Winter standing rigging maintenance

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Capt Robbie

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Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
The other day I had a disagreement with a commercial rigger about my standing rigging on my boat. I told him that every year as my boat is hauled out for the winter season I always slack off the rigging about 4-5 turns. I have done this for 35 plus years. The reasons I do this is the take the stress off the rig, the fittings, and chain plates. This also allows for the stainless steel cables to contract during the colder winter temperatures. Also is a good time to inspect and lube turnbuckles.

The commercial rigger told me that I am wasting my time doing this other then the lubricant part. He said that the length of cable and stretch is minimal and the cold really has no effect on such sort lengths 100' or less. Now he does commercial rigging on bridges and elevator, not boats. I disagree with him and will continue losening my rig.
I was just wondering what my other fellow boaters due during the winter months to your rig.
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

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Feb 10, 2004
3,931
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
I do nothing except go up the mast in the fall and again in the spring and visually inspect the rig. I do this since it is easy and I remove the wind transducer in the fall and replace it in the spring- Saves wear and tear on the transducer bearings.
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,096
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
This comes up every winter.

Your rigger is correct. Aluminum (the mast) contracts more than steel (the rigging) so it loosens naturally.
 
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jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,088
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
While Don is correct about the contraction of Aluminum the amount may not be enough to relieve the compression on the boat hull. Loosing the rigging will not be bad. It relieves the strain the rig puts on the deck and hull. The hull take enough of a beating being on the hard partially supported. I always loose my back stay to loosen the rig when not being sailed.
 
LeslieTroyer

LeslieTroyer

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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
I believe the rigger. My thinking is 5 turns + differential contraction the rig is loose enough to move side to side or fore and aft and the sudden deceleration is much worse than static tension.

Les
 
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jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,088
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The art of science is to know all of the variables.
 
Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
5,731
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Our boat is in the water year around ready to go cruising on a moments notice whether it wants to or not. Christmas break fast approaching and Belle-vie is expected to be out and about shortly. Likely Eagle Harbor for starters.
 
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nightowle

nightowle

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Aug 28, 2006
564
Bavaria 35E seattle
Terry Cox said:
Our boat is in the water year around ready to go cruising on a moments notice whether it wants to or not. Christmas break fast approaching and Belle-vie is expected to be out and about shortly. Likely Eagle Harbor for starters.
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We'll be at Blake Island for New Years.
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,410
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
a. In theory, slack rigging that cycles in the wind is far worse, but...
b. I slack the rig every time I return, because the manual says I should:

SHROUD TENSIONERS. When leaving the boat for any length of time with floats extended, the shroud tensioners should be let off. If not, the high tension could slowly bend the boat, due to 'creep' characteristics. This rule applies to all boats with adjustable backstays.
(from Corsair Marine manual)
 
Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
5,731
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
nightowle said:
We'll be at Blake Island for New Years.
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Blake Island is a nice place. Been there before many years ago with the fam. Might get a good distant view of the fireworks display. Hopefully, not too crowded for you.
 
nightowle

nightowle

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Aug 28, 2006
564
Bavaria 35E seattle
Terry Cox said:
Blake Island is a nice place. Been there before many years ago with the fam. Might get a good distant view of the fireworks display. Hopefully, not too crowded for you.
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I'll be there with members of the Seattle Singles Yacht Club. We figure it's going to be crowded and rafting will be happening for sure. I've done a couple New Years previously, and yes...the Space Needle fireworks are usually visible depending on cloud layer. We have one of the picnic huts reserved so will be staying warm with the big open fireplace.
 
Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

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Oct 19, 2017
7,745
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Don S/V ILLusion said:
Art and science are mutually exclusive things. Regardless, it's 75 degrees here and our worst problem is no wind.
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Hum:what:
It seems to me there's a lot of art to science. Both rely on observation and interpretation skills. Understanding nature, interaction and perception are benefits fo both. There are scientists recognized as superior at developing hypothesis, creating experiments, collecting and filtering data, drawing conclusions and synthesizing theories. These things, if they were formulaic, would put everyone on equal footing and no one would excel any better than another equally educated scientist. There is a difference between science as a practice and facts or laws.

I'm in the slack camp because 10 lbs of tension puts less strain on a length of cable than 100 lbs of tension. Why hold the mast up with more strain than necessary?

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
C

Capt Robbie

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Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
I have always slacked the rigging for a number of reasons.
Like others have posted. Why put the stress on the rig when it's not in used for the next few months. I also believe the stress on the entire boat is much different when on the hard then in the water.
When I stored in the water during the winter I still slacked the rig to reduce the stress to the rig. For me it's not that much of an issue to count how many turns I make on each turnbuckle and write it down so that I know how many turns to do in the spring.

Anyway,
Thanks all for your feed back.
 
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Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
5,731
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Capt Robbie said:
For me it's not that much of an issue to count how many turns I make on each turnbuckle and write it down so that I know how many turns to do in the spring.
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Rather than keeping track of the turns, I wrap a piece of electrical tape around the threaded stud at the base of the turnbuckle before releasing any tension. Normally, I never make any tension adjustments during the winter months as I cruise year around. I do, however, use a magnifying glass at the beginning of the season to check for any signs of degradation or fatigue.
 
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