solid (rod) shrouds

[C. Trembanis]

Went sailing in San Francisco Bay on a racing 1 D 35 sailboat.
Noticed that the mast shroulds were solid in stead of cable.
Can anyone explain the advantage of a solid cable over a braided one?
thanks chris

 

[Seth]

Rod rigging

The boats were sold with wire rigging as standard, and rod rigging as an option.

Rod is much stronger and has much less stretch, meaning the boat will stay "in tune" much better. Wire always stretches, so the tune will change over time, and also as the wind gets stronger-exactly what you don't want if keeping the rig tune is important to you (i.e. performance)...

Rod rigging is a performance option, with no negatives, so if you have it, be thankful...

Cheers,
S

 

[tenders]

Well, there are SOME downsides...rod rigging fatigue can occur and is harder to detect (ie completely fails; no strands break as "indicators"), and of course replacing it is more difficult and expensive.

 

[Loren Beach]

Navtec rod rigging was an option on the E-33RH, AFAIK. The one I sail on has it from the factory. The owner did replace it with new rod several years ago. The price to have the old rod reheaded was close to just having a new rigging gang fabbed up, IIRC.

I would imagine that most any boat with rigging dating back to '81 - '84 is overdue for a new rig whether you can see a weakness or not, rod or wire...

Different boat, but this summer we had a local NY-36 lose his rig over the side due to a rod break. 1981 boat. Original mast is in three pieces, and the owner is still waiting for a new spar to be delivered.

Back in the day, we used to hear that the OEM price was only about 10% higher for rod rigging... I kinda wonder if the retail price to us aftermarket customers was ever that kindly.

My '81 Niagara 26 also came standard with rod. I owned it for a decade. No problems, but then that rig was a lot younger when I sold it in '93. I liked the fact that I could set up rig tension and it stayed put. I did not need to put near the pre-load on the rig that other boats did, either.

Loren

 

[CSMcKillip]

When, not if i need to or not, im looking at this to replace all standing rigging.

http://www.rigworks.com/running-rigging/dynex-dux-line.htm

 

[Sven]

I asked about going with rod rigging when we were going to replace the standing rigging about a year ago.

The consensus was a solid "don't !" because there is no real up-side for cruising and a solid down-side; when it fails, it fails catastrophically without warning.



-Sven

 

[exoduse35]

Bryon Toss is very big on going to fancy rope rigging. I Guess some of the new synthetics are sopposed to be stronger lighter last as long and be easier to work with than stainless... But there is still that feeling you get knowing it is rope to get passed!

 

[CaptDan]

Bryon Toss is very big on going to fancy rope rigging.

And - who am I to contradict him? He has more experience with rigging than I'll have in three lifetimes. Moreover, Bryon once referred to that convenient gizmo many of use to douse jibs with as: 'Roller Fooling." Still, I'm moved to comment; sit down, strap in, rant on:

Funny how old stuff becomes new again. As I was reading the first post in this thread, I thought: "Gee! The square riggers and classic gaffer yachts of yore didn't use metal anything to hold up their rigs. Just lanyards, dead eyes, hemp, tar - and probably a good measure of prayer too." Then - lo and behold, whadya know? Modern sailors can now enjoy the benefits their sailing forebears did - only today with hi-tech synthetic/fossil fuel based rigging!" And - in an era when cats compete in the Cup, torpedo bulbs adorn keels, ginormous twin wheels spin athwartships in beamy, sleek racing sleds.

Will wonders never cease? Probably not. But, I'm a curmudgeon; I'll stick with what works - for me. 'Old style,' stainless, 7x19 wyre - stretched into turnbuckles - I can twist, turn and futz with. Because one of the main joys I get out of sailing is messin' about with line. Plus, I need to justify the recent expense I incurred replacing all of the vertical flavor.

But that's just me.

YMMV.

Capt Dan G>E35II "Kunu"

 

[Seth]

Rod and synthetic

The new synthetic rigging has a lot of promise, and is used now as a standard on all of the high tech race boats-even 100 footers. It has replaced rod rigging as the hig tech thing.

To clarify, if I were just cruising, and was going to replace wire rigging I would stay with wire for most boats. If it were a RH 36 o 33, and was going to replace old rigging I would stay wth rod.

Old rigging is old rigging regardless of whether it is wire or rod, and the fact that you MIGHT see wire coming apart before the rigging fails does not guarantee you will.

Rigs fall down sometimes.

All options have merits and faults, and the right decision is a function of the boat, the type of sailing you do, and the cost/benefit analysis for your priorities.

Sort of.

Cheers!