Rigging Questions

davidpm · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

I've never really had to think about rigging before as I had a pro available to me. He has since taken a job out of state and is working 16 hour days so I don't want to bug him with my little problems.

I'm working on a friends boat who dropped his rig. Chain plate failure.
We have all the parts. I can fix the chain plates.
The boat is just a O'Day 25 so only 4 stays total, really light stuff.
So what are my options besides just calling the local rigger?

1. Drop off the 4 stays and have the local guy swage up new stuff and I put it back on.
2. Measure the old stuff and send it to a mail order firm. Who?
3. Do it all myself with mechanicals (seems overkill for a toy boat)
4. The stays seem really light. Would you make them up next size bigger?

tager · #2 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

I am going to go ahead and be heretical here.

Nicopress.

CalebD · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

David,
A few people have used Knothead (aka, Steve) in FL to replace their rigging via long distance. If he is busy right now I would find somebody local.
If the wire rope seems a bit undersized it may or may not be. It may have been designed that way to allow for some flex and bend. Making the stays/shrouds a size bigger may add more stress to the mast. Larger stay/shroud diameter could put more force on the mast. If it was my boat I would probably just increase each stay/shroud 1 size though (says I without seeing it).
Using a vendor like a rigger to do the wire rope work also allows you to share the blame with someone else if anything goes wrong. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
How do the chain plates on the O'Day 25' mount to the hull?

klem · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

Having the rigging duplicated (or upsized) is probably the way to go. You can even ask the person what their opinions on upsizing are. I have not used Knothead but he would be a good person to contact. The other popular mail order rigging place is rigging only in Fairhaven, MA who has very reasonable prices.

tager · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

I wouldn't upsize. Make sure that the sizing is stock and go with it. Upsizing just adds windage, not strength. It's not the wire that fails, it's the tangs, swages, chainplates, toggles, turnbuckles, cotter pins, everything. I really think that wire failing is pretty rare compared to parts failing.

davidpm · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by tager

I wouldn't upsize. Make sure that the sizing is stock and go with it. Upsizing just adds windage, not strength. It's not the wire that fails, it's the tangs, swages, chainplates, toggles, turnbuckles, cotter pins, everything. I really think that wire failing is pretty rare compared to parts failing.

I'm sure you are right on that one. The boat was fine since the 80' and only failed when the bulkhead rotted away.

Then their is drilling out tangs etc.

davidpm · #7 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by klem

Having the rigging duplicated (or upsized) is probably the way to go. You can even ask the person what their opinions on upsizing are. I have not used Knothead but he would be a good person to contact. The other popular mail order rigging place is rigging only in Fairhaven, MA who has very reasonable prices.

I saw them and was wondering if anyone has used them.

paulk · #8 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

If you're in Madison CT, Defender in Waterford may be the closest place to go to have the rigging copied, if they can do it. Otherwise, Hathaway's in Stamford, unless you know a local guy who can do swages. You do NOT want to use nicopress sleeves for standing rigging. While the rigging may seem light, that may be because they WANT it to break before it tears the deck off the boat. Going up a size might also make it strong enough to push through the step or create other problems with the hull that you'd be happier not to have happen. Of course, if you can find out what the original specs are or were, then you'll know for sure.

davidpm · #9 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

I found these Quick Attach Swageless Fittings Rigging Stay Lock Sta-Loc since a pro swage is only about $10 in small sizes these are still a lot more money.

davidpm · #10 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulk

If you're in Madison CT, Defender in Waterford may be the closest place to go to have the rigging copied, if they can do it.

I didn't know defender did that I'll check them out. Also dweyer mast is in milford and their website says they do it too> I've bought spars from them but didn't know they did rigging.