How Often Sould Standing Rigging be Replaced?

[sustutt]

Thank you, all, for responding. I should have said more. I am considering purchasing a 24' (length on deck) pilot cutter.

The owner replaced the rigging in 2001/2002, which also includes sta-locks. During this time the boat has been lightly cruised in FL and was on the hard for two years until recently.

Would the 10 year rule still apply for replacing the rigging? I also plan to do coastal cruising hopefully on weather windows. No big water crossing.

Thanks in advance,
Susan

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sustutt

Thank you, all, for responding. I should have said more. I am considering purchasing a 24' (length on deck) pilot cutter.

The owner replaced the rigging in 2001/2002, which also includes sta-locks. During this time the boat has been lightly cruised in FL and was on the hard for two years until recently.

Would the 10 year rule still apply for replacing the rigging? I also plan to do coastal cruising hopefully on weather windows. No big water crossing.

Thanks in advance,
Susan

That would depend on your insurance company... they I believe are the ones who came up with the 10yr rule... at least in the UK.
But then again if your surveyor passes it (which I doubt once he knows the age) maybe they'll let it by...

[Hudson Force]

Years, stress, quality, salt, treatment, type ........? I can't help but think that inspection trumps any arbitrary number of years. I bought my 41 year old boat when it was twelve years old. Some of the standing rigging I've replaced three times; some twice; some once; and some, like my mast and most of my chain plates, never, though I've reconditioned them. I follow the expectation that the bottom of a shroud fitting will show problems before the top and I judge the condition of a shroud by this end that is exposed to more salt spray. I know this is an assumption, but yet it is my practice. I use a hand-held microscope with a 30X magnification to view the surface of fittings that I have rubbed with a dye or graphite. I have found defects that were an anomoly of production and not a result of years or age. I think that some arbitrary thought that the age of rigging is an indication of it's condition is just as reliable as the "rythym method" of birth control. Good luck, but better yet, skill!

[JPA Cate]

Hello Wendi,

We've experienced four rigging failures [so far]. The first was an 8 yr old Navtec swage that cracked, at the deck end, so it was easy to see. The second was a baby stay of unknown age, due to crevice corrosion and shock loading, but was not more than 14 years old. The third was due to a split pin failure, and we lost the rig on that one. The last one was a 1 x19 s/s forestay that let go sailing hard on the wind. Most of our wire now is Di-Form (sp?) There is a furler on that stay, and it broke about where riggers expect it to. We were told in Australia by a rigger we trust and respect that 5 yrs. is about tops on a stay with a furler on it, due to point loading. We have never used Chinese or Korean wire. So there you go. I guess it's one thing if you'll be staying within motoring distance of home, and another if going offshore with the boat or in an area where evil weather is difficult to predict.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Years, stress, quality, salt, treatment, type ........? I can't help but think that inspection trumps any arbitrary number of years. I bought my 41 year old boat when it was twelve years old. Some of the standing rigging I've replaced three times; some twice; some once; and some, like my mast and most of my chain plates, never, though I've reconditioned them. I follow the expectation that the bottom of a shroud fitting will show problems before the top and I judge the condition of a shroud by this end that is exposed to more salt spray.

This is good science for crevice corrosion in stainless steel. Crevice corrosion of stainless is worse in tropical temperatures, areas lacking oxygen and having chloride from salt water. The parts you can see have plenty of oxygen and are washed by rain so skilled probing is the answer.
20 years life in high rainfall and cold temperatures is to be expected.
7 years or less to failure in tropical saltspray sailing is not uncommon.