STA-LOK Swageless Terminals (Wire Rope Terminals)

[jon villa]

Did mine for a 37 cruiser with Norsemen 18 years ago Reused them again by replacing cones.
It's time to open them and reuse them if they're not damaged.
I used Sika inside the assembly in both occasions.
Does anybody have any thoughts on using sealant at all? Is there a need for it?

[MicHughV]

While some sailors look at these askance...

I installed mast steps on my first boat, knowing that I might find myself far from any place that could assist me with mast or rigging issues.

I grew to really like these and often used them for a variety of reasons to climb up the mast, often to get a better visual of where I needed to go.
Though all my halyards were external, never really had a problem with the steps interfering with them.
What's nice about them, is you can climb up the steps, while in your bosun chair, with someone tailing the hoisting halyard, who might not be very strong, and when you reach the spreaders or top of mast, cleat of the hoisting halyard to do your thing.

My rig, at the time, had the swaged fittings on top and sta-loks on the bottom and the steps made routine inspection a snap.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

While some sailors look at these askance...

I installed mast steps on my first boat, knowing that I might find myself far from any place that could assist me with mast or rigging issues.

I grew to really like these and often used them for a variety of reasons to climb up the mast, often to get a better visual of where I needed to go.
Though all my halyards were external, never really had a problem with the steps interfering with them.
What's nice about them, is you can climb up the steps, while in your bosun chair, with someone tailing the hoisting halyard, who might not be very strong, and when you reach the spreaders or top of mast, cleat of the hoisting halyard to do your thing.

My rig, at the time, had the swaged fittings on top and sta-loks on the bottom and the steps made routine inspection a snap.

I bought the webbing ladder for that.

Plus I have no one available to hold halyards on deck etc.

Webbing ladder was $136.

Rigging I have now is at least 18-19 years old so hopefully after I replace it this time won't have to deal with that again

[GILow]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

The only Google hits I get are from Australian sales outlets… not even a hit from New Zealand and nothing in the US.

I don’t want to be rude, but let’s just say your electronics skills are vastly superior to your Google skills. [emoji28]

http://www.kzmarine.co.nz/searig.html

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by thomm225

New genoa took priority over a bosun's chair.

So far in 11 years I have been up the mast three times.

Aw, come on thomm! For centuries sailors have made their own bosun's chairs from some planking and some bits of rope. Hardly a daunting project IMO.

And surely you can recruit a dock neighbor to tend a halyard for you: you do the climbing so no winch fumbles to worry about... then they cleat it off whilst you swing out to th e end of the spreader and do your job, and only uncleat when your feet are back on the ladder.

And mate, when you know that your rigging is antique, that's w hen you should be going aloft to inspect it more frequently, not every 3 years!

Jim

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

And mate, when you know that your rigging is antique, that's w hen you should be going aloft to inspect it more frequently, not every 3 years!

When I got to Ireland I had to get a survey for insurance. They said my rigging was too old (but no problems found) and needed replacing, which seemed excessive to me. The insurance company said I could have a proper annual rigging survey until the rigging was replaced. As it happens the following year I found a broken strand in the backstay and did the full replacement. Anyway, their standard was annual detailed inspections and that seems about right to me.

Greg

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Aw, come on thomm! For centuries sailors have made their own bosun's chairs from some planking and some bits of rope. Hardly a daunting project IMO.

And surely you can recruit a dock neighbor to tend a halyard for you: you do the climbing so no winch fumbles to worry about... then they cleat it off whilst you swing out to th e end of the spreader and do your job, and only uncleat when your feet are back on the ladder.

And mate, when you know that your rigging is antique, that's w hen you should be going aloft to inspect it more frequently, not every 3 years!

Jim

Last time I cranked some guy up my rigging I thought the winch was going to come off.

My boat still has those tiny original winches. I'm not cranking anyone else up there like that and especially not allowing anyone to winch me up which is why I have the webbing ladder

As far as the Bosun's chair from scratch, I'm really not a project guy.

I should have kept the harness I had when I raced Beach cats. It was top of the line and would have worked quite well.

If I do the rigging it will be forestay and backstay first.

So far I have only had one mast fall due to failed rigging. It's quite strange when it happens. It was one of the shrouds which already had a few broken wires

This weekend I had to work on the old jeeps so maybe next weekend I'll go up and check what's going on at the mast top and probably run a line to a stern cleat for backup backstay

[Don C L]

If you are worried about cranking a 200 lb guy up with your winch, remember that is a small demand compared to the strain that will usually be on the rigging while sailing. Those look like old chrome plated Merrimans, like mine. I've seen no problem with mine. BTW it certainly is do-able to replace all the rigging without taking the mast down, but it is so much easier to take it down, I'd recommend it. If you have a hoist nearby used by day sailors for J-24s and whatnot, you might be able to use that to pull your mast. I had to pay $100 to the local yard to use the hoist on their travel-lift, which I thought was exorbitant, but the going rate. I was hoping to use the fishermen's hoist but they didn't like that idea. 20 years? Yeah, time to replace anyway I'd say but as you probably already know, most shroud/swaging problems will show up down at the deck before they show up up top since corrosion is more likely where salt can sit intruding the swaging. But if you use your binoculars to scan the masthead and see anything weird from below then it's a good time to go up. It ain't too hard. Borrow a bo's'ns from someone, many folks have an old one stashed away somewhere. I have one I don't use. If someone asked me, I'd give them mine! (I use a climbing harness now.)

edit, oops sorry I see you have the webbing ladder. You could also use a block and tackle that I grew up knowing as a "falls" to help you hoist yourself as you climb and secure you once at the top.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Don C L

