Stowing the inner stay appears to be quite the challenge sometimes. All too many times I have seen systems that are either over complicated, under engineered or are just plain ineffective. Below I describe a method that is very straight forward, simple and effective. 

Almost in every case imaginable, the inner stay storage bridle, is the key piece to any effective inner stay storage system.  However, these days it seems harder and harder to find these clever little bent pieces of  bent tubing. Wichard, was one of the original makers of these bridles and they called it a Stowage Clip. Also, C.Sherman Johnson, who used to make a beautiful one of these (similar to the design of Wichard’s), has for some reason redesigned it to what I think, is not as good of a design (see pic below). We here at The Rigging Company will simply make our own as they are needed. For reference, the one pictured above is the only image I could find that is similar to the one we make. This is what they are supposed to look like.

CS JOHNSON INNER STAY STORAGE BRIDLE

Next you will need two attachment points at (or slightly aft) and forward of the mast, preferably, just off to one side. If you don’t already have something in place, i.e. a stanchion base, mast pulpit, Dorade box, sturdy handrail, or maybe even one of the shroud chainplates or turnbuckles, I would recommend some folding pad eyes, mounted on the deck. The folding pad eye is nice as it folds flat when not in use.

WICHARD FOLDING PAD EYE

The forward pad eye is for the stowage bridle attachment, which will require either a short strop or a small block and tackle between the welded eye on the bridle and the pad eye. This should keep the stay just forward and off of the mast and spreaders (see diagram). The aft pad eye is to attach the terminal of the stay by way of either a quick release lever, block and tackle, or direct attachment. I personally prefer the block and tackle because I like to take these big, heavy and expensive inner stay levers down below and out of the way. (Read more here for a quick note on choosing and setting-up your quick release levers.) Using the tackle between the bridle and forward pad eye instead of a strop (as pictured above) is our preferred method. This will require the stays end terminal to be simply shackled, lashed or otherwise directly attached to the aft pad eye. The stay is then tensioned using the stowage clip and tackle.

This set up is simple, tried and trued. The placement of the two attachment points at deck level (i.e. pad eye’s, turnbuckle, stanchion base etc.) is the key to the functionality of the system. The goal is to allow the stay to be stowed aft, with adequate tension so that it is out of the way and tight, yet forward enough to keep it off of the mast and the spreaders. Keep this in mind when setting up your inner stay storage system.

~I hope you find these blogs useful and helpful. We are always looking for new ideas on what to write about. So if you have an idea that you would like us to write about or even would like to guest blog on our site to plug yourself, your business or your boat, feel free to shoot us an email or leave us a comment (below) and we will get back to you.

THANKS FOR READING,

T.R.C.

Click on the image for a zoom-able view. Please excuse the poor stitching on the left ;-0)

On this day we where conducting a rigging inspection and rig tune.

Although it looked beautiful, it was disgustingly HOT!

You can see clearly below that in order to remove the mast head sheaves the entire mast head needs to be un-bolted and removed. The sheave pins are hidden inside the mast wall. Slick, but not easily serviceable.

I have never been to the Baltimore Yacht Club (unbelievable, I know). What a great place to keep your boat with great access to sailing the Bay within seconds.

Hunter 410

‘T’ Terminals, ‘T’ Balls, Gibb Hooks, Shroud Terminals, and Lollipop Fittings are just some of the nicknames of these special fittings. I would just like to take a minute to address the different terms associated with these fittings, their uses and misuses.

T Ball, Gibb Hook, or ‘T’ Terminal

It appears that many boats in today’s sailboat market use these types of fittings. Many of them however aren’t being used in the proper application. I like to use the ‘T’ Terminal or Gibb Hook specifically for articulating stays like running back-stays or removable stay-sail stays. These are always to be rigged in conjunction with special rubber plugs

Rubber Gibb Plug

which ensure that the stay won’t become dislodged aloft. Even though these fittings are seen regularly on many boats today and in various configurations, it doesn’t mean that they are being appropriately used. For side shrouds it is recommended to use the preferred Shroud or Lollipop Terminal instead of the ‘T’ Ball or Gibb Hook. Even though some boats do, never should any of these stays be used for a head-stay or forestay of any sort, at least not in my opinion. Not to mention that it is really hard to hang a furler that uses this type of fitting.

