As another sailing season starts up, I once again struggle with whether or not to replace the standing rigging on my '85 H-31. I continually inspect it, can find no problems and see no evidence of any corrosion. It's tuned to spec, the rig is straight and it behaves as it should in a brisk breeze. There are certainly other things to spend "boat money" on, and of course the old wisdom of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". On the other hand, it is 22 years old! But it seems like age alone is not sufficient reason to replace. Anybody else out there sailing with original rigging? Any thoughts on the general subject of replacing standing rigging? I'm really torn here...
Standing Rigging
- Thread starter Richard Deep
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pease of mind
unless you are entirely confident with your ability to thoroughly inspect it properly, including all fittings, for a reasonable price, you could have a rigger, whom you trust, inspect it for a definitive opinion. At that age, a dye test might be worthwhile.
unless you are entirely confident with your ability to thoroughly inspect it properly, including all fittings, for a reasonable price, you could have a rigger, whom you trust, inspect it for a definitive opinion. At that age, a dye test might be worthwhile.
For what its worth...
My H31 is still sailing with the original standing rigging. Im in fresh water however, and things tend to corrode much more slowly. Hearing you are still using the original rigging in seawater makes me feel safer. But Don's suggestion makes sense.
My H31 is still sailing with the original standing rigging. Im in fresh water however, and things tend to corrode much more slowly. Hearing you are still using the original rigging in seawater makes me feel safer. But Don's suggestion makes sense.
A word to the wise.....
The headstay is the one stay that's unsupported. Meaning there is no other source of forward support should it fail. The rig will come down if this happens unless you are fortunate enough to be sailing down wind when it happens. I would highly recommend replacing the headstay every 10 years. It is cheap insurance to know that you fall well within reasonable limits at ten years. I changed mine two years ago, mast up. Took a few hours and about $125.
The headstay is the one stay that's unsupported. Meaning there is no other source of forward support should it fail. The rig will come down if this happens unless you are fortunate enough to be sailing down wind when it happens. I would highly recommend replacing the headstay every 10 years. It is cheap insurance to know that you fall well within reasonable limits at ten years. I changed mine two years ago, mast up. Took a few hours and about $125.
Jib & halyard back up the forestay
Actually, the foresail halyard and luff back up the forestay, just as the mainsheet and mainsail back up the backstay, especially when close hauled. David Lady Lillie
Actually, the foresail halyard and luff back up the forestay, just as the mainsheet and mainsail back up the backstay, especially when close hauled. David Lady Lillie
Salt Water = Corrosion
Had the opportunity recently to attend a seminar on this topic at Crowley's Boat Yard in Chicago (very highly respected.) A salt environment certainly adds concern about the strength of your swages, etc. Another heavy factor is use, racers tend to get more stressed than cruisers and have more failures. Given the locale and age of your boat,I would side on getting a professional inspection. There are some ways to minimize or spread out the cost. For example; if the cable checks out but the swages are suspect, the cable can be clipped off close and the tangs replaced with long barrelled versions. Of course if the turnbuckles are gaulled, that option is eliminated. Some folks enter into a program where pairs are replaced over a span of several years ie., fore and back, uppers, mids, runners, 1 or both sets of lowers. A pro could help prioritize based on inspection findings. The two toughest systems to repair on the water that are most likely to break under bad conditions; rig failure and steering.
Had the opportunity recently to attend a seminar on this topic at Crowley's Boat Yard in Chicago (very highly respected.) A salt environment certainly adds concern about the strength of your swages, etc. Another heavy factor is use, racers tend to get more stressed than cruisers and have more failures. Given the locale and age of your boat,I would side on getting a professional inspection. There are some ways to minimize or spread out the cost. For example; if the cable checks out but the swages are suspect, the cable can be clipped off close and the tangs replaced with long barrelled versions. Of course if the turnbuckles are gaulled, that option is eliminated. Some folks enter into a program where pairs are replaced over a span of several years ie., fore and back, uppers, mids, runners, 1 or both sets of lowers. A pro could help prioritize based on inspection findings. The two toughest systems to repair on the water that are most likely to break under bad conditions; rig failure and steering.
I agree with Jeff
I agree with Jeff that an inspection by a professional is in order. I have seen rigging that looks new after 40 years of use and rigging that looks old after 2 years of use. Salt Water/salt air is usually the problem as well as over sailing racers. Mine is a 1981 and I plan a professional inspection late this year or next. However it still looks great and has little salt water/racing usage.
I agree with Jeff that an inspection by a professional is in order. I have seen rigging that looks new after 40 years of use and rigging that looks old after 2 years of use. Salt Water/salt air is usually the problem as well as over sailing racers. Mine is a 1981 and I plan a professional inspection late this year or next. However it still looks great and has little salt water/racing usage.
We are contemplating replacing the rigging on our 86 H31. Had pro inspection done several years ago and everything was fine. We have inspected since then using dye on the turnbuckles and a soft rag on the wire rope. Everything seems fine, but we're concerned about the age. Bottom line - mast will be unstepped during the dog days of August, all wiring and probably lights will be replaced (DYI), and a pro will determine what stays and shrouds should be replaced.
