Association Forum - Maintenance on boats that stay afloat

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Maintenance on boats that stay afloat

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

FrankV
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
135 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/07/2003 : 11:36:30

One great advantage of the area we live in is that we keep our boat "wet" all year. One big disadvantage is we never take the boat out of the water and leave it fully rigged year round. This makes us defer lots of maintenance.
Do we need to follow the 10 year schedule for changing the standing rigging?
It seems that taking the rig up and down puts a lot of strain on it and casues wear. Does just sitting up all day cause the same concern?
I realized that I have (in all probability) 20 year old original rigging! It looks like it is great shape. I still have aluminum spreaders and they look fine, also.
Maybe at the next bottom job I should consider a re-investment in the boat. We day-sail on an inland, fresh water lake in light to moderate conditions. This tends to make us all complacent about maintenance.

Edited by - on

LOREN SOUERS
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
100 Posts

Response Posted - 03/07/2003 : 16:53:21

"This makes us defer lots of maintenance."

Frank,
I understand exactly what you are saying. But don't give in to it. I think you should do a thorough inspection of your boat, particularly the rigging, at least once a year. You don't necessarily have to take down the mast. You can hoist someone up in a bos'ns chair. Perhaps you can see up there with a good pair of binocs. But you should be checking for fraying, loose bolts, turnbuckles, etc. Its much easiers to see with the mast down on the deck.
Also, I would want to feel around the hull at least once a year (probably more) for stuff on my hull. You can do this in the water. Here in the north (Ohio) we have to take our boats out of the water. It gets kind of hard. This forces us to do these things.
If you put off maintenance until something goes wrong, it will.

Smooth sailing!

Loren Souers, Capt'n
Nimue, on the hard in Ohio

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1595 Posts

Response Posted - 03/07/2003 : 19:13:09

I agree with inspecting the rig. But I inspect it way more than once a year. I wanted to know exactly how my rig was before I went on vacation or how it would hold up in a good blow. I dont do a full blown up the mast deal every time but I go over everthing I can at least once a month. I would replace the aluminium spreaders and opt for the stainless steel mod. I have sen to many aluminum parts fail from the inside out. With regards to original rigging. I would venture to say it depends on how you use the boat and where it has been kept. Here is the Pacific Northwest we are in a salt enviroment but we get plenty of fresh rain washes. One small tip to use. Put a small amount of colored fingernail polish around the shroud where it enters the barrel. This will keep moisture out but more importantly the polish will fracture o crack if the rig starts to pull apart or move.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 03/07/2003 : 20:45:47

A rigger once told me that the number one failure point for stays is just below the top edge of the lower swages (the fittings that attach the cable to the turnbuckles). Salt tends to build up between the wire strands right at the swage, and eventually oxygen can't get to the strands inside the swage. Oxygen deprivation, not salt, is the death of stainless steel.

In fresh water, you don't have that specific problem, but part of the principle may still be true--the part where the failure is most likely to be developing out of sight inside a swage fitting.

At 20+ years, I'd say your standing rigging has served you and others well, and that the investment to replace it will repay you with years of peace of mind.

Now, I need to take my own advice one of these days... (probably Spring of 2004). <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle> Wish me luck!

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 03/07/2003 : 23:08:00

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Now, I need to take my own advice <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

You...and a lot of other guys (including me).

RichardG 81 C25 SR/FK "Sanity"

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2003 : 10:29:15

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
You...and a lot of other guys (including me).

You...and a lot of other guys (including me).
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

OK, OK, Richard... I heard you the first time. I'll do it!

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5936 Posts

Response Posted - 03/08/2003 : 12:25:05

Replacing all your stays is fairly expensive. If you want to spread it out a bit, you can replace two or three per year. That way, you'll have all new ones after about three years, and you'll hardly notice the pain.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 03/09/2003 : 15:32:50

Sorry about that, Dave. Must have clicked twice.

RichardG 81 C25 SR/FK "Sanity"

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.