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Rigging Inspection--T-Bolt Issue

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I had my standing rigging cleaned and inspected recently. Although I had done my own casual inspection a few months prior, I completely missed this crack in the starboard upper T-bolt. It was on the underside, and therefore not obvious.

t-bolt crack.jpg

Periodic cleaning of dirt out of the strands of stainless wire is important, and in the past I have not done it often enough. Traps oxidants, contributes to the clever ways stainless has of planning a catastrophic failure while smiling and wearing a bikini.

I now have two new upper stays. After removal, we found a broken strand on the apparently "good" side.

Because yachting charges are always of interest, and vary so much by region and mechanic, I'm posting the invoice. This being Southern California, you may pay less.
rigging invoice.jpg
 

mherrcat

Contributing Partner
That turnbuckle price seems high. Was there some reason you could not reuse the existing turnbuckle and toggle fork?

I just had my uppers, lowers, backstay and backstay bridles replaced and used Hi-Mod compression fittings on everything except for swage fittings on the top end of the bridles and for the T-fittings. My total came to $1,779.00 not including replacing the original backstay triangle plate with a Schaefer double-triangle plate for about $65.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
That turnbuckle price seems high. Was there some reason you could not reuse the existing turnbuckle and toggle fork?

I just had my uppers, lowers, backstay and backstay bridles replaced and used Hi-Mod compression fittings on everything except for swage fittings on the top end of the bridles and for the T-fittings. My total came to $1,779.00 not including replacing the original backstay triangle plate with a Schaefer double-triangle plate for about $65.

IIRC, the rough total for our re-rig a decade ago was around $1800. All new turnbuckles, too (figured "why take a chance")
Our rig is double spreader, continuous wire. Only wire left alone was the forestay, replaced in '95. That included runners, as well. All swages.
Prices would be higher nowadays, with inflation.

Loren
 
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mherrcat

Contributing Partner
Forgot to ask, how does one go about "cleaning and polishing" the rigging?

In Channel Islands Harbor there can be a lot of dust/dirt in the air from all the agricultural activity in the area; it collects on the stanchions and rigging on the side facing the prevailing wind. I usually hose off as much of my rigging as I can reach using a high-pressure nozzle when I wash the boat.

I also long ago removed the vinyl covers that had been installed on the lower ends of all the shrouds. Those covers are a really bad idea...
 
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toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Forgot to ask, how does one go about "cleaning and polishing" the rigging?

.

I don't know the proper way, but I went up and down all the stays with a plastic scotch pad. And left them out in the sun in my semi-arid yard for six months. They were encrusted with lichen when I took possession. They looked much less alarming when that was gone. I haven't actually replaced anything except the forestay so far.
 

toddbrsd

Ex-Viking, Now Native American
For the record, I paid $1400 to replace all of the standing rigging on my E-27, including turnbuckles, except for the backstay, which had previously been replaced for $400 6 months prior. Long Beach, CA
 

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
I had my standing rigging cleaned and inspected recently. Although I had done my own casual inspection a few months prior, I completely missed this crack in the starboard upper T-bolt. It was on the underside, and therefore not obvious.

Because yachting charges are always of interest, and vary so much by region and mechanic, I'm posting the invoice. This being Southern California, you may pay less.

Well that's kind of disturbing Christian. How old was that T-bolt and your rigging? I replaced all my standing rigging except for the forstay which was newer than the rest of the original rigging on my E-27 because it was replaced by the PO when he installed the Harken roller furling. I also had the rigger paint the mast boom and spreaders, new wiring in the mast, new anchor light, new steaming light, new windex as well as rig a set of stays for my stern Radar mast and fabricate a mast base deck organizer. Got all that done for $2,800 back in 2004. Everything has held up great so far. Time for some close inspection now. :0
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Yeah, shocking, and I was glad to spend the dough for peace of mind. The rigger thinks he replaced the whole rig 1o-12 years ago, based on what hie identified as his signature seizing of the speader pads. But who knows. My backstay and forestay were replaced a few years before I bought the boat.