My old C&C
had oversize rigging (I think C&C just bought a few thousand miles of oversize rigging and used the same size on all their boats under say 32 ft). Every time I sailed that good old boat in stiff weather, I always wondered if "this were going to be the day...." the mast came down. I could never find anything obviously wrong with the rigging, but decided that, like reefing, the time to do it (replace it) was when you first start thinking about it -- anything later always results in regret (my rigging was then 25 yrs old...). Being budget conscious, I began a multi-year progam of replacing the back and forestay one year, uppers the next, and finally the lowers. It eased the monetary pain, but it was worth it in terms of the confidence I gained in sailing that boat in high winds....
had oversize rigging (I think C&C just bought a few thousand miles of oversize rigging and used the same size on all their boats under say 32 ft). Every time I sailed that good old boat in stiff weather, I always wondered if "this were going to be the day...." the mast came down. I could never find anything obviously wrong with the rigging, but decided that, like reefing, the time to do it (replace it) was when you first start thinking about it -- anything later always results in regret (my rigging was then 25 yrs old...). Being budget conscious, I began a multi-year progam of replacing the back and forestay one year, uppers the next, and finally the lowers. It eased the monetary pain, but it was worth it in terms of the confidence I gained in sailing that boat in high winds....
Thanks to everyone for your responses
As it turns out, I've had to get a rigger to go up the mast to replace the wind speed sensor (it was out of my comfort zone reaching that far out from the top of the mast!). I've asked him to check the rigging as well. Based on his assessment, if I need to replace, I'll likely go the "staged" approach that seems to work well for people (it will also let me do the work with the mast up). If I learn anything new, I'll post another message. - Richard
As it turns out, I've had to get a rigger to go up the mast to replace the wind speed sensor (it was out of my comfort zone reaching that far out from the top of the mast!). I've asked him to check the rigging as well. Based on his assessment, if I need to replace, I'll likely go the "staged" approach that seems to work well for people (it will also let me do the work with the mast up). If I learn anything new, I'll post another message. - Richard
David
On another thread on "Ask All Sailors" a sailor lost the headstay on his boat this past Saturday while sailing up wind. The headsail tore out dropping the mast directly on him. This proves that a headsail and halyard cannot sustain the load of the headstay and is of no help in preventing rig failure. Just wanted to point this out in case anyone feels that they have a backup with their headsail up.
On another thread on "Ask All Sailors" a sailor lost the headstay on his boat this past Saturday while sailing up wind. The headsail tore out dropping the mast directly on him. This proves that a headsail and halyard cannot sustain the load of the headstay and is of no help in preventing rig failure. Just wanted to point this out in case anyone feels that they have a backup with their headsail up.
My backstay snapped
My backstay snapped under sail about two months ago. The swag shattered, with the cable breaking off clean at the swag's bottom where the cable enters it. When I thought about it, this the most likely place I think it would first let-go, as there's lots of stress on this point and it's often flexing. To be more specific... if you follow either one of the split backstays up from the transom, they run about 10 feet above the cockpit where they're attached to a small rectangular steel plate. These two split stays are attached to the plate's bottom, and a single cable runs from there to the masthead. It was the swag on the lower end of this cable (also attached to the metal plate) that let go. This is the swag that's inverted. Since this swag is inverted, all the water running down the backstay runs right down inside the swag connection; salt water too boot. The other standing rigging kept the mast up, but I quickly attached the main halyard to the stern for added support. It's been said that the backstay doesn't offer much support on these Hunter rigs, but I can tell you when I went up the mast to make this repair, (with the main was still acting as the backup) and that mast was all afloat (mostly side-to-side). I go up the mast fairly regularly, so I noticed the difference right away and it wasn't a pleasant feeling up there. Once the new backstay was in place the mast felt solid again. While on the hard last summer, I had occasion to release the forestay, and I too can attest that if this ever lets go the mast will definitely come crashing down toward the stern. There's nothing else pulling from the front, and all sorts of things pulling from the back. Scott Fraser s/y Rubicon Key West
My backstay snapped under sail about two months ago. The swag shattered, with the cable breaking off clean at the swag's bottom where the cable enters it. When I thought about it, this the most likely place I think it would first let-go, as there's lots of stress on this point and it's often flexing. To be more specific... if you follow either one of the split backstays up from the transom, they run about 10 feet above the cockpit where they're attached to a small rectangular steel plate. These two split stays are attached to the plate's bottom, and a single cable runs from there to the masthead. It was the swag on the lower end of this cable (also attached to the metal plate) that let go. This is the swag that's inverted. Since this swag is inverted, all the water running down the backstay runs right down inside the swag connection; salt water too boot. The other standing rigging kept the mast up, but I quickly attached the main halyard to the stern for added support. It's been said that the backstay doesn't offer much support on these Hunter rigs, but I can tell you when I went up the mast to make this repair, (with the main was still acting as the backup) and that mast was all afloat (mostly side-to-side). I go up the mast fairly regularly, so I noticed the difference right away and it wasn't a pleasant feeling up there. Once the new backstay was in place the mast felt solid again. While on the hard last summer, I had occasion to release the forestay, and I too can attest that if this ever lets go the mast will definitely come crashing down toward the stern. There's nothing else pulling from the front, and all sorts of things pulling from the back. Scott Fraser s/y Rubicon Key West
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