Old Rigging Question

[BillsWife1]

What do you do with your old rigging? We are under going an extensive refit on our 11 year old boat including replacing all standing and running rigging.

What do you do with your old standing rigging? Recycle? We thought we should maybe keep some bits and pieces as spares on board but of course the majority needs to be "disposed" of. The rigging seemed to be in good condition but our insurance company required that all standing rigging be replaced.

I feel like this should not just get pitched into a dumpster, but I have no idea what to do with it.

The running rigging is pretty beat so I am thinking a dumpster would be in order for that.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by BillsWife1

What do you do with your old rigging? We are under going an extensive refit on our 11 year old boat including replacing all standing and running rigging.

What do you do with your old standing rigging? Recycle? We thought we should maybe keep some bits and pieces as spares on board but of course the majority needs to be "disposed" of. The rigging seemed to be in good condition but our insurance company required that all standing rigging be replaced.

I feel like this should not just get pitched into a dumpster, but I have no idea what to do with it.

The running rigging is pretty beat so I am thinking a dumpster would be in order for that.

I'd question the insurance company. Unless there was clear deterioration, they are over reaching. And what will they pin on you if you have a claim?

Does the marina have a recycle site? Many do. Coil it it up and someone may want it. Even old ropes typically have very good sections (inside the mast, for example) that might make perfect jib sheets for someone with a smaller boat.

[billknny]

Originally Posted by thinwater

I'd question the insurance company. Unless there was clear deterioration, they are over reaching. And what will they pin on you if you have a claim?

Does the marina have a recycle site? Many do. Coil it it up and someone may want it. Even old ropes typically have very good sections (inside the mast, for example) that might make perfect jib sheets for someone with a smaller boat.

Many insurance companies have an absolute age beyond which they will not insure standing rigging. Although people can (and do) endlessly argue about what that age might be, it makes perfect sense. Stainless steel does have a fatigue limit.

Your old running rigging--if in rough shape--can decorate the dumpster. I don't know of anyone who will want it to do anything constructive with. Maybe a local artist? Ya never know...

If you have a metal recycle place nearby, they will happily pay you for the stainless. Not a lot, but maybe a dinner out with the family. The downside is you have to haul it to them. Most boatyards will do that for you and keep the cash. If you have bronze parts, be sure to separate them, they are worth quite a bit more per pound.

[belizesailor]

Where are you?

Here in Central America, little goes to waste. I replaced standing rigging last year. I salvaged a few bits of hardware as spares, but all the wire I gave to the marina security guard (good buddy to have). He will likely sell it for scrap and make a few bucks.

Old running rigging can be repurposed as general use line in less load critical applications. I use one piece as a dinghy painter and a couple others for general use. The rest goes ashore, or is given away, for general use.

[Cheechako]

Craig's list. There are people with 25 yo boats that might use the rigging.

[BillsWife1]

Thinwater,

We actually have no problem with the insurance company's request. In fact, there is a pretty common standard call for replacing standing rigging on an ocean going cat between 10 and 12 years. Our mainsail is 75 square meters and we are not shy about putting our boat through it's paces. I might have dug my heels in if we were simply coastal cruising but half way across the Pacific is no time to have a "we should have...." moment.

I have seen a few scrap yards around. I wonder if stainless steel is something they are interested in. Guess I'll be calling around.

[BillsWife1]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Where are you?

Here in Central America, little goes to waste. I replaced standing rigging last year. I salvaged a few bits of hardware as spares, but all the wire I gave to the marina security guard (good buddy to have). He will likely sell it for scrap and make a few bucks.

Old running rigging can be repurposed as general use line in less load critical applications. I use one piece as a dinghy painter and a couple others for general use. The rest goes ashore, or is given away, for general use.

I would love for someone to find a use for this stuff. It amazes me how resourceful people are in not only Central America but other developing nations. I wish we had the space to drag all of this stuff with us to gift to people along the way but we keep our cat on a very lean weight restriction to keep her sailing the way she was meant to.

[roverhi]

we used 1/4" 1x19 rigging from the yards scrap bin as life lines. Cut off the swages and used Norseman terminals. Super strong, easy on the skin and the price was right. Most rigging fails at the swages but the wire is actually still very good.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, there Bill's Wife,

I understand the need to re-cycle the stuff if possible. We always kept the longest stay as a spare, and carried heavy duty cutters for rigging wire, and spare Sta-Lok fittings, (you can see we didn't use machine swages). We also carried suitably sized bulldog clamps for sistering a broken rigging wire.

We have re-purposed previous rigging wire as lifelines, as running back stays (and the emergency spare mentioned above). It could be cut down and used for a smaller cat, perhaps overkill, but someone might be very happy to give it a go. You could try selling it on craigslist or e-bay, someone will probably have a use for it. Don't take it all with you; it's just too hard to find the right place to give it away.

Ann

[gjordan]

Anns post should be re-read. Keep the longest piece and a mechanical fitting so if you need any piece replaced at sea or some out of the way place, you can do it. Having saved the longest piece (backstay) when I replaced my rigging , it saved my butt half way to the Marquesas when I had to replace the headstay. I was also very glad I had put steps up the mast. ____Grant.