Considering buying 15 year old sailboat -- issues?

[RedHerring]

Originally Posted by Mystic38

I saw a dog die..it does not mean all dogs will die when i look at them??
...
So, If you are suggesting that every sailboat at aged 15 needs new standing rigging (without any understanding of the history or use of the boat) then your commentary does not match the reality of boats out there...just take a look around.

Actually, all dogs will die. A 15 year old dog will die pretty soon, whether you see it or not. Shroud failure is not something that simply never happens, either.

I do realize that most lightly sailed rigs will last well beyond 20 years. My point is more or less that eyeballing an old standing rigging doesn't prevent a pretty wide class of catastrophic failures, so when you decide to go on "surveyor found nothing wrong with the wires", recognize that you are buying yourself a lottery ticket. I've once upon a time run some numbers on a napkin and decided the odds were not good enough for me.

[RedHerring]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

That's the truth. Only on internet forums do people replace stuff just based on a year.

Next time I see a rigger, I'm going to ask him how many standing rigging replacement gigs he gets "for no good reason, just based on a year". Certainly more than zero.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by RedHerring

Next time I see a rigger, I'm going to ask him how many standing rigging replacement gigs he gets "for no good reason, just based on a year". Certainly more than zero.

I'm sure. Save yourself some time and replace your engine at same time

[double u]

...ever been to a medical checkup? ever did any "preventative maintenance? ever checked what the insurance says to 15 year old rigging? ever had the camshaft-drivebelt on a car changed?
nobody's saying 15year old standing rigging is to be condemned, it's just not improving with age & if it fails it might loose the boat (or at the very least be extremely annoying in the middle of the ocean)

[RedHerring]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I'm sure. Save yourself some time and replace your engine at same time

I actually should.

It's a 1979 vintage 2-cylinder Yanmar. Every time I turn the starter key, I feel like someone up above winces and says "eh, whatever, may as well let it start one more time".

I also had 1981 vintage rigging on this boat. Nothing visibly wrong with it. I would be a daring idiot to take her out on the ocean with a rig this old.

[barnakiel]

This is probably where owning for sailing vs. owning for other purposes split.

Cheers,
b.