This is the full interview with Jai, our rigger. He talks about what to look for when inspecting your rigging, whether using Dyneema instead of cable is a good idea, and much more.
RIGGING AND COBRAS, ALL IN A DAY’S WORK!
It is the season for cobras: big ones, little ones and all scary. We’ve seen a few around the marina, and Jai found one in his office. Well, it’s a rigger’s work space, so just imagine those lovely lines coiled up like snakes in there…
SHOULD WE RE-RIG THE BOAT?
$10,000 to re-rig our boat?! The rigging’s ten years old, so our insurers insist we change it, but what do the professional riggers think?
Don’t Worry About The Half Metre Depth
Lessons learned? Rely on no one but yourself. Beware of Turks bearing gifts: they may say ‘yes, we can fix it’ to every problem posed but this is not always the case. We have now spent £££s on this transmission issue (I no longer call it a gear-box issue as there was nothing ever wrong with the gear box) and have wasted over a week at anchor waiting for various mechanics and boat yards to fix this problem. Still, you live and learn, innit?
Running & Standing Rigging
A common problem on Oyster 435s (apparently) is leaking chain plates. We left Yat Lift to look at this and upon our return they had recaulked the fittings.
Preparing A Boat For Sail
7am and we’re woken up by a very loud Blackadder-like “Wake up ladies there’s work to be done”, followed by stomping on the roof. Immediately my mind was cast back to the early morning starts aboard Ramprasad and for a split second I thought that perhaps I’d made a mistake joining Voyager.