Shroud Terminal or Lollipop Fitting

Having said that, some companies like Hayn Marine claim that you can use their Shroud Terminal in place of any ‘T’ Terminal or Shroud Terminal, but never the other way around. As a general rule, we think you should always use the backing plate made specifically for the terminal that you have chosen to use.

Hayn Marine Shroud Terminal

To inspect ‘T’ terminals or Lollipop Fittings you need to look at the two natural weak points; at the bend or the ‘arm-pit’ of the fitting, and also where the wire exits the swage. Where the wire exits the swage is a typical weak point for all swages. However, with ‘T’

The ‘Armpit’ of a ‘T’ Terminal

Terminals the shank has a specific angle to it which does not allow for much (or no) deviation from this pre-set angle, so it is even more cause for concern. Sometimes it is necessary to go aloft and bend the terminal down to the appropriate angle (via a ‘Dead-blow’) once the mast has been stepped. This practice is okay as long as you only do it once and don’t bend it back and forth too often. Leaving it an unfair angle will surely result in shroud damage or failure.

‘T’ Terminal Backing Plate

Shroud Terminal Backing Plate

Lastly, you or your rigger will need to be careful as to which manufacturer you choose for your ‘T’ Terminal replacement. As the title reads, “Not all ‘T’ Terminals are Created Equal”. So, although the Alexander Roberts ‘T’ Terminals look a lot like the Gibb ‘T’ terminals some will vary slightly in throat/shank diameter, head width, and even the height of the head. I recommend fitting each terminal in the corresponding backing plate/tang before swaging. Sometimes a little grinding and polishing of the ‘T’ head is necessary to make them fit. Sometimes an entirely different manufacturer will need to be used. Just be sure to figure this out before you begin to make the stay, it will make your life a lot easier.

Let us know if you have any questions. Thanks for the read, talk to you again soon!

~T.R.C.

Well take a look for yourself.

As much as I hate to say it……….but, those Kiwis are lookin’ strong.

Raymarine Wireless Tacktick Mast Head Fly

Re-wiring and replacing the fixtures in the mast is a task that most of us boat owners need to face at some point. Let’s address what needs to happen during this process and what is the most efficient way to do this.

OGM Tri-Color Anchor Strobe w/ Photodiode

Forespar ML II w/ Light Guard

First, the mast needs to be un-stepped. Therefore it could be a smart idea to handle any other items that could benefit from the mast being out.

Next, begin by removing the old masthead fixture, the old steaming light fixture, and the old VHF antenna. Now remove all of the old wires and any remaining hardware. In some cases there are electrical items that need to be re-used. These items could be a radar and cable, as well as a digital wind instrument. Be sure to carefully remove these items as well and inspect them closely (now’s the time).

Shakespeare Squatty Body VHF Antenna

Perko Spreader Light, Adjustable Mount

Once all electrical items have been removed, you should check to see if there is a conduit present and how it may or may not be fastened. A properly installed conduit offers; no wire slap, clean wire runs, and most importantly, the ability to run additional wires or trouble shoot existing ones.

Installing a conduit is a bit’ of a ‘trick of the trade’. It is best here to seek the assistance of a professional rigger if one needs to be installed. Make sure to ask your rigger what technique he or she might use. At T.R.C., we will use aluminum or PVC irrigation tubing. This type of tubing offers a sleeker connection at the joint. Our conduits are then riveted using a pair of aluminum rivets (to avoid dissimilar metals) every 3′ or so along the length of the mast. I like to counter sink these rivets because it makes it look more finished and also gives you no issues if there might be future sanding.

After the conduit is ready to go, you are now ready to fish-in a messenger line. From here you can begin to pull in your new wires. Always try and leave in a service messenger when finished. Unless the conduit is full of course, we don’t want to be misleading anyone in the future. I tend to make it a practice to pull-in the large wires or the wires with permanent ends first. Now go ahead and drill, tap, and dry fit your new fixtures. Make sure you take your time and think it through and follow the manufacturers guidelines. Never use sheet metal or self tapping screws, even if provided by some manufacturers. Always drill and tap, or rivet your fixtures along with a dab of sealant for a secure hold.

