Jury Rig Temporary Back Stay
 

Ahoy All , very soon I will be removing and replacing my 1 X 19 SS rigging wire , while the mast is standing , one stay at a time .

I will start with the back stay . My mast is a dbl spreader 45' long , keel stepped , aluminum Forespar mast.

Are there some cautions I should consider , like using the main hallyard as a temporary replacement when taking down the SS Back Stay , or later the Cap Shrouds ?

I am thinking that the Stay Sail Stay will take most of the load when removing the Head Stay , when assending the mast in a bosun chair .

I did a forum search and archive search here , but didn't get results .

I will be trying to re-use my Sta-Lok eyes with new wedges and formers, after repolishing and inspecting them .

I have heard it said that cutting the new 1 X 19 SS wire should only be done with a wire cutter and not a hack saw or cutting wheel as the off thrown cuttings can or will contaminate the wire rope where the cut is made , is there a way to mitigate this , if necessary ?

Last time I installed the Sta-Loks , I used a 120 grit sanding flap wheel on my angle grinder to smooth the cut 1 X 19 wire ends before inserting them into the Sta-Lok terminal , thinking that this might make it a bit easier for the Former to slide around the wire ends , while tightening the terminal ,,,, does this make sense to anyone ?

BTW , I have been using that Blue RTV non-acidic neutral cure silicon to fill the terminals on assembly , and so far have not noticed any rust staining near the squeeze out around the wire , nor any rust evidence inside the terminals that I have un-assembled ,,,, any ideas out there on this ? The difficultly I have noticed is completely removing the old silicone residew , before inspection and subsequent re-assembly .


Is any one else doing this ?

Long list
 

Hello,
That is quite a series of questions, though the first one is by far the biggest: how to replace your stays, mast in place. As you probably know, I think this is something to avoid if you possibly can, partly in the interests of safety, partly in interest of efficiency. I do use backstay disconnection and reconnection as a project in my "Aloft" video, so you might want to take a look at that. Uppers are much harder, especially on a double-spreader mast; halyards simply can't provide sufficient support for safety. In any event, the procedure is way too big to go into here; it would be like talking you through performing an appendectomy on yourself. Is there some profound reason you can't take the mast out? I know how to do what you are planning, and have done, but I just won't any more -- no benefit remotely commensurate with the bother and risk.
As for cutting wire, I always use a bi-metal blade in a hacksaw, and smooth it out with a belt sander. On deck, I'll use a good file. Neither seem to leave particles, the way a steel wire brush wheel can. That flap wheel should do fine, too.
Non-acidic silicone is fine, though regular silicone is, too; it is very mildly acid, and even then only until it cures. But I use 4000 UV, as it adheres better to metal over time. Any sealant worth considering will create hard-to-remove residue. And a good thing, too.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Replacements Completed
 

Ahoy Brion , A Big T Y , for that advice . I would like to purchase and view your aloft video , but time and shipping it to Singapore wasn't available .

Over here at Raffles boat yard , the cost of mobilizing a crane is SD $ 600.00 to pull the mast , and another SD $ 600.00 to mobilize it again to replace the mast , plus the yard fee for the storage/work space , and that amount of cash , just wasn't in the budget , this time .

Well , the job went well , probably because we followed your instructions from your prior talks and seminars , phew ! It was a "Heap of Work" , no wonder rigging costs so much .

Re-using the old Sta-Loks was not easy , first disassembly was tough enough , and removing the old silicon packing wasn't easy either , but the polishing and inspection was gratifying .

I did use a SS pickling paste on all the SS parts before final mirror polishing , hoping that would remove any iron contamination from my tool bits .

Often I worried about the Gauling Problems associated with SS and threaded parts when dry fitting to form the wire ends around the wedges , have you noticed problems like this ?

During cyclic loading on our 1 X 19 SS standing rigging , have you ever noticed that the Sta-Lok terminals have a tendency to un-screw , thus the reason Sta - Lok mfg recommends using Locktite on the threads ?

I also wonder if Sta - Lok should specify using Left Hand Lay , wire , as right hand lay tries to unwind a bit during the forming sequence .

Another nagging question that is on my mind is what grade or alloy are our clevis pins , and are 304 SS cotter pins the standard to use ? The bronze pins I installed back in 1998 , have serious corrosion problems .

Again Thank You , as I couldn't have had my cruising dream come true , without your advice and help , may God Bless you , " Mr knot " , as L & L have named you !

Douglas , BCC , S/V Calliste , Singapore .

Details
 

Yikes, they must be very proud of that crane.

You are too kind. It is really heartwarming to know that the talks and classes we do, which are much harder work than rigging itself, might make a difference.

It's a learning curve, sometimes a steep one. With really ornery rigs, where the strands have seated extra-firmly, it is sometimes necessary to cut the wire just above the terminal, and drive out the cutoff bit with a drift punch. Did you try this?

More trouble than most take. Good for you.

Yes and hell yes. That's why we always put the Loctite on before first assembly, so it can act as a lubricant, before it acts as a glue. This is one of the biggest details missing from the instructions, which of course are incomplete in five langurages.

It is rarely a problem, but happens often enough to justify the procedure. Many riggers even use red Loctite instead of blue, especially on furler jibstays.

One advantage of Sta-Loks is that they are less sensitive to lay direction than are Norsepersons. But left-lay is still always easier. If you get too much yarn twist, it is sometimes good to file, and even tap in the ends, before forming. If you do this, mind the filing dust, which can promote galling.

Bronze clevis pins should be silicon bronze or aluminum bronze, usually. Occasionally one finds manganese bronze, which is actually a brass, and that will degrade in a relative hurry. But even bronze is less noble than stainless, so it can have issues, if kept wet regularly enough. But then almost all turnbuckle barrels are bronze, on stainless studs, with no problems, so I suspect either bad metal or stray current...
Stainless clevis pins must be type 316.
Bronze cotter pins as for clevis pins. But again, immersion rules them out, as at the lower end of the bobstay.

It is my great pleasure.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss