need advice on complicated rigging

[April]

Ok, I am new here so please bear with me. I am in process of restoration of a 1934 Sparkman Stephens Ketch, plan # 28. It was commissioned for R S Kellogg. I am the 4th owner. I have the plans. Suffice to say that everything had to come off the boat, paint, varnish, masts, etc etc... now I am ready to put it all back on. Time to act on rigging.

The boat has 24 soft eye spliced 1 x 19 316 SS wire which is serviced and purchased. The plans also show this as what is intended for this vessel. Now just getting those eye splices would be "interesting" but you see the rig uses cheeks and loops and stacking to fix the multiple rig onto the mast. This requires that the stainless be serviced and purchased. Rust was an issue, as we would expect from all that covering on the wire. I must keep with the original rig as this was a special set up for a couple to cruise with no other help, hence there are many small sails with multiple lines. Truly it is beautiful when it is on the boat but in a pile on the ground it is daunting.

I thought I could use Dynex dux for my large soft eye splices but the bury is way too long and I would have to put a thimble or some other terminal so that I could then go to 1x19.

My next thought is the Prolite Cable. If I could just get all the large eye splices in cable with a terminal that could attach to the traditional rigging then I could cover the eye in leather and fit it to the mast.

Any advice? Can this cable be spliced or sweged into a terminal that could attach to wire rigging? There are enough lines on the masts that I can't imagine there will be a huge load on any one terminal.

John Franta of Colligo thought I would have to go all Dynex due to the needed bury lenght of a splice.. but the rest of the line is not simple. I have many blocks and running back stays and triatics on both masts the dynex Dux could not handle this with the current blocks etc. This boat has not been altered. I don't want to mess with the rig other than to protect the masts and come up with a better way to make those soft eyes.

Any thoughts????

[April]

The 24 large soft eye splices are on the main mast there are plenty more on the mizzen, booms and bow sprit! I need a plan!

[April]

The cable I mentioned before is the powerlite cable. I wonder if this cable could be curved around the mast and then lashed together the terminals then would connect to stainless wire which would follow the traditional rigging on this boat?

I basically need something as thin as wire rope to go under the sail track between the stand offs and of material which will not rust. I can then wrap it in leather so that it will not chafe the cheeks and mast.

The issue then is whether the radius will be compatible with the cable, if I can get the right connectors for the load to attach to stainless 1x19.

I really think this is my only option. I will have to do a lot of work to make sure the eyes are the proper diameter with lashings... and I will have to come up with a lot of chafe protection but I can do it. The eyes often stack or criss cross at places on the spars. The top of the mast has 7 eyes all stacked upon each other.

Ok, so does anyone know about Powerlite Rigging cable and its connectors?

[Ian McColgin]

This is not the way I'd go at the job. I don't see how any of your thoughts could possibly be better than properly spliced eyes. What you've proposed has all the hard work disadvantages of the rig as designed with the additional disadvantages of adding fittings to fail.

If you are really afraid of learning how to splice or hiring a good rigger to do it, you could band the mast and hang the stays on staylock or norseman terminals from the bands. It's dirt simple to make either bronze or black iron bands in two halves that bolt together and compression fit on the mast. You can hang shrouds from the connecting bolts and if you have more in the same general place, weld on a tab.

G'luck

[Joe Henderson]

Before you race off in four different directions at once searching for an answer to your rigging questions, consider this:-

You have a collection of materials that, when correctly configured, assembled and maintained, has lasted for 76 years.

Be wary of over-thinking your options on the rigging.

Granted, it looks like an unpredictable bloody mess when in a pile on the ground, but it is a logical collection of components that is almost minimalistic in it's simplicity when understood.

I assume that from your description it is all drop-over-eyes and you have labelled and numbered the wires so you can get them back on in the right order, along with all the block strops etc.

A few observations.

1. If it is really hand spliced 1x19 wire you should pay the money for a proper consultation with Brion Toss. You will not get better value or advice for your rig.

2. If it is hand spliced 7X7 wire, any COMPETENT yacht rigger can replicate your rigging.

3. A rig with the aforementioned drop over eyes is a very different beast from a mast with bands and tangs. You should get some qualified advice on the change-over if that is what you decide.
You can not just bolt on compression bands and tangs and add some through-bolts for luck, you must use skill and judgement.
This may have to be bought-in and can be expensive, but will save you a disaster later on.(See #1. above).

4. If it were my boat I would be doing one of two things.

Staying with hand spliced wire, I lean towards the dull stainless 7X7 option, but this is purely personal, and taking time with the finishing of the splices.

Or converting to Dynex Dux with overbraid and standard turnbuckles as per "LANDFALL" a 1936 S&S design # 54, here in Sydney.

Not a difficult job.

Regards,

Joe Henderson.

[April]

Yes, I have taken hundreds of pictures and all rigging has been labeled. The last person to rig this boat was the head rigger of the Star of India. back in the early 80's. He did all splices in 1x19 as the plans for the boat requested.

He also parceled them, then wrapped them in canvas, then painted them white. Now, I am not sure if this is what he found on the rig with respect to the serve on the eyes. You see the boat had varnished sticks. When I got her she was full of white lead paint and many imperfections on her mast. The original owner did not even winterize her - rather he took her to Cuba every winter from New York. ( but for the years they would not allow him to leave due to the War.) Ii have every piece of old rigging, it appears that if anything the rigging got more and more paint over the years.

