Dufour 31

repairs⚙ mast⚙ roller furling

The owner found the mast in worse shape than expected: the roller furling extrusion was bent and crooked, so he removed every one and a half meter piece and replaced one in the middle. Rigging had to come out too, and he found it damaged.

warns⚙ standing rigging

The mast still held its original rigging from 1978. The owner's insurer told him that in Dutch inland waters there are no rules, but once you cross onto seawater the rigging "cannot be older than 15 years."

repairs⚙ standing rigging

He wanted to renew three or four of the eight rigging wires, but the Dutch rigger he chose does "all eight or none", reasoning that a partly renewed rig leaves a grey area if the mast comes down. He went with all new standing rigging.

repairs⚙ roller furling

The roller furling had been stored for three years with one profile under the mast and bent. He disassembled the whole furler, compared the old profile to the new one, and reassembled it with new rigging.

repairs⚙ mast

His summary of the mast project: about 15 hard-working days and about 2,000 euros in total for new gear, new electrics, Duralac paste, cleaning products and similar. He says he underestimated the time.