J/Boats J/88, Owner'S Manual

Page: 52 / 58

J88 OWNER MANUAL 52
RIGGING
1) Standing rigging - The general rule of thumb from Hall Spars is that standing rigging (whether wire
or rod) should be replaced every 10 years, unless excess strain due to hard ocean sailing shortens
this life. Fatigue can be in any form- sailing in extreme wind conditions, unnecessary flogging of
loose leeward shrouds, corrosive environment. Any signs of a broken wire strand(s) indicate
immediate replacement is necessary. Otherwise keep a close look out for corrosion or cracking in
the swage fittings and turnbuckle threads. In southern coastal areas, with the high salinity and year
round warm weather, rigging must sometimes be replaced every 5 years. Fresh water sailed boats
will generally have a longer rigging life, but are still subject to fatiguing after years of stress.
2) Headstay - The top of the headstay (wire or rod) should be checked to make sure it’s not bent. The
fasteners and the top of the headstay foil should also be routinely checked.
3) Clevis pins - More rigging and spar mishaps are caused by clevis pins backing out, than perhaps
any other culprit. If the clevis pins are semi-permanent (only removed a few times per year), then
use appropriate sized cotter pin and fully bend them back around the clevis pin. Then cover with
clear sealant rather than tape so that they are visible.
4) Running rigging - suffers the greatest wear and tear (chafing primarily) and should be checked
frequently for wear, particularly high load lines like main and jib halyards and jib sheets.
SPARS
1) Spar life can vary, but Hall’s general rule is the mast should be replaced every 20 years. Frequently
check your spar for problems. Spars break more often than not by a failure in the standing rigging,
but there are some specific areas to keep an eye out for:
2) Deck area - The mast section at the partners (where the mast passes through the deck) is usually
subject to the most fatigue over time. This is due to the rig getting set up with pre-bend, then pulling
on lots of backstay tension, and the constant flexing of the spar over many years. The best
prevention is a good set of mast wedges or the Spartite mast wedge system. Unchecked movement
at the deck can significantly shorten the life of the spar. Be especially careful about drilling any holes
in the mast near the deck, and periodically inspect any holes in the area to make sure, there are no
cracks developing. Any holes must be round or have rounded corners.
3) Spreader tips - these should be untaped and inspected annually. Seizing wire should be redone
annually so that the shrouds will never “pop” out of the spreader tip. Use spreader chafe covers that
won’t collect water.
4) Rig tuning - to provide not only the best performance but also a longer mast life, it’s very important to
properly “tune the mast.” Tuning means adjusting the shroud tension so that the top of the mast is
centered over the boat, and such that the mast is in column or straight as you site up the mast
groove on the aft side. Proper tuning for all conditions usually means maintaining enough tension on
the shrouds so that they do not go completely slack on the leeward side while sailing. Many
successful one-design classes have tuning guides published and provided by sailmakers. Some of
these may suggest very loose settings on the shrouds for better light air performance. Care should
be taken by owners to avoid sailing in windy conditions with light air shroud settings. This may
significantly shorten the life of the mast and lead to breakage.