NEWS AND NOTES
Blue Water Sailing
November 5, 2009
Fitting Out for World Cruising - Part I: Rigging
Throughout the month of November both Blue Water Sailing Magazine and The Cruising Compass will focus on Fitting Out For World Cruising.
The Cruising Compass interviewed Pam Wall, Outfitting Manager at West Marine. Pam is an accomplished sailor who has sailed around the world with her husband, Andy of Andrew Wall Rigging, and their young children. Pam, and her husband Andy, have become Fort Lauderdale's resident expert for all cruisers, motor or sail. Pam outfits every kind of boat from small sailboats to mega-yachts. She also teaches sailing at the annual Bitter End Yacht Club’s “Women on the Water Week” in the British Virgin Islands.
CC: Where would you suggest someone begin when tackling this huge job of Fitting Out?
Pam Wall: Too often I see new and more experienced cruisers spend all their outfitting money on electronics. This seems to be the most important item that everyone wants to have in perfect running order. And so it should be! BUT if you are cruising on a SAIL BOAT I have always felt the MOST IMPORTANT thing to consider FIRST AND FOREMOST is the mast and rigging. I mean, you can navigate without a mast, but it is kind of difficult to get anywhere without that mast that holds up your sails! So I suggest the VERY FIRST THING TO CONSIDER is getting your sailboat’s mast and rigging in perfect running order.
Rigging should be the first thing to deal with, to replace or make sure what you have is safe and in perfect condition when you begin outfitting and after the first survey. When it comes to standing rigging, I recommend 1 x19 type 316 stainless steel wire and never older than 10 years. You can usually reuse the Sta-Lok wire terminal fittings implementing new cones when used again. If you have swaged terminals they must be closely checked by a rigger to insure they are in good condition with no hairline cracks or corrosion. If there is any question about this, they must be replaced.
I also recommend a removable inner forestay. This is almost essential for heavy weather when you want to use a reefed main and a small staysail. It's much better to have a small inboard staysail than a reefed roller furling genoa which can cause problems if it jams or unfurls unexpectedly. And when using a reefed roller furling genoa, the shape is not as good as a staysail would be and the clew gets too high and makes the boat have a higher center of gravity which can cause unnecessary healing. Also, it is not good for the genoa, which is usually a lighter material, to get stretched out in heavier weather. With a removable forestay you can still stow a dinghy on the foredeck if need be and stow the inner forestay when not in use off to one side to allow for easier tacking with the large genoa. If you do have a staysail, remember you need running backstays to support the mast when flying the staysail in heavy weather. Wire running backstays are out of date with their expensive and difficult to stow tackles. Today the best choice for running backstays is flexible and light weight T-900 low stretch line. Using this T-900 eliminates the need for clumsy tackles and heavy wire running backstays, and the running backstays can easily be taken directly to the windward winch in your cockpit.
For downwind sailing, you should have a downwind pole and it really needs to be one that fits your boat (usually the length of your poles' measurement to be able to extend that genoa to it’s fullest potential when running downwind or with the wind on the quarter). This downwind pole should be A) easy to deploy; B) it has to have a foreguy, afterguy and topping lift for complete control C) always remember the sheet should run through the end of the pole and NOT BE SHACKLED to the end of the pole. This allows you to furl or reef when necessary while the pole is still deployed to windward. Lastly, it should preferably stow on the mast, so that you will be more likely to use it as this is the ONLY place where a downwind pole is safely deployed and retrieved. Remember, a poled-out genoa when going downwind or with the wind on the quarter steadies the boat up, keeps the genoa from flogging around, and increases the speed of your downwind tack.
While talking about downwind sailing, don’t forget to vang your mainsail, or use a preventer. Nothing is worse than an unintentional gybe at sea! A good vang and or a properly led preventer is a real safety factor as well as improving the shape of your mainsail.
CC: What about sails?
PM: Make sure your sails are the right ones for the areas you will be cruising your boat. Be sure you add heavy weather sails if your boat didn't come with them like a storm jib, trysail, and perhaps even a removable inner forestay for staysails. Then, be sure your sails have the easy and seamanlike methods of reefing. Create a reefing chart specifically for your boat. Never forget that most of your cruising is in light air, so don’t make the mistake of not having light air sails as well. Nothing is as wonderful in light air than having an asymmetrical spinnaker for nice speeds in light airs.
( See CruisingCompass#164 . Always carry a sail repair kit in order to be as self sufficient as possible aboard a cruising boat, whether you are coastal sailing or venturing far afield. To put together a proper kit, consult your sailmaker for advice. ( See CruisingCompass#155 )
CC: What's next?
PM: Always make sure your running rigging, halyards, sheets, guys etc. are in good condition, flexible, and easy to coil, and easy on the hands, and most importantly are the correct size for the application and for the sheet stoppers or cleats you are using.
A final note: Mast steps are really great to have. I know they look terrible, but the first time you have to retrieve a halyard, replace a masthead light, or install a new VHF antenna! Then they look absolutely beautiful, function is beauty as far as I am concerned. Remember to always wear a harness or still use a good bosun’s chair when climbing the mast steps. They make going up the mast easy, but never forget the need for safety as well. Be sure the steps have a good tread for feet and a comfortable place for hands holding on tight while climbing a moving mast! ( See CruisingCompass#141 )
Be sure to read the next issue of the Cruising Compass for Part II of our interview with Pam.
Here's your Outfitting Checklist for Rigging and Sails:
Images courtesy of West Marine.