MY wire cleaning was done by a rigger apprentice with a brush and rag. I think any of us could do it just as well. He took cell phone pictures of whatever he could find, which he showed to the boss, which is how we learned about the crack. He also took a few calls up there, which I found entertaining to watch.

You know, for what it's worth as general perspective on things, I think it's possible to worry too much about the rigging, especially on budget boats used for daysailing and fun. Rigging and masts are built strong, stays often give warning before parting. Eeen a catastrophic failure is probably just expensive, not like being hit by a containership or fried by 110AC or blown up by propane or gas or your average man-overboard in a seaway.

If you like 30 knots and spinnakers, or plan an offshore passage, something else again.

AS a boy I did have the windward stay break on a Penguin dinghy while three of us 10-year-olds were hiking out to the max. There was a loud crack, and when we surfaced after our instant triple backward somersault nobody had any idea what the heck had just happened. Rusty galvanized wire, anyone?
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
And as soon as I say it rarely happens, this appears in the For Sale departemnt:

Last Sunday the stem fitting strap holding the furler to the deck on my 1971 Ericson 35 fractured causing the mast to come down with lots of damage to the chainplates and the mast.
 

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
I had my standing rigging cleaned and inspected recently. Although I had done my own casual inspection a few months prior, I completely missed this crack in the starboard upper T-bolt. It was on the underside, and therefore not obvious.

View attachment 12823

This is no doubt a dumb question, but I'm trying to picture what this "T-bolt" is, and where it fits into the overall configuration of the rigging. I understand that it's part of the starboard upper (since you specified that), but just what is it and where does it fit into the larger picture? Is there some part of this item that is cut off in the picture that might make it plain?

Again, sorry if this is an obvious question but this part doesn't ring a bell to me.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
This is no doubt a dumb question, but I'm trying to picture what this "T-bolt" is, and where it fits into the overall configuration of the rigging. I understand that it's part of the starboard upper (since you specified that), but just what is it and where does it fit into the larger picture? Is there some part of this item that is cut off in the picture that might make it plain?

Again, sorry if this is an obvious question but this part doesn't ring a bell to me.

Good point. These are not all that common.
I note that on rigging sites they seem to be called "T ball" fittings.
There is a small slot machined in the side of the spar and a backing plate for the inside.
http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/SparParts/Tangs-complete/T-Ball_Backing_Plates.htm

Our boat has one on each side for the "Check Stays" (aka Running Backstays).

Loren
 

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
Good point. These are not all that common.
I note that on rigging sites they seem to be called "T ball" fittings.
There is a small slot machined in the side of the spar and a backing plate for the inside.
http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/SparParts/Tangs-complete/T-Ball_Backing_Plates.htm

Our boat has one on each side for the "Check Stays" (aka Running Backstays).

Loren

Oh! I've got it now!

Yes, the mast on my E26-2 has these. From the discussion I was trying to figure out something that attached at deck level, not to the mast! Now it makes perfect sense. Thanks for clarifying that.
 

Fparry

Member II
Thanks for this thread. This year at haul out I decided to remove all of the standing rigging and thoroughly inspect it. My boat is a 1988 and I doubt that an inspection of this type has been done anytime lately. The stainless fittings and cable all seemed to be in good condition but then I started to think about the backing plates on the inside the spar which hold the T fitting in place. As they are inside the spar and inaccessible to a visual inspection I am curious as to how inspectors look at these with any level of confidence. I am a licensed aircraft inspector and although I try to be realistic about these things the answer my local marina guy gave me didn't fly. He said don't worry about them as it is always the T fitting, cable, or turnbuckle and not the slotted backing plate which generally fails.

This slotted backing plate fitting is very thin in comparison to the T fittings and pop riveted to the inside of the spar. If a stress crack were to start at the slot it wouldn't take much to yank the T fitting through the stainless plate and the spar which would offer no resistance what so ever. If inspecting the rigging while installed there is no access to the plate either visually or another way that I am able to determine.

Anyone know how a competent inspector might approach this dilemma?
 
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