The Blue View - Rigging Revisited

The replacement of the standing rigging was completed just a couple of days before our aborted departure from Cape Town. Then the remaining days were busy with last minute provisioning, to-dos, and checking out, and I didn't do another pre-departure rigging check. After all, the new rigging was just installed by experts, right?

Now  that we are staying here in Cape Town for another couple of weeks while the new sail is being made, I've begun a few things on the B-List of to-dos – those things that need doing, but not necessarily mission critical things. One of these B-List items was the replacement of the HF radio antenna. Ours is a single wire that runs from near the top of our dual backstays to just above the “goal post” that supports the wind generator. I last replaced this about ten years ago in Ecuador. All I could find at the time was galvanized wire, and it was now looking a bit weathered. I found some 1/8” stainless wire here, which I cut to size and then spliced a stainless thimble on each end. When I ascended the mast to remove the old antenna and replace it with the new, I checked out the new rigging on my way up.

I was quite dismayed to discover a number of problems with our new, professionally installed rigging. Some of the issues were minor: the spreader boots were secured in place with plastic electrical tape – in a few months when the tape deteriorated from the sun, we may have lost them; the top of the HF antenna was attached to the backstays with small lines tied with clove hitches – not the most secure way of doing it, and the antenna may have worked loose over time; some of the cotter pins were bent far more than necessary – more of a nuisance than anything.

Some of the issues were quite a bit more serious, however, and after noticing them, I did a full rigging check. These are the problems I found:

Improperly installed cotter pin.  I have no idea how the rigger didn't notice this.

The nut that locks the furler in place and prevents it from rotating was only finger tight.

Several of the cotter pins in the turnbuckles for the shrouds and stays  were undersized. I don't think they were large enough to prevent the turnbuckles from rotating.

Missing pins in the furler foil. The original tear in our headsail was due to a missing pin in the furler foil, which allowed two sections of the foil to separate. The head sail either got pinched or chafed on the foil edge, tearing it. The rigger repaired the foil by installing set screws in the foil. He should have looked at the rest of the furler – there were several other missing pins. This may have been the reason the newly repaired sail tore again so quickly.

Most of the problems, like those related to the cotter pins, were easy to fix, but the furler foil took more time. Marcie and I removed the forestay and furler, then, while it was lying on the dock, I drilled and tapped holes for and installed nine additional set screws. Lastly, we re-installed it and tensioned the rig. I had to go up the mast four or five times in total, and we spent just about a day getting everything done. Another ibuprofen night for us old farts.

I was definitely remiss in not doing a check after the riggers finished. A lesson I continually seem to need to relearn is that nobody cares as much about Nine of Cups as we do.

Up the Mast - A Rigging Inspection

In preparation for our departure, David climbed up the mast to check out the rigging. It's second-nature to him now to climb 60+' (18m) straight up in the air on a rocking boat. For those of us with a fear of heights (like me, for instance), we prefer to stay below and take up the slack on the line as David hauls himself upwards in his bosun's chair with the help of his trusty ascenders.  

Not only was he checking the integrity of the rigging and the mast fittings, he was also checking that the anchor, running, steaming and spreader lights were operational, cleaning the mainsail track and repairing a courtesy flag halyard pulley that was damaged.

Additionally, he was doing a pre-inspection in anticipation of a professional rigger from Fremantle traveling down to Mandurah to do a formal rig inspection – a requirement by our insurance company prior to our heading offshore. This is a usual, and probably reasonable, request by the insurance company, but it's always a hassle and an added cost to the already high insurance premiums we pay. C'est la vie.

Edgar, the rigger, whom we thought would appear sometime in the morning, showed up around 3pm and got right to work. First, he checked each chainplate on deck and then took a close look at each shroud and stay and the associated turnbuckle and shackle that attaches it to the deck. If something goes wrong at sea, this is a vulnerable point and, if weak, could cause a sailboat to lose all its rigging and mast. Not a pleasant thought.

After checking the mast fittings, he proceeded to check out the boom and all of its fittings in turn then took a look at the traveler. He rigged himself up and ascended the mast in the same fashion that David does … with ascenders. Up he scampered to the top of the mast, stopping to check things along the way … the mast itself, the spreaders, the shroud and stay fixtures, hardware and attachments.

He came below to check the base of the mast below the floorboards. His inspection was efficient and comprehensive and Nine of Cups (and her captain) got all A's! She's ready to tackle the Indian.