Replacing my rig myself

[Peregrine1983]

Hi all,

Curious to get the forum's take on replacing my rig on my Pearson 424 ketch this upcoming winter on the hard by my lonesome.

The rig is the last major component of this boat I have not replaced (I have re-powered, re-plumbed, and re-wired the boat over the last 9 years).

I am considering leaving the rig up and doing one or two components at a time and rigging halyards in place of each wire that's removed for safety.

My gut is that leaving the rig in is the best way to ensure I have everything correct.

Going up and down is not a problem as I have access to a cherry picker and my bosun chair.

I am considering Hayn Hi-Mod and I'm thinking all in with the rig and tools required I'm looking at about $5000 US.

Would love to hear the forum's take on this rough plan.

[davil]

Hi Peregrine

totally doable given your experience and assume physical shape.

I did it in my previous cruising boat Tartan 34 in 1998?, didn't haul out
at the slip.

Solo

Only needed an extra hand to help me guide the new rollerfurler as I hoisted the system, and an “unsuspected bystander” walked the extrusion tubes.

Piece of cake

At that time used Sta-Lock.

Looking at your proposed system can see how you will puncture your fingers tips

Good luck

[hpeer]

I did it using StayLoc on a 33’ cutter. Mast was down, marked everything, took it home and did it in my basement. I found it a bit tricky to get the lengths exactly correct.

[Winf]

Hi

Did ours solo with Sta-lok fittings but mast down. Felt daunting beforehand but went ok and glad did it. Have never heard of issues with the Hayn system, the crown ring looks like a better idea and will look at them more closely next time.

Consider that with the mast down you get a good look at the whole of the mast to do any repairs/upgrades more easily. The cable conduit in our mast had come away and needed refixing so it really had to come down to do that.

Personally, I wouldn't do it in the air unless I had a cherry picker on hand - I don't find working from the chair fun - am a 6'5" guy and chair makes me sore all over at my age.

Also ended up stripping all paint from the mast and spreaders (which had lots of blisters) and dings. Left it unpainted but recoated it with Nyalic.

Took lots of photos before anything came down or was removed and again when down. Referred back to the photos more than I thought and they were essential. Tagged everything too to make sure no mix ups.

[HankOnthewater]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

Hi all,

Curious to get the forum's take on replacing my rig on my Pearson 424 ketch this upcoming winter on the hard by my lonesome.

The rig is the last major component of this boat I have not replaced (I have re-powered, re-plumbed, and re-wired the boat over the last 9 years).

I am considering leaving the rig up and doing one or two components at a time and rigging halyards in place of each wire that's removed for safety.

My gut is that leaving the rig in is the best way to ensure I have everything correct.

Going up and down is not a problem as I have access to a cherry picker and my bosun chair.

I am considering Hayn Hi-Mod and I'm thinking all in with the rig and tools required I'm looking at about $5000 US.

Would love to hear the forum's take on this rough plan.

Totally doable as DIY, using mechanical fittings (as opposed to swaged fittings). I never used Hayn-hi-mod but always used Sta-Lok. I am sure that sometimes you would need a second person on deck/dock to make it easier and safer.

As you said. do one wire at a time, starting with the longest one, because if you muck it up and make it too short, you can use that wire for a shorter stay/shroud.
You might have 2 or 3 different size of wires in use now. Reduced that to one size less, might make it more economical, both for buying reasons and interchangeability and keeping spares. If the required lack of strength prohibits such decision, consider using CS (compact strand) wire (used to be called "Dyform"), that is slightly stronger, whilst keeping same diameter.

The only issue I have come across is the use of sealant: to fill the fitting with a sealant .... or not. I have seen arguments for both ways, and I have rigged with and without the sealant. I don't know what Hayn recommends.

Keep the documents of your purchase of rigging wire and fittings to prove to insurance company you fitted that, and if they do not accept that, get a rigging surveyor to inspect afterwards.

After changing your rig, and after splashing the boat, redo the tensions, as they might be different compared with being out of the water.

[coopec43]

OMG Hank you've got more guts than a Sherman tank!

Back in the West and no longer on the movie set?

[lateral]

Yep, do-able. I did it 10yrs ago & going to do it again this year. Used NZ equivalent of sta-lock. SeaRig
Already had mast out with Hiab, used gantry with boat in water to return.

