when a boat owner looks at the standing rigging of his boat
it certainly looks like a strong cable holds the rig and can withstand severe
weather conditions and rough seas. Truth is that standing rigging is engineered and manufactured to do so, but they certainly need maintenance and
replacement periodically. Vela Sailing Supply offers all sort of “of the shelf”
rigging components, whether is swaged in terminals or swageless such as Sta-Lok
or Norseman, as well as custom made stays and shrouds. We carry the standard
1x19 grade 316 cable, Compacted strand (Dyform) cable, 7 strand cable and even
synthetic rigging shall you decide to save weight aloft. Besides the fact of
assuring you the best quality and effective solution when it comes to the
standing rigging for your sailboat, we would also like to share some knowledge
that will help you better understand some of the origins and behavior of the
components that work above the deck level: As its name implies, standing
rigging stands, that is, it is fixed or semi-fixed, as opposed to running
rigging which moves and requires constant adjustment. The function of the
standing rigging on a sailboat is to support, stiffen and control the mast and
often carry sails as well. Normally made of steel wire or rod, and for the
extreme performer synthetic fibers, standing rigging comprises two general
components: shrouds and stays. The mast is supported and stiffened in the
fore-and-aft direction by stays and in the transverse (port to starboard) by
the shrouds. The standing rigging on a sailboat is fastened to the hull with
chainplates, or in the case of the forward stay, a stem head fitting.
Occasionally, one hears shrouds called “side stays” and
while this is an accurate description, the expression is considered
lubberly by old slats. Shrouds are designated as upper, lower or intermediate,
according to the height at which they attach to the mast. The mast that is held
by this standing rigging system, includes spreaders that are fastened 90
degrees to the mast profile. The spreaders hold the shrouds out from the mast,
reducing the compression loading. On modern sailboats with multiple spreaders,
the shrouds are often designated “V” for vertical or D for diagonal and
then numbered according to the height above the deck. Shrouds within the lowest
panel, between the deck and lower spreaders, are numbered One; shrouds within
the next panel above, between the lower spreaders and the next higher set, are
number “two” and so on. On important component among the standing rigging on
any sailboat is the capability of adding or removing tension of each stay or
shroud. For this purpose, the turnbuckles the link between the hull and the
stay or shroud that allows for this. Needless to say how important is to have
healthy and low friction turnbuckles installed on the boat. Some sailors like
to replace the cables and re-use existing turnbuckles. This may be a risky
move, as the replaced stay is, in most cases, as old as the turnbuckle is and
this increases the risks of rig failure. The most common brands of turnbuckle
and rigging fitting manufacturers are Gibbs, Navtec, Alexander Roberts,Sta-Lok, Johnson Marine and Hayn Marine. Vela Sailing Supply gives you access
to all these parts at unbeatable prices and exceptional customer service. If
you have a sailing problem, we have a sailing solution.
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