Make sure you use marine grade connectors that heat shrink. Additionally, before making any connections, slide on a piece of marine grade heat shrink tubing. Marine grade heat shrink tubing has an adhesive that is released when heated. After your connections are made and heat shrunk, make sure to provide some sort of strain relief for the cables (pictured below).

Next, install the fixtures permanently using a sealant as an isolation barrier. Pull out any remaining slack at the butt of the mast. Trim all of your cables to a neat and even length. Leave enough slack for service lengths. Finally test all of the light fixtures through the mast and label the cables accordingly.

As always, don’t be afraid to ask, so leave a comment or ask a question, we will reply. Thanks for the read!

…….but not for good. Having overcome such a great tragedy as the Swedish team has endured, the mere participation of the team’s New AC72 and its crew is remarkable. Artemis Racing Chairman Torbjorn Tornqvist says “I certainly see this was the first campaign, but not the last one”.

Check out the Semi-final Race 4 Highlights.

  Some winches are more difficult to service than others. If you do not know what to expect, certain parts, depending on manufacturer, can come sliding out at inopportune times and jump overboard! This comes from personal experience and if you are really unlucky (like I was) then it may be a part from a vintage winch for which they no longer make parts, woops!

Like anything else, there are varying techniques when it comes to servicing winches. Let me try and see if I can explain a simple method that I personally like to use. First, I would try and get some sort of manual or diagram of the winch you are trying to service or disassemble. The internet can be a really useful tool for this.

In removing the winch drum, depending on the winch you have, you are looking for either a single screw down inside the winch handle socket or a split ring which sits on top of the drum and encompasses the winch handle socket. Andersen winches like to use three Allen Head screws that also hold the lifter on. Newer Lewmar winches will have large threaded washer which sits on top of the self tailing unit (pictured right). Some older model Lewmar winches will need the self-tailer disassembled in order to remove the drum. These methods should release the drum on most winches made within the last 20 years or so. Again, your best bet is to always look online for a technical diagram for your winch.

The trick to servicing any winch is to do ONE AT A TIME! All of the parts within a winch are usually specific to their location. Which means most of the time the winch will not allow you to put it back together improperly. Although taking pictures as you are doing this can’t hurt.

So now that the drum is free, try and slide it up gently and carefully. Some winches have Delrin or bronze key-ways that are let into the winches spindle or body that will need to be removed to completely slide the drum up and off. These can be tedious and require patience. Before you lift the drum off completely slide your hand under the drum to catch any parts or pieces (like bearing sleeves) that may be stuck to the inside of the drum and like to come sliding out when you least expect it.

Next, we should be looking at the internal workings of the winch. Slide off and remove any pins, gears, washers, and spacers that are removable. From here depending on what winch you own, you may need to remove the winch completely. I know nobody wants to actually unbolt the winch, but if it hasn’t been serviced in the last five years or more, I would definitely recommend to go all the way and service the winch completely.

So how do we ‘de-gunk’ all of these parts? Well, this is the difference in my method vs. others. Generally you will see people use a tub or a parts washer and use either kerosene, mineral spirits, diesel fuel, or the like. This makes one heck of a mess, can be bad for you, and it stinks! I like to use good old WD-40 and a roll of paper towels, it de-greases, cleans, lubricates and dissipates moisture. Not only that, it also comes in a handy spray can so I can show up at the boat with just a fresh roll of paper towels, a can of WD-40, a cardboard box for my trash, spare pawls, springs and some gear grease. I will lay out a paper towel next to the winch I am working on and clean each and every part as I remove it and lay it on the paper towel. After all of the internal workings have been thoroughly cleaned and inspected including the inside of the drum and all non moving parts; I reassemble the winch completely and carefully, then grease all of the gears, bearings and the spindle, ONLY. NEVER GREASE THE PAWLS! For the pawls WD-40 is all you need, you can opt use 3 in 1 oil or pawl oil for them, but never grease.

I will Make sure all pawls and springs are in good working condition and that they have nice action. If not, I replace them with the spares that I have.

 The key to winches is, I’ll say it again, DO ONE AT A TIME. Re-assemble the winch carefully and if it is not going together correctly right away, then take it back apart and try again! Remember you need to be patient, but do not put it back together if you think it is wrong. Instead ask your local rigger for help. Hope this helps and leave a comment if you have a question.

