How do I remove swage fittings for replacement?

[Anonymous member 131]

Ok, new to this game and no search results on this but I know it has to have been discussed a million times. I'm bringing my Cat 30 to the hard for our MI winter season. Also I just purchased this boat in July and have a lot of refit work to do along with repainting etc... Noticed a bent turn buckle bolt on bottom swaged bolt. Not the easily replaced bottom bolt either. So the fitting is the top swaged turnbuckle bolt.

I'm going to go with a sta lok so I can do my own work. I like being able to control quality etc... if it breaks then shame on me, but I'm not relying on someone else that may not take my life as serious as their own. Problem, never done this, never seen it done, haven't found a you tube demonstration (yet). So can anyone point me in the right direction where I can enlighten myself on how to remake my new standing rigging with bent swaged turnbuckles into a non swaged sta loc system?

 

[kloudie1]

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvim92p_HMw
Ya just need to measure for length.. and keep the wire from coming unraveled when you cut it..some tape and a Dremel cut-off wheel are great..

Hi-Mod and Norseman also make similar fittings.

 

[Anonymous member 131]

Do you use any of these and if so any opinions/favorites?

 

[Anonymous member 131]

Ok watched vid. What im trying to do is salvage the current rigging as it appears in good shape. Can I cut off swage part and order longer parts to fit? Or is that asking for trouble? Should I cut it shorter and add a splice? Whats the opinion here?

 

[BJV]

If turnbuckle and swagged thread need to be replaced, then replace wire too. Looks can be decieving, also should not splice.

 

[scotmcpherson]

Ok watched vid. What im trying to do is salvage the current rigging as it appears in good shape. Can I cut off swage part and order longer parts to fit? Or is that asking for trouble? Should I cut it shorter and add a splice? Whats the opinion here?

The rule of thumb is replace it all. This is one area you don't want to compromise. Getting accidentally dismasted is really bad, really dangerous.

 

[Chris Blubaugh]

New wire is the cheap part of the rigging!

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Did all the rigging on my boat using Stalocs . almost 12,000 miles ago. still going well

If the fittings are just bent up, cut them off with a cutoff wheel as suggested earlier add toggles at bottom of all. If the wire looks REALLY good, reuse it. if the least bit questionable, replace it

 

[scotmcpherson]

New wire is the cheap part of the rigging!

That's true, all the swage hardware costs a lot more that the actual wire does. Crazy

 

[dhays]

Mark, as you have gathered, you can't remove the swage fitting other than by cutting it off. Likely, this will make the wire too short to use without some kludged together extension. Just replace the wire.

Good luck with the boat.

 

[Anonymous member 131]

Thanks for all the great information. I know I dont want to be demasted. It almost happened on the way from cheboygan MI to Presque Ile. Got hit in a small squall while trying to reef and found out the guy I bought it from took the reefing lines off between sailing it to test it and buying it and like an idiot I didnt chk things that had been there. Anyway, I had installed jack lines and was hooked on win a life line and was knocked over in the squall with decks awash single handed and just held on till the gusts let up then took the sails down and motored the last hour and a half in pretty well exhausted from the long day and exoerience. Being my first sail boat I did not think to see if the new standing rigging had stretched in the hard weather and got into six foot waves and 15 knot winds again the next day but inly flew the head sail. I decided to just motor as the wind was coming around into my teeth so pointed up and brought in the headsail and seen all four side shrouds go completely limp with at least afoot slack. Ran back tightened back stay as I felt the mast shift slightly and thought id had it. Ran up started tightening upper shrouds then lowers and found nuts jambed to the bottom no way tostop loosening and absolutely no cotter pins. They had all been stripped off every shroud back stay and forestay. Tightened down motored in an took each pair up got nuts un jammed with help from a auto center owner whom also owned a boat and went to hardware and got standard old cotter pins to make it home with. I really thought that day I was going to lose the mast and that is scarier then I would have imagined. I say run but I stayed calm and moved quickly but safely and it probably saved my boat that day....as I say im learning fast!

