Standing rigging. Whats critical

[Jared1048]

I recently got a quote for new standing rigging and it was about 50% more than I expected. I'm currently trying to narrow the list down to the most critical items.

Cuts
1. Not going to replace the backstay since its a B&R rig its not as critical
2. Debating on whether or not to replace the diagonals. If I do I might just replace the wire and re-use the turnbuckles.

Background. The boat has been in the Pacific Northwest its entire life an I havent noticed anything that would lead me to believe it needs to be replaced. I've had a rigger look at it before and said it looked fine. I'm going to be cruising south to mexico though and would like to have the critical pieces new.

Thoughts? Concerns?

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

Standing-rigging replacements

I am facing replacing *all* of my standing rigging and decided that the easiest thing is to change out the cap shrouds (uppers), forestay and upper backstay (I have a split back and the lower legs are new) first. In this way the rig will stay up in the event of a single lower-shroud failure; and this can be easily changed with the use of a step ladder without taking down the mast. I have enough 1x19 wire 'in stock' and will just carry the roll with me as I sail south. But the real cost isn't for the wire, you know-- it's for the fittings and the swaging.

Of course in the event of a lower-shroud failure you can still break the spar; but upon detecting a let-go the vigilant will immediately ease all sheets, tend to the halyards, rig up something like a pole lift to replace the shroud, and limp into a save haven for repairs. It's pretty much what one would do in the event of an upper-stay failure; but the repair will be simpler.

Remember NO hand-swage or hand-crimp (including Nico-press) is adequate for standing rigging on any sailboat whose cabin you can stand up in; and they're barely adequate for many boats much smaller.

A caution-- if your aged Hunter still has any stainless-steel closed-barrel turnbuckles, consider replacing these ASAP. I would suspect the most common failings of these original-equipment parts are saltwater-induced fatigue, inside the barrel where one cannot inspect, and then perhaps galling of the two similar metals. ALL rigging should take advantage of the natural bronze-stainless compatibility especially where threads are concerned. My turnbuckle preference is for the excellent cast-bronze Hayn barrels, which can be had in either chrome-plated or polished bronze (which might look gorgeous if treated with some clearcoat from the start). Defender carries them for about $14-17 a piece (1/4" or 5/16"). These can be replaced one-by-one, in place, with the rigging slightly slackened.

Remember TBs should use cotter pins properly bent (15 degrees) and then taped securely. Turnbuckle boots foster too much of the 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality-- their only purpose is to look cute. Inspection of TB pins has been part of the daily inspection at sea for seagoing sailors for generations. Know what to look for, then look for it.

 

[Dave Groshong]

If you have a backstay, it's not a B and R rig. We can offer rigging services, we're here in Seattle and if know which pieces, or the whole set, I can get you a quote.

 

[FastOlson]

If you have a backstay, it's not a B and R rig. We can offer rigging services, we're here in Seattle and if know which pieces, or the whole set, I can get you a quote.

The 80's H-31 used a B&R shroud scheme and also a backstay.
Think of it as a way to control mast bend and also eliminate forward lowers.

 

[Squidd]

Just replace the stuff you don't want to break at an inopportune time out sailing...

The rest of it you can replace when it breaks convieniently at the dock side...

 

[Richard Bryer]

My 34 also has a backstay and is described as a B&R rig in the manuals

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

My 34 also has a backstay and is described as a B&R rig in the manuals

Ditto for mine and every other one I've seen from 83 to 87

 

[Dave Groshong]

Well, maybe it was considered B and R, but the rig evolved later to even more swept back spreaders and no backstay, so I stand corrected.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

Re: B&R rig

As designed and rigged correctly, a B&R rig has no backstay because it isn't needed and would only overly complicate the tuning process and the stresses applied to the spar.

When my dad drew the original Hunter 54, he did as Lars and Warren suggested and designed it to have no standing backstay. The production boats began that way; but customers were so mistrustful of the rig as it was designed by experts that Hunter kowtowed to them and added a backstay. The backstay, at least in theory, does not have the ability to provide mast bend-- to attempt that on a true B&R rig would be to push the mast heel through the deck.

The whole key to a B&R rig is stiffness; though, of course, if improperly tuned, such a rig (as with any rig) would be worthless. Most people not understanding this will blame the rig for being insufficient or 'finicky' when nearly always some fault can be found for how it has been tuned, maintained and repaired.

Hunter later used the B&R rig for some of the smaller boats, notably the trailerable 24 which was able to boast of having only 'three' rigging wires to connect-- the forestay and the common pins for port and starboard upper and lower shrouds. This perhaps exaggerated the simplicity of the rig design but did demonstrate its inherent benefits-- that of providing requisite stiffness via only a few (albeit key) points. This is also a drawback as these few points must be very, very well cared-for or they will rapidly become the boat's biggest (and perhaps hidden) Achilles heel. At the age some of these boats are now attaining this becomes a vital issue.

BTW: at Cherubini we encountered the same problem with C48 staysail schooners, which dating back to my Uncle Frit's 1985 'Legacy' (the original wooden plug) were meant to have a pure B&R rig for the main. It's an excellent example of how to apply this rig as it avoids the need for a standing backstay and the ugly boomkin. But straight out of the box the first 'production' boat was stipulated to have a boomkin and backstay because of the buyer's *assumed* (and, implied, superior) expertise in sailboat rigs; and this became too much the norm. I don't know why-- none of John Alden's famous schooner designs had boomkins or standing backstays; and they weren't exactly known for automatic dismastings during every jibe. At a certain point it comes down to the sailor's having a sufficient comprehension of the sailboat itself.

The C48 'Antonina', kept at Hancock's Harbor, NJ, is the purest one I have seen, having the split cabin houses, off-center prop and B&R rig. It's a thing of beauty, the best example of the type. Would that all C48 and H54 buyers had trusted my dad a little more!

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