People have been talking more and more about wing sails these days. This technology can’t possibly make its transition into the cruising sailboat market, or can it? Yachting Monthly checks out the new Elan 37 equipped with the Omer Wing Sail. A wing shaped soft sail that can be doused, stowed, and even reefed.

It is not particularly pretty, no’r is it exceptionally ugly, it is just………different. It does however, seem to simplify the sailing process a good bit by utilizing an un-stayed, rotating, ‘A’ frame carbon fiber mast. There is no jib to tack so the boat can tack much quicker and easier. The end result, a higher performance sail plan, with less weight aloft, a higher pointing angle, and ease of sail handling. Of course, I would wait this technology out for a little while so that Omar can buff out any rough edges. Although it may not be time yet, this new development may hold some promise for the future of sailing after all.

Omer Wing Sail Joins Forces with Wally Yachts!

The vast U.S. cordage market allows us to have several competitive options including; Robline, New England, Samson, Yale, and as of recently, Marlow Ropes. Each one of these manufacturers provide various rope constructions utilizing different materials to allow the consumer to achieve different functions based on application. All of the jargon like Spectra, Dyneema, Vectran, Kevlar, Technora, Dacron, Double Braid, Single Braid, and Three Strand, can be quite confusing. Let’s see if we can’t help explain some of the basic differences.

Rope Fibers:

Dacron is another registered trade name for Polyester. Its characteristics are; it’s extremely U.V. stable, chafe resistant, pseudo moisture absorbent, and  a little stretchy, but soft in the hand and tends to run very freely depending on its construction.

Technora, basically Kevlar‘s replacement, comes from the Aramid family. This fiber is more stable in a U.V. environment than Kevlar (although, it would not be my first choice for U.V. resistance), it is susceptible to chafe, it does not absorb moisture, it is extremely low stretch, and is fairly heat resistant, but it does get stiff and rigid after heavy loading.

Spectra and Dyneema (synonymous products but different trade names) have more use in a wide array of applications. Spectra (or Dyneema) does not absorb water, is very strong, is very chafe resistant, and has a fair U.V. stabilization, it is also very low stretch, but is sensitive to excessive heat. This line material tends to stay more supple than Technora or Vectran, but is never quite as soft as Polyester.

Finally, we have Vectran which has combined some of the features of both Spectra and Technora. Vectran offers better heat resistance than Spectra and also lower elongation. Although fairly chafe resistant, this fiber will tend to be a bit more rigid than Spectra when loaded  and offers very little U.V. stabilization.

Rope Construction:

Double Braid, the most common type of rope construction, is a two-part braided  line, one part cover and one part core. Double braid line usually will have a polyester cover and a core made from either Dacron, Spectra, Vectran, Technora, or some sort of blend thereof. It is also possible to find blended and exotic covers. This is becoming more and more popular and Marlow Ropes is leading the charge in this department.

A Single Braid is typically a twelve strand braided line which makes up the core of a double braided line. Single braids can be coated for U.V stabilization if necessary. Typically single braids are not good to put your hands on because they have a small diameter relative to their load capacity. Not to mention, single braids can be slippery.

Lastly, Three Strand ropes are the more traditional looking right-hand-lain or twisted ropes that we will hardly use anymore in modern applications, unless it is for dock lines at which point Nylon becomes the preferred material due it’s elasticity, strength, chafe resistance and ultra high U.V. stabilization. The way a rope is constructed, not just its material, plays a big part in how a rope performs, parallel fibers typically stretch the least, braided fibers usually provide some stretch or elasticity, and three strand line usually ends up being very stretchy and has a very elastic effect.

Hopefully this clears up at least a little of the technical jargon associated with rope. To find out what is the best product for your application needs please see your local rigger. You can read more about rope selection and maintenance here.

Leave us a comment below, we’d love to hear from you.

Click on any a picture to link to manufacturers’ websites for more info.

I am sure if you keep up with the Louis Vuitton Cup you have already seen this. Either way just go ahead and watch 2:09.

W O W!!

