Let them know any of your concerns before they get started. With a spare mechanical end fitting, wire and the proper tools, you can replace a stay pretty much anywhere. Copyright 2023 Cruising World. Boom Vang. Have a feel for any rough or sharp edges, especially cotter pin ends that might chafe lines or sails. Your subscription could not be saved. RIGGING TIP: Why not fit a pair of mast steps a few feet from the masthead to give you a solid base on which to stand while youre working up there, rather than hanging uncomfortably in the bosuns chair? ImproveSailing is compensated for referring traffic and business to this companies. Learn all about the dangers of failing to winterize here. By taking on the labor yourself, you'll probably save as much as $2,000 on the re-rigging cost, he says. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. If you want to know exactly what the USCG safety requirements are, including checklists, definitely check out my article here. For docklines a 27 ft. boat would use 1/2 nylon: 25 bow, 15 stern, and 20 spring. For sheets, if you're happy with the length take the old ones off determine the gauge and and match them up. Old turning blocks, padeyes, sheaves and cam cleats as well as genoa tracks and rope clutches are just not capable of handling the loads you can exert using high tech line. And if your boat is in the the Seattle area, wed love to come take a look at your running rigging. For dry storage, part of the process can be to shrink wrap your boat. Many boat owners are reluctant to replace their running rigging, and for good reason, it can be expensive! It's also called antifouling paint because it helps to protect your hull from weeds, barnacles, and so on. [1] A boat with sound supports should not require re-tuning in less than 5 years. The easiest place to work on your rig is on the ground. If line is properly taken care of, it can last many decades. It will always be a judgment call. So youre sailing offshore and youre looking at the windward shroud thats taut, and thats not the one to worry about. Youll need about 500 feet for an average 30 footer. Does that mean that replacement time for those is longer? . Technical support for boat owners and maintenance yards servicing Sabre sail and motor yachts | Sabre Yachts Technical Support Contacts in Sabre's After Sales Service Department may be reached by calling 207-655-3831 or by filling in the contact form. However, they generally cost more than a swaged fitting; Herman says while Hi-MODs newer mechanical fittings are definitely more user-friendly to assemble, theyre twice the cost of a swaged fitting. Some riggers will recommend swaged fittings for the mast end of the rigging and mechanical fittings at the deck level: Corrosion is less prevalent at the top of the mast, and you can more easily and regularly inspect mechanical fittings at deck level, where theyre frequently subjected to salt water. 1. Sailboat rigging very rarely fails from being overloaded. In the US, Sampson, New England Ropes and Yale all make a double braid dacron line very suitable for almost all the running rigging on an older sailboat. On average, it costs about $15 to $20 per foot to get your sailboat hull painted professionally. The theory is that it can take 10 to 15 years of cycling, but this continual motion when its unloaded is what fatigues the wire, Madden says. The average annual maintenance cost of sailboats is between $2,000 - $3,000. Die testing wont pick it up, and its rare that a wire will give you warning before breaking.. They weigh less and take up less room. By taking on the labor yourself, youll probably save as much as $2,000 on the re-rigging cost, he says. Account. Likewise, if you are re-rigging your sailboatboat, use the opportunity to check your chainplates (easily the subject of another article entirely), since thats one of the most common points of rigging failure. Now would also be a good time to change those old cotter pins and circlip rings as well. Money well spent. Check out my guide on standing rigging here! Sometimes it can be very obvious, but other times it is not. The biggest problem with rigging and older sailboat with high-tech lines to control the sails is that the lines are too strong for the boat. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more! To avoid excessive wear, make sure your halyard sheaves are the proper type for whatever line you select. We replaced the line AND the sheave box to ensure that the new halyard wont chafe. Of course, if you have an outboard engine the installation price will be nothing more than a few drops of sweat, swearing, and back pain for a day or two. Colligo Dux: A relative newcomer to sailboat rigging, Colligo Dux is pre-stretched and heat-treated Dyneema. Stainless steel needs oxygen to prevent crevice corrosion, so dont overdo it with tape (left); enough to cover the cotter pin will suffice (center). The latter may indicate two things: one, that its simply surface rust, which you should be able to polish off, or two, that as the wire was being manufactured, a strand might have picked up some contamination during the process and is compromised, which is cause for concern. The condition of this halyard is likely due to UV degradation. This line wont last long in these conditions. Then the swager is used to compress the fitting so tightly that the wires merge into a solid piece of stainless steel and cant pull out (right). They aren't even worn enough to require end-for ending yet. Average installation and setup takes around 30 hours (at $105 per hour), which would add another $3,105 to the bill, bumping the cost to re-rig up to $8,010 for an average re-rig. But if you want the good stuff, need more fire extinguishers, plan