This time I'm just replacing SS mast-shoe with fibreglass owing to galvanic corrosion.
So only lifting mast 300mm.

You need a helper; someone reliable to save time/effort.

[GILow]

I did the Swanson 42 using mechanical swaged fittings with the mast on the boat in 2019.

Swore I would never do it that way again.

Tiring, slow, stressful, somewhat dangerous and, most important to me, hard to do a really GOOD job of it on the details like the spreader ends.

Did the KP44 in synthetic with mast on the ground last year and the money for the crane truck was the best money I’ve spent on the boat. The job became relaxing, almost fun and little details could be attended to with ease.

So yeah, for me, having a done it both ways, mast down for sure.

[cal40john]

I replaced some of the rigging with the mast up. Used halyards to support the missing shroud. Didn't have any issues except at the beginning when I went to a professional rigger to get advice and buy parts. He gave me wire that was one size under the Staloks I was using. Took me awhile to figure that out while trying to put the Staloks on.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by cal40john

I replaced some of the rigging with the mast up. Used halyards to support the missing shroud. Didn't have any issues except at the beginning when I went to a professional rigger to get advice and buy parts. He gave me wire that was one size under the Staloks I was using. Took me awhile to figure that out while trying to put the Staloks on.

The rigger still managed to screw it up even as a supplier. Now that's comical (in hindsight).

[Hudson Force]

"Rig" seems less defined as a term. From all the responses above, I can assume that you are replacing the standing rigging and not the main and mizzen masts. I did this with my own ketch and felt that it was much more secure than the same task with a single mast. Just as you described, I secured the some of the spans that that I was replacing with halyards, -especially along the midline (forestay, triatic, and backstays). I replaced all the lateral standing rigging (lower shrouds, main & mizzen) in matching pairs except the upper shrouds on the main mast I did one at a time with temporary bracing line.

I was slow! I didn't complete this at one time. 'didn't let it interfere with cruising about. 'pleased with it all,- 'found some weaknesses that were good to replace including a couple of chain plates.

[pcmm]

I replaced my standing rigging my self a few years ago. Its a heck of a lot easier if you unstep the masts and have everything on the ground. Just mark the turnbuckles before you untension the rig. Once its on the ground, just turn the turnbuckles until you're back to your rig tension and then measure. On the ground its easy to do all the work and a heck of a lot simpler and quicker than going up the mast for every stay!

If you have a Triatic stay, that one is just a pain to deal with anyway!

Standing rigging isn't rocket science, I'm not sure why so many people are afraid of working on their standing rigging. If you can measure from pin to pin, you know the length of each stay. just replicate.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Its a heck of a lot easier if you unstep the masts and have everything on the ground. Just mark the turnbuckles before you untension the rig. Once its on the ground, just turn the turnbuckles until you're back to your rig tension and then measure. On the ground its easy to do all the work and a heck of a lot simpler and quicker than going up the mast for every stay! .

I'm starting to get the picture now that you explain the procedure.

But mine was being rigged for the first time and there were several guys there as well as the crane driver with a huge crane. They did it all "on the hard" but they wanted to rig her in the water (I gather they did most of them that way) I guess if you rigged the yacht in the water it would lower everything by about 10ft and avoid having to use a large sized crane?

[MicHughV]

As above, I've also replaced all standing rigging on my boat, but had the masts (ketch) removed and placed on saw horses.
Without question, this is the way to go. You might be fit as a fiddle, but your halyards might be old and frayed, and generally going up the mast is a two person operation, etc, etc. and you will need both hands free to attach fittings.

Having the mast(s) down is infinitely quicker and simpler. My project took about a day.

The new rigging will likely come on a spool, this has to be cut and fitted to each stalock fitting with precision to ensure a good job, etc.

This should be a no brainer decision, do the job on the ground !!

[Peregrine1983]

Thanks all very much for the replies! Great tips and info in here.

I do see the case now for just marking everything well and then pulling the masts so I have the rig next to me to work on on the ground.

GILow - how do you like your synthetic? I feel like synthetic on a heavy cruising boat like mine is a bit of a mismatch, but I'm intrigued!

EDIT: Pulling the rig would also allow me to put the cover on our boat, which I prefer.