Thanks to the Americas Cup YouTube feed for allowing us American’s to actually watch some of the AMERICAS CUP! ;-0)

PRO FURLLONG LINK TOGGLE

Link plates are an option for raising the furling drum up off the deck for clearance. Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself before purchasing a new furler, or raising the height of the drum on your existing one:

• Do you need to link the drum off of the deck to clear the anchor?
• Do you need to have better visibility from the cockpit?
• Does the sail need to clear any cabin top hardware?
• Was there a link plate there before and why?

SCHAEFER UNIVERSAL LINK PLATES

SCHAEFER LONG LINK TOGGLE

HARKEN LONG LINK TOGGLE

Anchors need to live either on an extended roller or sprit. Otherwise, you will most likely need the drum to be linked up off of the deck sufficiently to clear the fulcrum effect of the anchor when it is deployed. If the furler doesn’t have enough clearance the anchor can damage the drum or the cage of the furler.

You may also want to consider raising the drum for visibility, it can be a nice feature to have a clear view ahead from the cockpit. There are however, proper and improper ways of doing this.

Don’t forget: if adding link plates to an existing furler, you will need to shorten the foil (sometimes the stay) accordingly. It may be best to consult your local rigging profession to ensure this is done properly.

  Linking the drum up off of the deck can be done by using the manufacturers recommended link and toggle combination. Using the universal adjustable link plates for instance is typically the wrong answer for linking a furler drum off of the deck. Most furler manufacturers have link plates especially made for their model furlers and should be used when possible. The biggest issues with using improper linkage is torsion loading which, at the very least, compromises the effectiveness of the furler. Torsion loading, in extreme situations, can also shear cotter pins, damage the link plate itself and in a worst case scenario, dis-mast a boat. So before you make any big leaps of your own ‘custom’ rigging, consult a professional rigger and at least ask a few questions. Questions are always free of charge!

The Rigging Company aloft to install a digital apparent wind instrument.

An Osprey made its nest on top of it and broke the the cheaply made mounting plate right off.

The view of a Bristol 43, nice boat!

Any guesses as to where we are?

Thanks for having a look at the view.

Open Body Turnbuckle W/ Swage Stud and Toggle

The concept of how to properly adjust a turnbuckle seems to sometimes elude most people. This is understandable as I didn’t used to spend my days thinking about tightening cables, like I do now. So let’s take a moment to discuss how this is done properly.

There are generally three different styles of turnbuckles. Yes, there are a few more styles, however these concepts should give you the gist for any turnbuckle.

Open Body Turnbuckle with a Toggle Jaw at Each End

First things first, always make sure that you start by taking out the cotter pins and removing any old tape. Generally, to tighten or loosen turnbuckles it is the reverse of what you have learned your whole life, “righty-tighty, lefty-loosey” is now “lefty-tighty, righty-loosey”.

OPEN BODY TURNBUCKLES: The open body style turnbuckle is the most common style in today’s sailboat market and will require either an adjustable wrench and a spike (a ‘beefy’ screw driver should do), or a second adjustable wrench. If you have a turnbuckle that has a swage stud at the top end, then look closely and locate the wrench flat which will be either machined or pressed into the stud by the manufacturer.

NOTE: Some boats today still have the old, Closed Body/Tubular Style , stainless steel bottles screw type turnbuckle (these should be replaced ASAP with chrome-bronze bodies). To adjust this type of turnbuckle you can use either and appropriately sized Ice Pick or C Sherman Johnson’s purpose made tool  (click link and scroll to bottom of page) to stick in the small hole located in the middle of the body. Vise grips or channel locks are not the answer here.

DOUBLE JAWED TURNBUCKLES: You may also have a double jawed turnbuckle which accepts an eye fitting attached to the end of the stay. In this situation it is important to keep the upper jaw/eye end from spinning by using either a spike or screwdriver. Also, please note: these turnbuckles are often installed upside down and not consistently. So figuring out which way is tight and which way is loose can be a doozie and may vary from stay to stay. It may be worth the extra time to make sure they are all configured in the same fashion matching up with the aforementioned tightening/loosening method (“lefty-tighty, righty-loosey”).