The boat now has varnished masts. (I have some wonderful dedicated people working on her.) I am not that fond of the 7 x 19 as it can get rough and barb-ish, yet that is what most rigggers want to use. Also remember that this needs to be covered. My thoughts were to avoid having to cover stainless. Each eye splice must be replicated with respect to the diameter and the circumference, the throat and the drop of the eye splice. Everything was removed from the mast, new bungs show where the lignum vitae cheeks rested. I also measured and place a tape measure along side them as I took pictures.

The thought on the Dux was sound but you see the some of the Dux would not work as I have blocks mid way up the masts and the triatic etc. I want to keep the old blocks as they are fine. Dux also requires such a long bury for my need that I would have at least 8-9 ft of Dux before I could attach wire rigging.

This insulated PBO cable uses very fine marine eyes as terminals rather than the large thimbles used in Dynex Dux so attaching to current hardware is supposed to be easier, and the company states that standing rigging is guaranteed for 4 years. Some of the current soft eye splices on the masts ended in similar terminals and then go to wire rope. I don't want to use more cable than needed for just the eyes and the terminals to connect to wire. With so many lines (truly 24 on the main mast alone) I can't imagine there would be tremendous load issues. The sails are not huge but there are more then I am familiar in my own sailing. The boat was called an auxiliary cruiser.

I would love to be able to post some pictures.
Basically I need the same diameter as the wire so that they fit under the sail track and between the stand offs, it needs to be as strong or stronger, and I prefer that it not rust. I will still parcel and serve.

I figured that the weight difference would not be an issue as an additional terminal would balance the decrease in weight due to the cord.

All eyes are drop over, but to make things a bit more challenging they often stack upon each other as well as stack upon cheeks. I will have to work closely with a rigger to mark where I will lash the throat of the splice and to make sure they drop where they need be.

We have all been working every day and late into the night since July 3rd. I tore out 4 ligaments and had wrist surgery. Truly, there has been much thought along the way. This was a huge undertaking but I am very committed to this project. I have boxes of research for everything that has been done to the boat. I actually bought the last quart of white lead paste in the US at one point. (the "crop" has matured and now there should be more!)

Each stage of restoration has been logged and documented with pictures. I feel very good about the way things have gone, the only wood which will be replaced is the cap rail. The wood for that was purchased early last summer.

This has been such an undertaking that the rig was one of those "when we can finally get to it... we will deal" type of things, yet here I am, and if it takes time to order or find what I need then now is the time to approach it.... I am still doing research.

I so appreciate input, while I want to keep with the traditional rig I too understand that if I can keep the "architecture" of the rig plans as near its intent then using a different material ie: insulation and then leather around a core, rather than twine, tar, canvas and thick paint around wire, I might be better able to preserve the masts. (three coats of epoxy and 10 coats of varnish).

Love to hear input,

April

[Joe Henderson]

Dear April,

Talk to Brion quickly, he will help you sort out the many different ideas you have revolving around in your rigging.

Regards,
Joe Henderson.

[April]

I will try to call him. I did get in touch with the chief engineer with Applied Fiber and he is going to let me know what they can do.

I realize this is a modern attempt at an old rig style. I just want to protect the masts and do no harm. I spent over a month with a dental pick just getting the white lead out of those masts. Folks scoffed "just paint them"! Now they are beautiful and I would hate to do something that would destroy all the hard work and I believe something could be done... to preserve them. We shall see.

[Brion Toss]

Hi there,
I heard from my office that you had been in touch. Sounds like you have a wonderful old boat, and a lucky one, to have an owner of your enthusiasm. I look forward to speaking with you. Meanwhile, remember that this is not rocket science; it is much harder than rocket science. I know this because I had a customer who was a rocket scientist, and he was very clear on the issue. Your job is even more demanding than usual, because it involves design and fabrication elements that have largely dropped out of the portfolio. But understand: you have an elegant rig, the product of generations of ocean-tested evolution. All those pieces can be made harmonic.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[April]

Today I learned that the PBO which is totally protected and seemed a good idea is not --as it hates to take a load if it is over 15 degrees off ...meaning it won't like my masts!

Oh my boat is so pretty, She got her first coat of paint- the top coat, today .There are so many coats of primer, I lost count.. .Roon will have three to four coats of LP. .The cabin top was also painted.

I am really excited to think that in not too long I can sail her! I have all the original charts with the hand drawn navigation done by the original owner...Roon was made for a husband and wife to cruise with no other help...they went everywhere, spent every winter in Cuba, they traveled to Central America! The rest of the time they kept her in New York. I found a beginning of an autobiography written by R S Kellogg. He loved the boat. It gives me chills to think that this is the very same boat and she belongs to me!

I have gathered as many stories as I can about her travels, her repairs, to being sailed upon the rocks by other owners, and how the selling of her provided a regretful but financially healthy retirement to Kellogg.

She was well loved at one point, she looked horrible when I got her but I will post a picture in the future if it is OK! I swear the boat smiles.

I have returned her to her original name, I was at one point worried that the name came from the German Cruising boat that fired upon my "family's" home town of Hartlepool. It just would not have gone over well. Roon was named for the God of Going... a God in the book by the Lord of Dunsany in 1902, The Gods of Pegana. It reads like the Hobbit and truly Tolkien said that this book inspired him. Roon was not a God that sat by the fire, he was greater than the land gods and stood higher than they. I got this all from the autobiography began by Kellogg... amazing that I found it.. I think this boat waited for me.

Let me know the protocol for speaking with you and I will follow it and perhaps you can give me some well needed advise.

Thank you for understanding how important this is to me. I want to do the right thing, I don't want to hurt her and I want to preserve what I can.

April