What are the "gotchas" I need to watch for when replacing standing rigging?

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by shorebird

Zinc seacocks. snicker.

I've seen such bad ideas on boats that a zinc seacock is only a slight exaggeration.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Annie in WA

With all due respect, because you have never heard of open strand rigging doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If you read the first sentence of my post you would see that it is rigging wire manufactured incorrectly. It is easy to see if you look at the wire upon delivery. If it is faulty, in many spots the winding is less tight and you can see the inner core. It was identified on our boat by a well-respected rigger and even I could see the core and subsequent rust.

Fair enough. I can't figure out why it exists, however. Sounds problematic for the application, like closed turnbuckles or stainless in conditions conducive to crevice corrosion.

[lifeofreilly57]

The C&C site has a lot of useful information, it's a great resource for older boats, C&C photoalbum that is.
When your done with your re-rigging you might want to go there to see what to reference when setting up the rig and tuning it.
When I first got my 38 it just didn't seem to tack well and didn't point as well as I thought it should, by getting the proper numbers for rake and initial setup I was able to properly set the mast, which required changing the wooden spacer blocks in the mast step and the wedges in the mast collar, once the rake was set correctly and the mast in column correctly it made a day and night difference.
C&C made some sweet sailing vessels, with wonderful tactile feedback and good balance, even though the designs of that era were based on IOR rules C&C didn't go to extremes with their designs. They produced very nice sailing boats with good sailing manners. The 38 I had was fitted with a custom keel and pointed higher than any boat I've owned, even outpointing the J's I raced against in beer can racing. When the sail plan was balanced correctly the boat would sail itself for hours without having to touch the wheel, I lured a number of people into sailing with that boat, all I had to do was get them behind the wheel.
Good luck with yours, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my old C&C.

[Jcolman]

Originally Posted by lifeofreilly57

The C&C site has a lot of useful information, it's a great resource for older boats, C&C photoalbum that is.
When your done with your re-rigging you might want to go there to see what to reference when setting up the rig and tuning it.
When I first got my 38 it just didn't seem to tack well and didn't point as well as I thought it should, by getting the proper numbers for rake and initial setup I was able to properly set the mast, which required changing the wooden spacer blocks in the mast step and the wedges in the mast collar, once the rake was set correctly and the mast in column correctly it made a day and night difference.
C&C made some sweet sailing vessels, with wonderful tactile feedback and good balance, even though the designs of that era were based on IOR rules C&C didn't go to extremes with their designs. They produced very nice sailing boats with good sailing manners. The 38 I had was fitted with a custom keel and pointed higher than any boat I've owned, even outpointing the J's I raced against in beer can racing. When the sail plan was balanced correctly the boat would sail itself for hours without having to touch the wheel, I lured a number of people into sailing with that boat, all I had to do was get them behind the wheel.
Good luck with yours, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my old C&C.

Thanks! I have been perusing that site for some time now. I've written down the instructions for mast tuning and rake angle.

I'm looking forward to sailing her once the weather warms up a bit.

[Island_Moose]

"Gotcha"?

20 years ago I had a professional rigging outfit replace the standing rigging on my San Juan 24 (deck-stepped). The young apprentice sent to do the work removed the inner and outer stays on the starboard side at the same time . The mast slowly fell to port, and because we were on the hard it fell onto the wife's mini-van, snapping the mast in 3 pieces and caving in the roof of the van.

They told me to call my insurance and offered to spline the mast in two places. I told them to call their insurance company and order a brand new extrusion.

It ended well. The owner of the company took an admirable stance on the apprentice, saying that every good man he has made one huge mistake at some point, and that this young fellow had just made his. I was impressed and amazed.

John

[barnaclejim]

Putting your mast on the ground is a wonderful thing. It really gives you an opportunity to check everything carefully and even if you are at home in a chair aloft you can see things better, particularlyat the top. Check everything mentioned before and your shivs as welland the connection to spreaders, corroded screws should be pulled and rebedded with an anti corrosion putty. Also if your mast has conduit for the electrical that is connected with rivets may come loose and keep you up at a rolly anchorage clanging. We replaced all our standing rig 5 years ago with norseman fittings ourselves and have had no problems.Did a trans Atlantic and currently in the Med since You need to understand the principals of rigging and buy or borrow a good Loos tension gage. Better to buy as the rig will stretch and a tuned rig is a happy and safe one. Good luck!