MECHANICAL STUDS AND ROD STUDS : It is also possible that your rigging utilizes a mechanical stud at the top end of the turnbuckle. This is a similar product to that used for open body rod turnbuckles, and the same directions should be followed. Be careful in this situation as the mechanical stud will have two wrench flats, one is to tighten the cap of the mechanical stud (this is NOT the one to use and may cause the fitting to become undone!) and one is to hold the stud in place while turning the turnbuckle body. This wrench flat will sometimes be less noticeable, but if you look closely you will be able to determine which ‘flat’  holds the stud and not the cap.

Mechanical Stud, Similar to Rod Stud

TURNBUCKLES THAT UTILIZE RIGGING SCREWS (ROD AND WIRE): Next we have the rigging screw style turnbuckle, typically provided by Navtec. This looks like an open body turnbuckle, but in reverse. Instead of one body and two studs, there are two bodies and one stud. This is another typical turnbuckle found on rod rigged boats and you should follow these same guidelines here as well. Again, care must be taken to ensure that the upper end of the turnbuckle does not spin. In this case it is the upper body portion that will need to be either held in place by an adjustable wrench or a spike. Then use another wrench to turn the rigging screw by using the wrench flats on the screw.

Rigging Screw Style Turnbuckle

COQUILLE OR STEM BALL TURNBUCKLES: You have probably noticed by now that I keep making the point of always holding the upper end of the turnbuckle in place, be it a stud, jaw, or body. Well, that is because in most situations the bottom of the turnbuckle is kept from spinning by the way it is pinned to the chainplate. EXCEPT, when the chainplate isn’t conventional. Beneteau and Jeaneau are notorious for these types of chainplates. They use what is called a coquille style chainplate, that means essentially, that the connection of the turnbuckle at the deck is a ball and socket type (which means it can spin freely). Here you need to perform a bit’ of a magic trick or grab a friend. Both the top and bottom screws will try to spin in this case, so you will need to hold both upper and lower studs by their wrench flats. I like to use large vise grips to grip the lower stud, I will then place my knee near it (as I am in the crouched position) so that the vise grips become wedged up against me as they begin to spin. Then, I will go about holding the upper stud with an adjustable wrench and turning the body with my spike as usual. This maneuver can be a bit tricky, but with a little body contortion and the right tools, it can be done. OR…… simply grab a friend and have them help you ;-0)

Coquille Style Turnbuckle, Popular on Beneteau’s and Jeaneau’s

When you are done make sure you line up the cotter pin holes in the studs so that the turnbuckle can be pinned. If cotter pins aren’t present then there should be locking nuts of some sort. A turnbuckle ALWAYS needs to be secured so that it cannot become undone.

TIP: No matter what type of turnbuckle you are adjusting make sure the wire, rod or whatever type of stay material you may have, does NOT turn, or is in any way able to become distorted. This can lead to shroud failure!

Remember, if in doubt you can always ask……

This is one of the most magnificent sailboats built today. Watch this well edited video that summarizes the entire build process of the Fairlie 55. What a beautiful boat and what beautiful craftsmanship. You don’t see too many boats built like this today. I personally, love the line between classic design/craftsmanship, meets modern innovation.

If you are into how things are made then you will love this short video of, what I would consider, one of the finest boats built today.

Reefing or reducing a conventional/non-furling mainsailcan be done by way of either a slab or a single line reef system. Today, I want to talk about the difference between the two reef systems and how they should be set up.

Single Line Reefing

Since more and more boats these days are leading the halyards aft, single line reefing has become a very popular method for reefing your mainsail. Single line reefing essentially means that the outboard and inboard reef cringles use one line to tuck (or haul down) both ends of the sail. In general, this system is configured in two ways:

One is to ‘simply’ run a line from the outboard dead-end, up through the o.b. reef cringle, down to a sheave at the o.b. end of the boom, which will turn the line forward to another sheave at the inboard end of the boom, which will turn the line upwards to the i.b. reef cringle, then down through a fairlead on the mast to the deck and aft via a series of (you guessed it) more sheaves, then to a clutch, and finally to the winch (gasp!).

The other method’s end result is the same (one line to pull on, back in the cockpit), but it adds yet even more sheaves. It does this utilizing ’shuttle blocks’ which run on the inside of the boom. The shuttle block system, although providing more purchase, can cause increased friction and even worse – lines to become twisted or tangled inside of the boom; this can make it difficult or even impossible to reef the mainsail when necessary. Reef systems that utilize shuttle blocks can also be problematic in that they can limit the height of the reef point to the length of the boom.

