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rigging- do it yourself, or...?

briangsmith

Member II
ok, so, way up here in alaska, i seem to have two choices when it
comes to rigging: 1) send away some very precise measurements to
west marine in the 'lower 48' (and pay a lot of $$ for splices), or 2) bite the bullet, buy a swaging tool and do it myself...

just how hard is it to learn to do your own 1x19 wire splices??
how about wire to rope splices for the halyards??

bgs
 

clohman

Member II
Are you referring to standing or running rigging? For standing rigging, the swages are done by an industrial strength machine exerting several thousands pounds of pressure - not to be replicated with a hand swage tool.

For running rigging, the modern material available now (Sta Set, Dyneema, Endura, etc.) make wire-to-rope splices less in demand. I keep a wire/Sta Set halyard for my main sail because the wire is exposed to the UV rather than the line while in the slip. For my roller furling jib, the line is inside the mast most of the time so it is an all-polyester line. I left the wire-to-rope splice to an expert.
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Small thing, but

I'm all for doing away with wire (but the comment about the UV is sound), but if you do (at least for halyards) a simple polyester line for a main or genny halyard (OK for kites, though) is not really enough-they will definitely stretch under load, and you will find the need for frequent adjustments when the breeze is up (or you can sit back and watch the draft move aft as the breeze pipes up). If you get rid of the wire for these 2 halyards, go with one of the higher performance lines (Dyneema, etc.).

Gotta go-ran out of parentheses!

(S)..
 

Emerald

Moderator
If you are talking standing rigging, the measurement is very simple, just pin to pin on a given stay. Assuming you have original 70's vintage rigging, it is probably 304 stainless. If you replace it with 316, which is used by many now, you need to go up one wire size to maintain the same strenght e.g. 7/32 gets replaced by 1/4 inch. Unless you are doing rod rigging, every rigger I've talked to, hands down, preferes open bodied bronze turnbuckles over the Navtec style that came as standard on many of the Ericsons I've seen.

I would definatly leave the standing rigging to the pros.


-David
Independence 31
Emerald
 

maggie-k

Member II
Hi Brian.
Get it done professionaly !! The best thing is to mark your turnbuckles in their tensioned and tuned position with tape on the screws . Back them off and drop the rig . Send all the stays , shrouds ect. to any rigger there are plenty in Washington and British Columbia. They will build new rigging to the tensioned length ( they turn the turnbuckles back to the tape marks) with about a third take up on the turnbuckle.
While your rig is down check it over for worn parts and cracks replace the sheves on the masthead with ones for rope only toss the wire-rope halyards go with stayset-X,
Cheers
Eric
 

Raybo

New Member
I have Staset-X on my Santana 20 for the main halyard. But on my E35, it'd be a wire/rope combo. West Marine has them pre-made in a combinations that will work on many boats. Don't try this at home!

I agree to leave the standing rigging to the pros. Take it off and send it in to be matched for length. If you're diligent online, you can get it done prety economically. I did this for my S20. I needed to replace the turnbuckles, too, so I pulled all of it, specified what I wanted replaced, and sent it off.

Except for the fact that I was also replacing the bulkeheads while they were being replaced and the hull/deck geometry while on the trailer may have changed (which was my bad!)... there was no issue.

IMHO, <25', solid rope wil probaly be OK. Over that, I'd always think wire/rope on halyards.

We just changed out the sheets on a recently purchased E35 to Dyneema single braid. Only one afternoon on them as of now, but I really llike the suppleness.
 
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bigtyme805

Member III
Hey Brian:

See your working on your new boat, not so new anymore. I would change out the wire/rope halyards out to just rope. I did that myself. The standing rigging I would send out. Cost is not too bad considering safety of your life. If I remember correctly you have an E-25 and want to cruise for a distance. You want your standing rigging to have no problems. You may consider going up one size on the wire if you plan to cruise.

Best of luck in your decision making.
 

briangsmith

Member II
thanks don and all- ok, sold- i'll send it out- maybe
start by talking to brion toss and company in port townsend?
meanwhile i get to learn all about through-hulls and seacocks..
lucky me~

bgs
 
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