ROMA was pulled at Two-Way Boatyard in early December 2012 in preparations for bottom paint and some much needed fiberglass work in the engine compartment and centerboard well. While ROMA is on the hard, I’m taking the opportunity to rebuild all systems on the mast. This will include: adding a wind instrument transducer with a readout gauge in the cockpit; standing rigging including adding a spinnaker halyard; topping lift; running rigging; new LED anchor, steaming, and dock lights, and a digital TV antenna.
Click here for photos of ROMA's new bottom paint and fiberglass work.
Masts are not things that you remove very often from a sailboat. When I purchased ROMA 13 years ago her rigging was marginally ok, but even then the internal wiring was not working properly. Fortunately, I did have a working steaming light. The wind instrument had been removed by the first owner and the rigging was 26 years old. Zoom forward to 2013 and the running rigging or stainless steel wiring, which supports the mast, is showing signs of rust in critical areas. Every piece of standing rigging, or ropes used to raise and control the sails is just worn out from nearly 40 years of use and exposure to the weather.
Fortunately I own a trailer large enough to transport the mast back home for the rebuilding project. Otherwise I would have to make dozens of trips to the coast to complete the rebuild project. I have rigged two new sailboats over my years of sailing, but have never completely re-rigged and upgraded the wiring, lights, & electronics at the same time. After making it safely home transporting a 32’ mast on a 24’ trailer, I began the task of removing, measuring, and documenting every system on the mast. By early January 2013 I was ready to start the research and educational process necessary to bring ROMA’s mast up to current codes and standards.