In order to make things simple we, at The Rigging Company, prefer the first system – no shuttle blocks. Although this method does not offer any additional purchase, your cabin top winches will surely be able to overcome any load that you might encounter. For more information on leading lines aft and quick tips on reefing, read here.

Single Line Reefing with Shuttle Blocks

Additionally, it may be advisable to hang small high load blocks from the sails cringles to reduce the friction further. For either of these systems to work efficiently the boom needs to have sheaves oriented in such a fashion that the line can both enter and exit the TOP of the boom. .

Slab Reefing

Tack-end Reef Hook

Traditional slab reefing is a much more simple and classic approach. Although care needs to be taken here to ensure all leads are fair. Slab reefing is intended for use on boats where the halyards are left at the mast. This system also uses just one line per reef; but this line is only responsible for the out-board/clew-end reef. Typically the in-board/tack-end is then reefed separately either
via Reefing Hook (see picture) or Cunningham.  A good slab reef system should lead to a dedicated winch located either on the inboard-side of the boom, or just below the boom gooseneck on the aft face of the mast (see below). If the boat is equipped with multiple reefs, all lines should be cleated using rope clutches before the winch (anytime more than one line leads to a winch the use of a rope clutches is recommended). Leaving everything at the mast, properly rigged, will ensure the least amount of friction out of any reefing system.

A Properly Configured Multiple Slab Reef System

There are many variations and details in setting up one of these systems on your boat. Please consult with your local rigging professional to determine which set up is the best for you.

Reefing Winch Below the Boom

Leave us a question in the comments below. We will reply!

……….and Team USA is barely keeping up with Emirates Team New Zealand. The American team finally pulled off their first victory in yesterday’s last race.

The Oracle sponsored team is going to have to maintain this trend for a while in order to stay “in-the-swing-of-things”. The current score is 3 to -1, New Zealand. Each win awards 1 point and the first team to 9, is the winner. Negative points were earned before the cup started due to a rules violation (shame on you Team Oracle).

Needless to say Team USA has their work cut out for them.

GO ORACLE Team USA!!

Many people these days are looking towards synthetics to replace their lifelines and their standing rigging. Let’s talk a little bit about about the pros and cons of a synthetic lifeline vs. a stainless steel un-coated wire lifeline. Stainless steel un-coated lifelines are made out of 316 grade stainless steel 1×19 wire and typically come with swaged end fittings that are made by Hayn, CSJohnson and the like. Synthetic lifelines are usually made from Spectra, Dyneema, Dynex Dux, or other similar fibers. These synthetic lines are to be spliced and whipped usually to a terminal provided by CSJohnson or Colligo Marine. As an alternative it can be simply spliced, lashed and taped.

Assuming the boats’ stanchions, gates and railings are ready to have either synthetic or stainless lifelines installed, then we can make these following statements:

316 grade stainless steel offers roughly 7-17 years of dura-ability based on geographical location and wear. As a comparison, a coated synthetic like Spectra can offer a life span probably more in the 4-7 year range. Any stainless hardware (if you are using any) should probably be expected to live through at least two life cycles of the fiber rope.

In general, the install time for a professional using stainless wire, from measurement up until the final tune for a standard 38′ cruiser with port and starboard mid-ship double gates, would be around 4-6 hrs (if you’re good). The same install time for a professional using synthetic lifelines, from measurement up until final tune for standard 38′ cruiser, would be around 6-8hrs.

Material costs for this standard 38′ cruiser can be expected to come in at around the same price for both the synthetic and the stainless steel option, depending on the type of hardware used (or not used, if you are doing the lashing thing). If anything, you can figure on the cost being slightly more for the synthetic rope, if using the recommended hardware/terminals.

Again, all of this is assuming that the boats stanchions, gates and railings are in proper order and ready to have either synthetic or stainless lifelines installed.  You should be aware that most stanchions aren’t ready to be rigged with synthetic rope. Despite Dynex Dux’s chafe resistance, it is no match to that of stainless steel wire.  Extra precaution needs to be taken to ensure all stanchions have fair ferrules and are inspected for a clean lead. Even then, a service may be recommended at all of the stanchion cross-thru points to prevent chafe.