on spending more like $600. Inevitably. If in doubt, get a professional opinion. Then theres just age, and this factor as a reason to re-rig is more subject to a boats history than anything else. While its often difficult to know whether, say, a swaged terminal is in good condition, there are a few common signs of possible failure to look for. With the tension off its a lot easier to waggle the terminal around and check closely for cracks, wear, distortion or corrosion. A detailed rig check takes no more than two hours or so to completeabout as long as it takes to provision the boat with a weeks food suppliesonly the result of not doing it can be a good deal more drastic! Specific Gravity is 1.38, so it does not float. if it were wire you could get away for about half that price. Replacing the mast is uncommon, but if you're unlucky and get demasted, it will need to be fixed. If you look closely at the line right before it wraps around behind the spindle, youll see that it is starting to chafe because there is not a fair lead for the line running into the slot. Sticking to the 10-year rule, Madden says, means that for the most part, any corrosion or failure points will be eliminated with a re-rig. This is a perfect example to illustrate why a thorough, yearly inspection of running rigging is important. Lastly, check your boom, starting with the gooseneck, mainsheet and vang fittings, where huge forces are applied when the rig is under load. Read more about the cost of replacing risers and manifolds here. Let's go over each type and break down which costs to expect exactly. Replacing electronics won't be very important - however, your batteries will need to be replaced more often. Look for cracks, corrosion and worn clevis pins or shackles, removing any tape and replacing cotter pins and split rings where necessary. They might have swollen, so the new will appear to be a smaller gauge. With all of these factors in mind, what can you expect to pay for standing rigging replacement? And although rod rigging may be able to last longer than wire, it too needs to be serviced every five to six years to get the most life out of it. Replacing Running Rigging on an Older Sailboat, a bowline or other knot in a high tech line reduces the breaking strength by up to 80%, for jib sheets you must increase the line size to account for the reduced strength more $$$$, an eye splice is required to attach a shackle to a halyard. The total maintenance cost on a tight budget can get as low as $275 per year, or $23 per month. If you're hoisting the sail on land, make sure the bow of the boat is pointing towards the wind. Ensure swivels are working and remove any shackles. Step 1 - Hire a professional rigger with a good reputation to do a thorough survey of your standing AND running rigging. Cleat the halyard and pull it to the tape mark on one side . Start at the bottom, working your way up from the lowers, to the cap shrouds and finally the stays. There are so many variables in the system types of end fittings, types of masts, types of attachment points that each boat will have its own specific requirements that can affect cost. Standing rigging are the cables that support the mast. [advertisement]. The benefits of rod are less stretch, less weight, less windage, and arguably longer life than wire, because theres less possibility for corrosion of the rod itself. Next check the back and forestay fittings where they connect to the mast, ensuring any clevis pins are straight and secure. Over time, UV exposure weakens the fibers and eventually, even the slightest friction will cause chafe that will damage and break the fibers of the cover. The warm trade winds in the West Indies were calling; time to go sailing. Most of my clients say to me without any prompting, This is one area I feel should be done by a professional, Madden says. Madden says that cost isnt linear, though; as you go up in size (a bigger boat needs heavier wire and larger fittings), youll spend more. Good quality cruising sails will need to be replaced every 10 years or so. The average price of a used cruising sailboat is between $10,000 and $100,000. You will most likely also need (or want) to replace toggles and cotter pins, even if you keep the turnbuckles. And if you see evidence of wear, ask yourself (or your local rigger) What could have caused this? The cost of having a professional rigger inspect your running rigging can save you more money down the road. On the other hand, it will be very important to maintain hull health, as even small leaks will lead to condensation and mold, which is horrible for your health and living standard. Where you can really save some money, is on the labor. Dont forget the turnbuckles and chain plates. As with electronics, safety gear, and even sails, technology has significantly improved cordage. Outboard starters run from about $100 - $500. The total maintenance cost for a liveaboard will average around $1,550 per year or $129 per month. A boat spending most of the last 10 years on a trailer with the mast in a cradle has only corrosion to consider. Dyneema is especially susceptible to UV degradation. If your running rigging has seen better days, now might be the time to replace it. We're the first and last stop for parts and accessories. Saltwater is a lot more corrosive, and the stress on your rigging and sails will be higher. Read more on the average cost to replace a boat starter here. The Average Cost to Shrink Wrap a Boat (per foot), seasonal maintenance, hull, engine, rigging, don't set aside money for long-term recurring maintenance (rigging, sails, hardware, and batteries), don't outsource engine maintenance, instead do oil changes ourselves, seasonal maintenance - yearly recurring jobs.