[E38] Rig tension after standing rigging replacement

[MCD]

Hi all,

We replaced the standing rigging of our Ericson 38 earlier this month.
The boat stayed in the water for 10 days without the mast between unstepping and restepping.
After the new rig was installed, we started noticing cracking sounds in the cabin, when someone steps on the boat or sometimes without anything else happening.
I am starting to suspect the cracking sounds are coming from the grid.

What would you advice to do?
I am planning to start by detensioning the rig a little (half a turn on each shroud). We still haven't reinstalled our boom, so that's on the list too, although it is unclear to me if it should change anything. Would you also want to visually inspect the grid itself (in our case, under the glued floorboards, so a pretty big job)?

Last: maybe, I'm oveworrying and this is normal. If so, have you had a similar experience if/when you replaced your standing rigging?

Thanks,
Marie

 

[Loren Beach]

After the new rig was installed, we started noticing cracking sounds in the cabin, when someone steps on the boat or sometimes without anything else happening.
I am starting to suspect the cracking sounds are coming from the grid.

What would you advice to do?
I am planning to start by detensioning the rig a little (half a turn on each shroud). We still haven't reinstalled our boom, so that's on the list too, although it is unclear to me if it should change anything. Would you also want to visually inspect the grid itself (in our case, under the glued floorboards, so a pretty big job)?

Was the rig tensioned hard after installation? If so, will the rigger explain what tension (measured) was placed on each wire?
What is making a sound? Where? Noticed when you walk on the housetop .... or on the sole ?
Are these noises repeated every time weight is placed on the same place?

If it did not do this in the past, then "something changed".... perhaps the initial tune is magnitudes too tight. What year is your boat? Backstay adjuster on too hard?-- turnbuckle or other 'quick' adjuster like a hydraulic or a wheel?

I have always pumped our BS adjuster up to around 1200 plus, for sailing, and leave it at 100 when at the dock. No idea what poundage is on our shrouds -- our rigger uses a gauge when setting it - you need to ask your rigger what the numbers were .
Ours seems tight and has only slight slack on the lee shrouds when driving to weather.

I have done some crewing on an '86 E-38-200, and everything is solid, under sail or power in reasonably big seas.

Also, it's normal for the rigger to go sailing with you and do a final tune. Then, some time later, re-tune, "as needed" as the saying goes.

As for the "grid", it's probably as solid as ever, but there are furniture parts fastened to it. So they might creak a bit. Perhaps.

 

[Frank Langer]

Marie,
While it's nice to have a rigger tune your rigging, I would only consider this a starting point, as they aren't perfect, and you can take more time than they likely would, to get it right to your liking. And every owner needs to know how to check and tune the rigging as basic boat maintenance.
I agree with Loren to talk with the rigger, try to get his numbers if he used a Loos gauge, see what he says. But before tearing up the glued sole in your boat, I would borrow or buy a Loos gauge for your size shrouds (there are two different sizes of gauge). A quick measurement with the gauge would tell you if the tension is in the appropriate range, or if the rigger over tensioned the shrouds. Then you could fine tune the rigging once the boom is installed and you check for mast straightness and rig tension when under sail.
Let us know how this progresses for you.
Also, these boats are pretty tough, so I doubt there is any damage to the grid, even if the rig is a bit over tensioned.
Frank

 

[Christian Williams]

Marie, you have a 1984 381, like mine. The chainplates attach to wood bulkheads, the cabin sole is 3/4" and closely fitted, and the interior is all fine joinery. They creak because--I think--of all that stuff. Especially to windward in heavy air. But it changes with every tack or point of sail and is affected by a full water tank under the starboard saloon bench.

No harm in loosening the rig a little, but sail a while and you may find the issue intermittent and not troublesome.

 

[MCD]

Thanks for all your prompt responses that are super useful as usual!
And you are right Christian, we have the same boat - except we have a second table on starboard as opposed to your boat I believe but the rest should be the same! And for sure, it does not change anything for this topic.

The rigger didn't use a gauge when adjusting the tension, he told us he was used to how it feels. The rig doesn't feel super tight surprisingly (he said he adjusted it for rougher weather), expect the aft lowers which aren't the ones I would have expected to be the tighest.
The sounds is more likely to happen when someone steps onboard but it is not systematic. Sometimes it cracks when we are inside not moving around. All of this at the dock.
After asking the rigger, he mentioned that it is likely due to the wedges he installed at the mast partners which are now creating a contact between the deck and the mast. As this contact didn't exist before (we didn't have the wedges and the mast was happily swinging back and forth in the swell - a little too happily for our taste ), the deck would be creaking as it is settling in. That makes sense except the sounds seem to come from lower in the cabin, like the under the floor - it resonates with our aft settee tank but seems to have moved a little forward now - which is why I started worrying about the grid (I am a little reassured by your comments - however it is always stressful to not be able to have visual inspection...).

Next steps are going to be: reinstalling the boom and going sailing - and you are right Frank, we should probably use the chance to check the tension ourselves then and adjust it as we feel is best.
The rigger also offered to come double check the boat, which we may take but probably after the sail.

Will keep you posted.
Thanks again for all the helpful comments!!

 

[Dave G.]

Marie,
Did your rigger check/adjust the tie rods on the chainplates ? If they are not tight when you tension the shrouds they will pull up on the deck itself.

 

[Frank Langer]

Marie,
Did your rigger check/adjust the tie rods on the chainplates ? If they are not tight when you tension the shrouds they will pull up on the deck itself.

Dave,
You are right that the tie rods need to be adjusted correctly when doing the initial rig tune on a boat. But once adjusted properly, I'm not sure they need to be readjusted with each mast tuning, or if the mast is down for a while. But if they were loosened for some reason, or if rig tension is increased significantly for some reason, of course they need to be tightened when the standing rigging is tuned.

Just trying to keep Marie from worrying if the rigger ignored the tie rods, as I'm guessing they are probably ok if they were ok before the most recent rig tuning. If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me.
Frank