Stainless steel coated lifelines, although less fussy, will also require for all of the stanchion ferrules to be fair and have a minimum of a 3/8″ hole diameter for the 3/16″ wire swage to fit. Un-coated wire doesn’t require a stanchion ferrule, although it does make it look nice\!

In conclusion stainless steel wire is cost effective in that it is; virtually maintenance free, promises the better life expectancy and is most likely the best ‘bang for your buck’. Fiber rigging (done right!)  can really add a beautiful custom and unique accent to your yacht.  Keep in mind, both will look stunning when newly installed and just like anything else, should be maintained accordingly. Need some help deciding whether synthetics are for you? Drop us a line we would be glad to consult.

Here is a neat rigging related find from yachtingmonthly.com’s YouTube feed.

In this first video you will see the crew attempt to force a dismasting by replacing the standing rigging clevis pins with shortened fiberglass battens. At first the fiberglass battens hold up, much to their surprise. After replacing the pins with even smaller fiberglass pins and accidentally unfurling the Genoa all the way, the shrouds finally let go and the mast collapsed. Also they end up testing different products for cutting the cables to release the mast from the boat, should that be necessary. I personally would go for the bullet blasting tool (not sure what it is called), quick, easy and effortless. The video does not portray the hacksaw method very well, this is not as easy as he made it seem, I’ve tried.

After you’ve lost the mast and have recovered what you can. Here is an informative video  on a jury rig concept……

Hopefully this will never happen to you, but these informative videos might help keep you more calm and confident should this ever happen to you.

New Mast Step

So you have taken the mast out to get some work done or you are simply storing the boat for the winter? Well, now is the time to consider the mast step and deck collar. Just like chain plates, mast steps and deck collars often get overlooked.

Keel Stepped Mast

If you have an older boat, like myself, then take the extra time to remove, inspect and re-seal the mast step, as well as the deck ring.

Stainless Steel Deck Ring, Serviced and Resealed

Usually on a modern day keel-stepped boat, the step is mounted to something solid that should not suffer from water damage. However, I may still use a little sealant around the screw holes, just to be safe. The mast step needs to be removed once in a while in order to clean up, inspect and ensure it can properly drain.

EWWWW! YUCK! Clean that thing up.

Mast steps that sit on the deck and deck rings can often have screws that go into a wooden core. In this case, if you do not maintain the sealant regularly you might damage this wooden core. This can lead to major structural problems depending on the boat’s design (I had to cut the entire cabin top off of my boat due to this, bummer).

Rusty Deck Ring. Adhesives Will Cause Stainless to Deteriorate.

If any of these steps or collars are painted aluminum, it is advisable to have them re-painted (read more on ensuring a long lasting finish here). If these parts are made of stainless steel, clean them, inspect the welds and polish them; it will keep it from rusting in the future. In either case, go ahead an splurge and buy some new marine grade fastenings as well.

Painted Aluminum Deck Collar

I am not saying that servicing the mast step or deck collar needs to happen every 5 years, but consider it if you know it hasn’t been dealt with in 15-20 years. Of course, as all things I discuss, these timelines are general and dependent on geographical region and use.  As long as you don’t forget these crucial components and pay them some much deserved attention once in a while, you should have no worries.

Yesterday could have marked the end for the American team. However, with a solid win in the first race, living by the old adage “win the start and extend your lead”, Oracle held them off once more.

A race cancellation due to wind strengths just prior to the 2nd start ensures that Oracle lives to defend the Cup another day. Say what you want, this is way more exciting than any Americas Cup yet! Especially the last one which was a boat designers cup (IMO).

Check out the highlights of yesterdays race courtesy of the America’s Cup YouTube channel….(Also as a bonus there is nice explanation of VMG-Velocity Made Good and “Hooking” by the experts, starting at the 35:00 mark)

The current standing is 8-2, New Zealand. Emirates Team New Zealand is one away while Oracle Team USA needs an monumental 7 wins to retain the oldest Trophy in modern sports.

Tune in tomorrow 12:30PM Pacific Time, 3:30PM Eastern Time on NBC for the live action.

“How do you eat a Kiwi? One race at a time.” – GO ORACLE!