside of a fitting, so you must assume that it has been compromised. A spliced eye with fist grips or cable clamp backups are easy to inspect and don't provide space for unseen corrosion.

Is this a matter of the time it would take to make all the splices vs using fittings?

It's not done much except on vintage wood boats, but I see no reason a good splice isnt fine. Aesthetics I suppose as to why it's not used. Or maybe the time/labor to make a spice is a lot longer than to swage a fitting. The swaging probably takes well less than a minute for the actual swaging. I would want a solid thimble though rather than a pressed sheet metal one if I was splicing.....

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Hard A Lee

This may be a bit off topic, but does everyone use swedges or some other fitting to terminate stays? I work with wire rope as part of my job and, personally, I would trust the integrity of a spliced eye with a thimble to attach to a turnbuckle more than a swedge fitting. There is really no way to inspect the inside of a fitting, so you must assume that it has been compromised. A spliced eye with fist grips or cable clamp backups are easy to inspect and don't provide space for unseen corrosion.

Is this a matter of the time it would take to make all the splices vs using fittings?

In modern boats the main reason to not splice the eyes is that 1x19 wire does not do well in that application, and most designs rely on the low stretch characteristics of 1x19 to keep the mast straight.

Cheers,

Jim

[gjordan]

The main reason you dont see sailboats with hand spliced rigging(except a few very traditional boats) is that it is almost impossible to splice 1by19 SS wire. It is much too stiff to go around thimbles and open up the lay for a splice. In small sizes it can be wrapped around a thimble and NICO PRESSED, but that is usually boats smaller than most cruisers. Probably 95% of boats use 1 by 19 SS for standing rigging, not because of its strength, but its lack of stretch, and lack of chafe on sails, since it is smooth. Galvy wire can eat through your sails pretty quick. just another opinion. _____Grant.

[hpeer]

Saying it again, use mechanical fittings. IIRC they test out better than sewage fittings, you can do them yourself, and once you have converted all you need yo replace is the wire and the little cone.

Seems a no brainer to me.

[chouliha]

Seeing as how we are doing an offshore passage in two weeks,
What can I do to be 100% sure there will not be a demasting?
There are no Riggers in this part of New York

There is no 100% in this game. All you can do is lessen the odds. New wire, turnbuckles would be a good step in the right direction. But how old are the chain plates? When where they last inspected out of the boat? What about the mast tangs? Spreaders?, etc....... See where this is going.

I agree with many that mechanical fittings like Norseman or stay locks are much better.

Good luck and enjoy your trip

[sabray]

Funny thing. I try to keep changing up and keeping up on mntc.. Did a real nasty pass north along the jersey coast. Solo. Yikes only us dim or uniformed do this. Any way. Got through hellegat on East river and into Long Island sound. Tide in my favor all the way through.Some say you can and others say you can't do this. I did but never mind. Anchored just past the last bridge very tired . Leaned against the life line and the whole thing collapsed. Little itty bitty ring went somewhere and the pin fell out.
That pin held my entire stbd life line intact. Sometimes it's not the obvious that wants you dead. It's that little tiny piece.
Yep I damn near went ass over tea kettle right there a few hundred yards from dirt. All for a cheap ass clip ring I missed.
May luck be with you.
Only saying that things break. Nothing happens like a script. I would run this like a trip to cape may. If your good and the weather is solid then you keep going. Leave yourself easy Ditch points. Forget the buddy boats. Nice run inside up the deleware and down the chessie. No way it's 5 or 8 days.
I don't know you or the crew. Maybe your up for it but untried. People get weird or they are great offshore. You won't know until they are off. If they go bonkers your stuck until they are not bonkers. Getting **** weather with a questionable rig will make for long minutes and hours on watch.
Hope that helps .

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by chouliha

Seeing as how we are doing an offshore passage in two weeks,
What can I do to be 100% sure there will not be a demasting?
There are no Riggers in this part of New York

There is no 100% in this game. All you can do is lessen the odds. New wire, turnbuckles would be a good step in the right direction. But how old are the chain plates? When where they last inspected out of the boat? What about the mast tangs? Spreaders?, etc....... See where this is going.

I agree with many that mechanical fittings like Norseman or stay locks are much better.

Good luck and enjoy your trip

where in NY are you? i found one on the hudson



on another note, the rigger has worked hard to convince me we are capable of the same job. so last night i did the inspection, as instructed.
my report is this:
out of 9 stays, 0 had cracks. 0 had signs of corrosion.
i will chalk this up to having pvc pipes covering the lower parts, and turn buckles. i need to replace the one wire on my boomkin, and thats all.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i will chalk this up to having pvc pipes covering the lower parts, and turn buckles.

The PVC pipes are to protect sails/running rigging from chafe.
If anything it actually accelerates the deterioration of standing rigging by creating the possibility of crevice corrosion.(This needs some dirt trapped in the pipe as well)

It's not a major issue but the PVC is not to protect the standing rigging.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

The PVC pipes are to protect sails/running rigging from chafe.
If anything it actually accelerates the deterioration of standing rigging by creating the possibility of crevice corrosion.(This needs some dirt trapped in the pipe as well)

It's not a major issue but the PVC is not to protect the standing rigging.

i do understand what it is for, but this is 2" pvc, not the split pvc that barely fits the cable.
i was thinking it may prevent saltwater from splashing onto the swedge?

[scoobert]

sorry, here is a better photo.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i do understand what it is for, but this is 2" pvc, not the split pvc that barely fits the cable.
i was thinking it may prevent saltwater from splashing onto the swedge?

I am not sure where the PVC pipe is in the photo, but no it won't prevent salt water. If anything the water evaporates leaving the salt behind and the salt concentration goes up.
My guess is the pipe is stop abrasion on the dingy or dingy painter.

[noelex 77]

Yes that photo shows the pipe. Do the genoa sheets lead past the standing rigging at that point?

I am not trying to say the pipe is terrible and that you should get rid of it. HR and many other boats have a similar system, but it's not doing the job you think its doing.

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by scoobert

sorry, here is a better photo.

I lift these up the shrouds and give them a little twist after a sail to make sure they are draining the water.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Fiveslide

I lift these up the shrouds and give them a little twist after a sail to make sure they are draining the water.

they are open at the bottom and the top, they flow freely.