TeamJackal fit new standing rigging to their high performance yacht, as part of their planned schedule of maintenance for the season.
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News Release. Tuesday 24th November 2003
TeamJackal replaces standing rigging
Good maintenance is everything to a dedicated race team. That's why TeamJackal recently fitted new standing rigging to their high performance J80.
Initial attempts at rigging replacement, while on the hardstand, met with failure earlier this year as the spreader end caps had siezed solid through the years. Stainless screws had fused with the aluminium spreaders and so new spreaders had to be ordered from Hall Spars in the US in addition to the actual standing rigging.
With all required parts finally ready, Jackal was brought alongside early in the morning and a cherry-picker manoevered into position. Braving the dizzy height, team skipper Nicholas Lunn went aloft, hacksaw in hand, while the crew loosened the turnbuckles on deck. The lower spreaders took much effort to remove as they had fused with the inner through-mast collar, but once done the fitting of new rig was achieved easily. Upper, lower and intermediate shrouds were tightened in position, the backstay then removed and replaced.
Jackal was then motored back to her marina berth, and the crew treated to a late BYC fried breakfast before commencing the intricate work of adjusting the tensions. Working much harder on overly-full stomachs the team then aligned the mast, and tensioned up the rig as prescribed. Interestingly, the old shroud wires had started to part at the upper terminals, so this vital maintenance was clearly achieved in the nick of time!
Rig tuning trials on the water are planned over the coming weeks, with the first scheduled during the next race as we don't have any spare time before then.
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