 

[Delezynski]

You might want to watch our Youtube of replacing our own rigging. Sorry it's in 3D. Youtube has removed the 3D options for now, but you can still get the idea.
https://youtu.be/bGQuj2yS5xE

Greg

 

[dhays]

Mark, after that experience bringing the boat home, it will only get better from here.

Dave

 

[mitiempo]

StaLok and Hayn are both available, Norseman is no longer made. Hayn seems to be the popular choice currently.

Replace the wire and probably the turnbuckles as well.

 

[Ron20324]

I read it as you want to cut off the fitting without cutting/shortening the wire? If so, the wire was crushed in the swage process and may not work in a DIY fitting.

 

[Anonymous member 131]

Yes i've come to understand that. I did not know at that time but do now. I am replacing the entire line. Havent looked at hi mod yet but will use it or sta lok

 

[mitiempo]

Information here:

http://hayn.com/marine/rigging/himod.html

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Being as this is your 1st sailboat, and it is not clear from your discourse if you have old or new rigging ... personally, I'd have 100% more faith in the work from a competent rigger than I would in your DIY work. As you said, you've never done it, you've never seen it done, and you are asking a website forum for advise as to salvaging damaged rigging. It actually sounds like your interest is more concerned with saving money than it is in safety.

Performing the work yourself is admirable when you know what you're doing. Looking for advise on how to do it seems foolish to me when a competent rigger can perform this work with more safety to you (and your crew), and probably less cost if you continue with swaged fittings. (Those DIY fittings are expensive, I think). I can understand the desire to be self-sufficient. But I think you are doing yourself no favors if you think your work will be safer than a professional rigger's work in this circumstance. Just my 2cents ...

 

[Delezynski]

Being as this is your 1st sailboat, and it is not clear from your discourse if you have old or new rigging ... personally, I'd have 100% more faith in the work from a competent rigger than I would in your DIY work. As you said, you've never done it, you've never seen it done....

If you can stand to watch our Youtube video, link posted above, he HAS SEEN IT DONE. If he has any questions, I AND a few others who HAVE DONE IT are here to help.

Performing the work yourself is admirable when you know what you're doing. Looking for advise on how to do it seems foolish to me when a competent rigger can perform this work with more safety to you (and your crew), and probably less cost if you continue with swaged fittings. (Those DIY fittings are expensive, I think). I can understand the desire to be self-sufficient. But I think you are doing yourself no favors if you think your work will be safer than a professional rigger's work in this circumstance. Just my 2cents ...

First, by performing your own work, you are building your own skills. VERY important if you ever plan to actually go cruising past your own area.

Second, the Hi-Mod fittings are a bit more $ than a swage fitting, BUT they are less than 2 Swage Fittings, and are reusable a few times each. AND, they are stronger than Swage Fittings.

Third, I have seen BAD swage fitting put on by professionals! Even in the San Francisco Bay area, a big sailing center! Some were bananaed, some cracked, fresh out of the riggers hands!

As you said Scott, just my opinion, another opinion. And I can say, after a limited amount of blue water, I trust MY rigging a lot more than another guy's, especially out of sight of land in a foreign country with no cell phone service any place close!

Greg

 

[Stu Jackson]

As you said Scott, just my opinion, another opinion. And I can say, after a limited amount of blue water, I trust MY rigging a lot more than another guy's, especially out of sight of land in a foreign country with no cell phone service any place close!

Greg's advice is just the ticket. The concept to is learn and be self reliant.

It really is a safety issue.

The rigger who did our stuff back in 2003 was a real dandy and I had to check every step he made, correct him where he was wrong, and point out his failures, before I would even begin to consider accepting the work. The yard was mad. I explained I was the customer and their rigger didn't do a lot of stuff I had specified and what he did wasn't up to snuff.

Learn and do.