New Standing Rigging (wire)

[riphonda]

I am in the process of wrapping up a complete refit of a sabre 28. Boat included a whole gut job, mostly all new structural bulkheads and stringers etc. Lots of glass work as well as fancy new (read "overpriced") wood work and paint too. The boat is nearing launch and Ive fabricated all new chain plates but am left with the same old rigging. Time for a replacement but which wire? Heres the issue: I have kept the clevis pin holes in the chainplates the same 3/8" size. This matches all the sizes on mast tangs too. My original wire is 7/32 but I cannot get swages from anywhere for new 7/32 wire to fit any of the 3/8 existing conditions. Do I go down to 3/16 wire or do I go up to 1/4"?? both allow 3/8 forks and eyes. I understand the "bigger is better" and "if stuck in a blow" peace of mind idea, but in my trade we overbuild everything to the point that it is unnecessary at times. Id rather not overbuild and add extra weight. Is going to 1/4" overbuilding? Will new 3/16 be suitable? I understand the basic dynamics of rig loading and can see advantages to both ideas but am looking for some fellow sailor insight. All ideas on such matters helpful. I know you've all been in these shoes wracking your brains about your boats and i need food for thought! Thanks in advance!

[tommays]

My J24 uses 3/16 wire and given what we put it through it seems about right

Your current 7/32 is right in the middle of 3/16 and 1/4

(3/16 .187 ) (7/32 .218 ) (1/4 .250)

I would give a rigger final say BUT cant see steping down in size as a good idea

[knothead]

Ronstan makes a fork, and marine eye for 7/32" wire with a 3/8" pin size. 3/8" studs are available as well.
I would stick to the 7/32" wire. That's what has worked since the boat was designed. Why reinvent the wheel?


End Fittings - Swage Eyes on Ronstan International Inc.

[nk235]

If it were my boat I would step up to the 1/4. Going down a notch would worry me as I usually like to go one notch bigger/beefier on everything but that is just me.

I just replaced my standing rigging last month with 1/4" (had 1/4" originally) but I remember that the rigger had to ream out the chain plates and tangs slightly to make them the right diameter for the rigging pins. Maybe you could do that, change the diameter of the hole on the chain plates and tangs?

[bwindrope]

Something important to keep in mind that I learned from Brion Toss out here in Washington, is that bigger wire is almost never better than what was originally specified. Besides the weight issue, there is a serious problem of not being able to tension the wire sufficiently to make it strong, without warping the hull, pulling out your chainplates, or distorting some other piece of gear not designed to handle the forces of tensioning the bigger wire.

I redid all the standing rigging on Aeolus last year and so am familiar with your struggles to find gear.

I'm not giving you a solution, but did want to add my two cents about the drawbacks of going bigger with wire.

Good luck and I assume you have found all the online rigging shops. Let us know if you need help in that regard.

[artbyjody]

Consider going synthetic / rod where possible. Weight savings are about 20% under than that of wire when it is all said and done, and usually stronger than their counterpart. If going new that is what I did do.

[JimsCAL]

My 30-foot Cal 9.2 has 1/4 inch wire for all the standing rigging. I am sure my rig isn't much larger than yours. I wouldn't go down in size.

[KeelHaulin]

You could go with Dyform wire and downsize to the 3/16. I'm pretty sure that 1/32" change in the diameter would work as Dyform is 20% stronger than the equivalent diameter standard wire.

[nk235]

Originally Posted by artbyjody

Consider going synthetic / rod where possible. Weight savings are about 20% under than that of wire when it is all said and done, and usually stronger than their counterpart. If going new that is what I did do.

First off synthetic has a 3-5 year life expectancy if that so who wants to be changing it out that often. Also Rod rigging has many of its own problems. For all you saying that the extra weight is so detrimental to the hull/boat how much weight do you really think it is adding for a 28ft boat? I can see if someone has 1/8 and wants to go to 1/2 but going up such a slight little amount will not even be noticable and in my opinion would be far better than going a size too small!

I can see if this were a state of the art 40ft racer with a huge mast and complex rig but for a 28' Sabre? Comon. Also I am not bashing the synthetic rigging as I think it is great for tri's and people who are serious about racing but for your average racer cruiser....

[knothead]

Gee guys, The boat was designed for 7/32" 1 x 19. It has always had 7/32" 1 x 19. There are fittings available by reputable manufacturers that will fit the pin sizes he needs and the 7/32" 1 x 19. There are riggers available that can swage the fittings onto 7/32" 1 x 19.
DyForm, which is difficult to find these days, and synthetics are much more expensive than 7/32' 1 x 19.

If you ask me, I'd say stick with 7/32 1 x 19 wire.
But whatdo I know, I'm just a rigger.