When to replace standing rigging.

[gregorybross]

I have a 1996 Catalina 30 mkIII standard rig. I have owned the boat for 1 year and not sure if the standing rigging has ever been replaced. Catalina direct has a kit for $700 that includes everything except the backstay. Does anyone have any experience with these kits? The Catalina owners manual says to replace the standing rigging every 5 years. That seems a little excessive but I may be looking at 16 years which seems too long to wait. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Greg Ross

 

[Stu Jackson]

It's like reefing, if you think you should... We did ours in 2003 on a 1986 boat, we're the second owners, bought the boat in 1998.

 

[rbmcintire]

We went this route with Catalina Direct. I got some quotes at the 2010 Annapolis show from local riggers, but CD blew them away by way much more than I could ignore. You have your mast pulled and you ship your shrouds to CA. It's important to mark your existing turnbuckles with a Sharpie before loosening and then use electrical tape at those marks to indicate the correct length of the shroud for the shop guys. Label them as to location (aft, forward, upper, lower) position. They'll build them to match, but please make sure your rig is centered and properly tuned to your boat first. I did have our local rigger do our headstay separately, due to the furler. He took the Facnor 200 apart, checked it out, built the new headstay and re-installed the furler. Don't forget the bobstay below the sprit if you have the Tall Rig. I was worried about Chinese stainless wire and quality, but was told they use Alps materials. Our rigger was impressed with the fittings, workmanship and the price, but he guesses they must do way more volume than his shop.

I did have one issue with the backstay bridle. Our original had the 3/8" stay and two 5/16" splits, so they built them that way. The new bridle plate came with three 3/8" holes, so I called them to point out that the smaller 5/16" clevis pins would not bear the load in the larger holes correctly. CD's technical person basically out-argued this newbie and said that they would not replace the plate with a new one having correct holes. Considering the price, I just moved on. I ended up deciding to reuse my old plate (it looked fine but I still wonder...).

Do see if CD still does the plate that way, but if I were to do it over, I would take the suggestion Twice Around offered on the backstay adjustment: use blocks and Amsteel dyneema instead of the plate and wire. Put the cam block on the port stern fitting, run it up to a double block where the backstay plate would be. Run it down to a single block attached to the starboard stern fitting, come back up to the double and then return down to the cam block on port. Plenty of power, lighter, just as convenient.

Rob

 

[Brad Woodward]

I just replace my running rigging this year. It is a 1986, it had never been done. The PO replaced the standing rigging a year before I bought the boat. I had the mast pulled to have it painted, also never been done, and found the lower shroud tang for one side of the standing rigging was starting to pit so my rigger said replace it. The rigging was over 20 years old but wasn't on the edge of failing. Of course 15 of the 25 years the boat has been in the water it was only sailed in San Diego harbor, good wind but small (boat wakes) waves. I was also told to remove the plastic shroud covers as they hold water in and increase the rate of corrosion. When they are resting down by the turnbuckles they put and keep water into the swaged which is where most shrouds break. You have to send in your old rigging so they can custom make your new shrouds as they had several different molds for each model and they have no way of knowing what boat was made in what mold. The differences are up to an inch so there isn't a one size fits all for each model and rigging type. (ie standard, tall, etc.) The factory custom makes the rigging for every boat they make. The best place, but not the only place, to look for damage to your rigging is the lower swage of each shroud. If it is starting show some rust it is time to keep a close eye on it. Moderate to a lot of rust, it is time to replace. It may hold for smooth water sailing but hit at one big wave, or wake, wrong, rocking the boat a lot and you could snap a shroud. Salt water also shortens the life vis fresh water. I was told to wash down my rigging every time I use the boat, to keep it salt corrosion down.

 

[jrowan]

I agree with replacing standing rigging at least every 10 years, which I believe is the standard recommendation. But every boat I've ever seen that had a rigging failure was 1: either at the forestay, where rusted & undersized cotter pins came loose & allowed the turnbuckles to work themelves loose. 2: The upper spreader connections failed or the spreaders themselves buckled & failed under heavy load. If one spreader fails the mast will break in half at the spreader attachment within seconds. I fthey are original wooden type, then they should be suspect. They can look good from below, but be dry rotted from above.
ps. I can testify to the cotter pins on ALL Catalinas being flimsy & undersized, as I've had two of them fail on me, one on a C 25 & the others were rusted & crumbling on my C 30.