The standing rigging on Azimuth was about 15 years old. This is all the stainless steel wires that hold the mast up and take the strain when she is sailing and heeled hard over. We always had it in the back of our minds that this rigging would probably be need to be replaced before we set off, but that always felt like a long way off and so we put it off! We started talking to boat insurers late last year (2021) about the boat and our planned passage across the Atlantic in 2022. It was a good job we did, as all of them pointed out that the standing rigging was now past its sell by date and needed to be replaced, and by the way they wouldn’t insure us until it was done. That kind of forced our hand then!
Getting the rigging changed is easy on a small boat. You just drop the mast, change the wires and off you go. This is not the case for Azimuth. She’s a big old girl, and the rigging is very heavy duty, some would say over engineered. But then, that’s a good thing right? … until you decide to get the rigging changed, then you realise the cost and the time its going to take!
There are quite a few companies that will change your standing for you. They are all congregated on the south coast of the UK. No good when you need your boat to live on and your son is at college in Bristol. Fortunately, there is a great rigger based in Cardiff Bay, about 20 miles from Portishead by sea, close enough for us to get to relatively easily to have the work done.
The whole process took about 6 weeks, and man it was hard work! My advise when buying a boat is never get one with a painted mast. It took me at least a month to patch the paint. Sanding, undercoat, primer and top coat. 6 coats in all on your hands and knees on a windswept crane dock…. hopefully never again!
I tried to capture the moments in video. This video shows we are no good at filming or editing! Sorry if it makes you feel a bit ill!
I would say get twin V8s installed and dispense with all that rigging. Too much like hard work. That way you wouldn’t be troubled by dolphins or orcas, They would never catch you!! Much love.
We will need huge engines to tow the enormous tanker of fuel required to sail round the world too! I think I will stick with sail power