Does anyone know where to buy a dye kit for checking the rigging hardware for cracks? There is a spray product called "SpotCheck" but I haven't been able to locate a place that sells it. Any suggestions, or alternatives, would be appreciated.
- Status
Call Sailnet
Give them a call, if they dont have it they can tell you where to get it.800-234-3220
Give them a call, if they dont have it they can tell you where to get it.800-234-3220
Your headstay...
...is the one thing that should be replaced after 10 years regardless of any test. A headstay failure will bring down the entire rig no matter where or when it happens. Its cheap insurance and very easy to do. I just did mine at 10 years and it took all of 4 hours mast up.
...is the one thing that should be replaced after 10 years regardless of any test. A headstay failure will bring down the entire rig no matter where or when it happens. Its cheap insurance and very easy to do. I just did mine at 10 years and it took all of 4 hours mast up.
headstay failure
Although I concur with the advice to replace standing rigging every ten years, you should know that it's possible to save the rig after a headstay fails. We lost the headstay on an Olson 30 about 15 years ago on an upwind leg of a race. Fortunately, we were flying a fairly new kevlar genny, the luff of which was strong enough to hold the mast up for the few moments it took us to do a 180. Once the main filled downwind there was enough pressure on the mast to hold it up. We eased the backstay all the way, ran the spinnaker halyard to the headplate and then tensioned both the halyard and the backstay, in that order. We waited until another boat was alongside before taking the sails down in case the mast collapsed and crew had to jump overboard. It didn't.
Although I concur with the advice to replace standing rigging every ten years, you should know that it's possible to save the rig after a headstay fails. We lost the headstay on an Olson 30 about 15 years ago on an upwind leg of a race. Fortunately, we were flying a fairly new kevlar genny, the luff of which was strong enough to hold the mast up for the few moments it took us to do a 180. Once the main filled downwind there was enough pressure on the mast to hold it up. We eased the backstay all the way, ran the spinnaker halyard to the headplate and then tensioned both the halyard and the backstay, in that order. We waited until another boat was alongside before taking the sails down in case the mast collapsed and crew had to jump overboard. It didn't.
Great recovery
.. to be able to head off downwind so quickly. If we were carrying our #3 Kevlar blade it might stand the shock loading, but I'm quite sure that our lighter #1's would never take the loading. Better to be safe and replace it BEFORE the failure, don't you think??
.. to be able to head off downwind so quickly. If we were carrying our #3 Kevlar blade it might stand the shock loading, but I'm quite sure that our lighter #1's would never take the loading. Better to be safe and replace it BEFORE the failure, don't you think??
magna-flux
look in the yellow pages under welding supply stores and ask them if they carry magna-flux. this is a brard name, and if they do not have it they will likely know exactly what you are looking for and suggest a similar product. i have never used this stuff on my boat and consider it a "piece of mind kind of thing". a friend used it on his boat and you can still see the stain on the deck where he spilled it. if you have a spare halyard, you can check your standing rigging in the slip by making it fast close to where the stay/shroud connects and cranking down on a wench with all you got. you can then thread off turnbuckles or undo compression fittings and give them a in and out look see or replace them. do this in wind of 10kts or less.
look in the yellow pages under welding supply stores and ask them if they carry magna-flux. this is a brard name, and if they do not have it they will likely know exactly what you are looking for and suggest a similar product. i have never used this stuff on my boat and consider it a "piece of mind kind of thing". a friend used it on his boat and you can still see the stain on the deck where he spilled it. if you have a spare halyard, you can check your standing rigging in the slip by making it fast close to where the stay/shroud connects and cranking down on a wench with all you got. you can then thread off turnbuckles or undo compression fittings and give them a in and out look see or replace them. do this in wind of 10kts or less.
dye supply
there is an industrial supply house that i use in odessa that sells the kit or just the spray cans. one is cleaner, second is dye,and third is developer. i think cost is about 60 -75 $ for all. call M & M SALES 1-432 332 1481 AND ASK FOR SPOTCHECK. DON BRITTON IF HE IS IN.
there is an industrial supply house that i use in odessa that sells the kit or just the spray cans. one is cleaner, second is dye,and third is developer. i think cost is about 60 -75 $ for all. call M & M SALES 1-432 332 1481 AND ASK FOR SPOTCHECK. DON BRITTON IF HE IS IN.
mast up??
Alan I have a 34 and the only thing forward of mast is the forestay, with furling. How did you support mast? Was a halyard enough?
Alan I have a 34 and the only thing forward of mast is the forestay, with furling. How did you support mast? Was a halyard enough?
UP!!
We used the two genoa halyards cleated to the bow chocks then cranked down with the halyard winch which pulled the mast forward and unloaded the forestay. As an extra measure I also ran a line from the upper speaders to the bow. Then going aloft on the main halyard and pulled the pin at the top of the forestay. Used the spinnaker halyard to lower the forestay. Reverse to install new one. Piece of cake!! By the way, the climbing gear they sell for rock climbing works way better than a bosons chair and is much safer. Also you can do it single handed.
We used the two genoa halyards cleated to the bow chocks then cranked down with the halyard winch which pulled the mast forward and unloaded the forestay. As an extra measure I also ran a line from the upper speaders to the bow. Then going aloft on the main halyard and pulled the pin at the top of the forestay. Used the spinnaker halyard to lower the forestay. Reverse to install new one. Piece of cake!! By the way, the climbing gear they sell for rock climbing works way better than a bosons chair and is much safer. Also you can do it single handed.
- Status