If you are worried about cranking a 200 lb guy up with your winch, remember that is a small demand compared to the strain that will usually be on the rigging while sailing. Those look like old chrome plated Merrimans, like mine. I've seen no problem with mine. BTW it certainly is do-able to replace all the rigging without taking the mast down, but it is so much easier to take it down, I'd recommend it. If you have a hoist nearby used by day sailors for J-24s and whatnot, you might be able to use that to pull your mast. I had to pay $100 to the local yard to use the hoist on their travel-lift, which I thought was exorbitant, but the going rate. I was hoping to use the fishermen's hoist but they didn't like that idea. 20 years? Yeah, time to replace anyway I'd say but as you probably already know, most shroud/swaging problems will show up down at the deck before they show up up top since corrosion is more likely where salt can sit intruding the swaging. But if you use your binoculars to scan the masthead and see anything weird from below then it's a good time to go up. It ain't too hard. Borrow a bo's'ns from someone, many folks have an old one stashed away somewhere. I have one I don't use. If someone asked me, I'd give them mine! (I use a climbing harness now.)

I use a webbing ladder to go up the mast.

Everything looked pretty good last time I was up there a month or so ago moving my topping lift line to a block that had the center section. The old block center roller disintegrated.

Mast removal at the boatyard I use is $300 each way so I doubt I would ever pay that much.

https://cobbsmarina.com/rates/

A guy across from me says he had his rigging replaced on his Catalina 30 for $2200 a couple years ago but that sounds low

The rigging looks fine but that is a good point about the lower parts and corrosion.

Maybe I'll just do the backstay and forestay with the mast up and replace the lower swages on the shrouds that go all the way to the top

[captchetco]

I first used Sta-Locs in 1992 on "Someday", and those, Haynes and others on other boats since. I have no complaints about any of those other than the '70s vintage Norseman.
The only thing to be very careful of on Sta-Loc is to make certain no wire gets into groove on cone. It can happen and makes a poor connection if it does. No advantage to "filling" the fittings w/caulk has been noticed, and I have opened and looked at quite a few of each. I originally filled mine w/Life Caulk, but as I have opened them for inspection each year, I have not replaced the caulk for many years. Buy a few extra cones and quite a few extra formers if, like me, you open them up off and on for inspection. Formers need replacing occasionally from opening and closing, cones too. Care in assembly is required, but no special skills needed.

I have had no failures of wire at Sta-Loc fittings, nor have I ever heard of any unless assemled with a wire in slot.

Annually, I have a rigger check main mast standing rigging, Have replaced any recommended. I disassemble any lowers with any Q, and one or two at random, no problems so-far. Appx monthly or more when sailing, or aboard at anchor/mooring or slip, I shoot WD-40 Into wire entry on lowers. Don't know if it helps or not, but I feel it might push out any stale water that might have accumulated there. I rinse wires by squirting with dock water hose after each sail, as far up as pressure will let me.

Recommend using only US made 316ss wire, 1/64 (racers&weekenders) to 1/32 (cruisers} larger diameter than spec. In areas in which God provides occasional fresh water rinse (PNW or Central America) it will last the life of the hull, Mexico, California, Texas, probably 10-15 or more years.

[thomm225]

So I'm about to build up my new backstay, but to cut the 1 x 19 wire all I have right now is a normal hacksaw with new blades.

Do I really need some sort of wooden "jig/block" to get a good cut on the wire?

And a high tension hacksaw?

[betwys1]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So I'm about to build up my new backstay, but to cut the 1 x 19 wire all I have right now is a normal hacksaw with new blades.

Do I really need some sort of wooden "jig/block" to get a good cut on the wire?

And a high tension hacksaw?

You might find a combined bolt, wire, cable cutter handy. You won't use it much ~ but when you need it, you sometimes REALLY need it.

https://www.harborfreight.com/24-inc...ter-96252.html

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by betwys1

You might find a combined bolt, wire, cable cutter handy. You won't use it much ~ but when you need it, you sometimes REALLY need it.

https://www.harborfreight.com/24-inc...ter-96252.html

Yeah thanks.

My brother who lives near where I will doing the build asked me if bolt cutters would work. I said I didn't know, but I could probably get a better 90 degree or perpendicular cut with them than trying to do it with a hacksaw.

He has tons of tools ......he bought his first set of snap-on tools at like 14 years old. He's one of those tool guys.

Saved me a couple weeks back changing a starter out because he had a pneumatic ratchet (and a compressor with a long hose) otherwise I'd probably had to pay another $200 for someone else to do the job

I'm doing it over there because I have a vice. And a new work shed there

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Yeah thanks.

My brother who lives near where I will doing the build asked me if bolt cutters would work. I said I didn't know, but I could probably get a better 90 degree or perpendicular cut with them than trying to do it with a hacksaw.

Not sure about your skills with a hacksaw. I have found that I can easily do it with a hacksaw when wrapping some tape tightly around the wire, then cut perpendicular (not difficult imho), then file the circumference to get rid of the burr from the saw.

When you don’t file, you don’t get the wire through the cone.

[betwys1]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Yeah thanks.

My brother who lives near where I will doing the build asked me if bolt cutters would work. I said I didn't know, but I could probably get a better 90 degree or perpendicular cut with them than trying to do it with a hacksaw.

He has tons of tools ......he bought his first set of snap-on tools at like 14 years old. He's one of those tool guys.

Saved me a couple weeks back changing a starter out because he had a pneumatic ratchet (and a compressor with a long hose) otherwise I'd probably had to pay another $200 for someone else to do the job

I'm doing it over there because I have a vice. And a new work shed there

Bolt cutters spread a cable: cable-cutters have vee shaped blades. It may also help to tape the wire cable at the cutting point to help hold the wires tidy.