The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

12 Great Rigging Hacks

After reading five chapters on rig tuning most of you are probably thinking that I’m one of those sailors who actually looks for work to do but, in fact, I’m pretty lazy and always looking for easier ways to do things.

Here are 12 ways to do less work around rigging and unrigging, while still doing things right.


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More Articles From Online Book: Sail Handling and Rigging Made Easy:

  1. Six Reasons To Leave The Cockpit Often
  2. Don’t Forget About The Sails
  3. Your Mainsail Is Your Friend
  4. Hoisting the Mainsail Made Easy—Simplicity in Action
  5. Reefs: How Many and How Deep
  6. Reefing Made Easy
  7. Reefing From The Cockpit 2.0—Thinking Things Through
  8. Reefing Questions and Answers
  9. A Dangerous Myth about Reefing
  10. Mainsail Handling Made Easy with Lazyjacks
  11. Topping Lift Tips and a Hack
  12. 12 Reasons The Cutter Is A Great Offshore Voyaging Rig
  13. Cutter Rig—Should You Buy or Convert?
  14. Cutter Rig—Optimizing and/or Converting
  15. Cruising Rigs—Sloop, Cutter, or Solent?
  16. Sailboat Deck Layouts
  17. The Case For Roller-Furling Headsails
  18. UV Protection For Roller Furling Sails
  19. In-Mast, In-Boom, or Slab Reefing—Convenience and Reliability
  20. In-Mast, In-Boom, or Slab Reefing —Performance, Cost and Safety
  21. The Case For Hank On Headsails
  22. Making Life Easier—Roller Reefing/Furling
  23. Making Life Easier—Storm Jib
  24. Gennaker Furlers Come Of Age
  25. Swept-Back Spreaders—We Just Don’t Get It!
  26. Q&A: Staysail Stay: Roller Furling And Fixed Vs Hanks And Removable
  27. Rigid Vangs
  28. Rigging a Proper Preventer, Part 1
  29. Rigging a Proper Preventer—Part 2
  30. Amidships “Preventers”—A Bad Idea That Can Kill
  31. Keeping The Boom Under Control—Boom Brakes
  32. Downwind Sailing, Tips and Tricks
  33. Downwind Sailing—Poling Out The Jib
  34. Setting and Striking a Spinnaker Made Easy and Safe
  35. Ten Tips To Fix Weather Helm
  36. Running Rigging Recommendations—Part 1
  37. Running Rigging Recommendations—Part 2
  38. Two Dangerous Rigging Mistakes
  39. Rig Tuning, Part 1—Preparation
  40. Rig Tuning, Part 2—Understanding Rake and Bend
  41. Rig Tuning, Part 3—6 Steps to a Great Tune
  42. Rig Tuning, Part 4—Mast Blocking, Stay Tension, and Spreaders
  43. Rig Tuning, Part 5—Sailing Tune
  44. 12 Great Rigging Hacks
  45. 9 Tips To Make Unstepping a Sailboat Mast Easier
  46. Cruising Sailboat Spar Inspection
  47. Cruising Sailboat Standing Rigging Inspection
  48. Cruising Sailboat Running Rigging Inspection
  49. Cruising Sailboat Rig Wiring and Lighting Inspection
  50. Download Cruising Sailboat Rig Checklist
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Richard Dykiel

For those turnbuckles that require 2 split pins for locking, use a piece of TIG welding rod as explained by Brion Toss in his Rigger’s apprentice book?

Brian Russell

We are using the 316 ss 3/32″ or 1/8″ diameter filler rod method of securing our turnbuckles on Helacious. It works very well, is totally out of the way and is easy to implement.

Roger Neiley

Securing turnbuckles: I agree that split pins are just wrong, and I have the ankle scars to prove it! For 20 years I’ve had zero problems with a different method than described here: I tapped the hole at the end of each threaded stud and insert an appropriately sizes s/s cylinder head cap screw. The head is big enough that it jams on the inner side of the turnbuckle whenever the wire wants to loosen. To retune the rig I just use an allen wrench to remove all the screws, reinserting with a drop of tef gel when done. Clean!

Roger Neiley
S/V SoLunaMare

Mike

If you tap threads in the holes in the turnbuckle studs be very careful when using a manual tapping tool. If, when cutting the threads, you overtighten the tool by even 1/4 of a turn, you can break the tool with the tapping part stuck in the hole. It took hours with a dremel tool to remove. I thought the first time was a defect in the tapping tool so I actually did this twice. It was such a painful experience that on my newer boat I went back to split rings.

Eric Klem

Hi John,

Interesting tip on the rescue tape. We carry it for other purposes and really like it (I once ran an engine for several hours with a ~30 psi rigid fuel line held together with it). How do you find it holds up to UV? We have a bunch of places where we keep tape permanently and can get about 5 years out of it.

The ring dings trick for turnbuckles is good, I switched over several years ago and am glad I did. Our new turnbuckles we installed this spring are constructed so that you can use a split pin and push it inside so we are back to doing that and there is no tape. Roger’s SHCS suggestion is really intriguing too although I would be tempted to use Loctite 243 or similar.

Eric

Chuck B

Eric, what color is your sunlight-exposed tape? I’ve been using black on the assumption that dark colors will offer better longevity in UV exposure.

Chuck

Eric Klem

Hi Chuck,

The tape that I use is white for no other reason than that is what is on the shelf at the store. It had not occurred to me to look into other colors but you are right that it would likely have an effect on lifespan.

Thanks.

Eric

Keith

Split ring pliers are a great help, and save your fingernails. I have this pair, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BL6OZ8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1