Use old standing rigging? Ever had a failure?

[fox9988]

I'd like to hear from those that have pushed the 10-15 year rule. I'd guess some are using 45 year old standing rigging. Anyone care to confess?

There are countless threads and posts explaining that an inspection doesn't show internal/work hardening issues and that scheduled replacement is the only way to avoid loosing your mast. That isn't the question here.

[Dulcesuenos]

We replaced 21 year old rigging on an ami 320 catamaran and the rigger said it looked perfect, even said he would have let it be... had a 1979 Bombay clipped with original rigging and it outlasted the compression post.

[Boatguy30]

Ask you insurance company

[Flyingriki]

Poor economy.....

[billknny]

Originally Posted by fox9988

I'd like to hear from those that have pushed the 10-15 year rule. I'd guess some are using 45 year old standing rigging. Anyone care to confess?

There are countless threads and posts explaining that an inspection doesn't show internal/work hardening issues and that scheduled replacement is the only way to avoid loosing your mast. That isn't the question here.

Let me rephrase your question:

"Are there any stupid/ignorant people out there???"

Answer: Yes!

Consider the intelligence of the average person... Now remember half of everybody is dumber than that.

[thinwater]

Politeness, everyone.

* Ask your insurance company what exactly?
* Define the economy. I'm guessing the actual economy is several hundred times in favor of inspecting and stretching far beyond 15 years.
* Are there ignorant people out there? Yes, thank you for explaining that.

It is never wrong to ask questions related to "why" or "please provide support." I'm guessing he wonders if the odds of dropping a mast are 10,000:1 (and I bet they are for most sailors), a purely financial argument may be weak. I've changed rigging, but I'm pretty sure he is right. We do it for safety and confidence more than dollars and cents. I can admit that.

[jt11791]

I changed the standing rigging on my 1983 boat in 2015, so 32 years of service. I don't think it had ever been changed previously (I was the third owner). It was Navtec rod rigging and inspection of the old rigging found no visible problems. I was still glad to have it gone.

[belizesailor]

For me its about confidence in the rig in foul weather...esp on a more heaivly loaded cat. Im in the process of replacing all the 17 y.o. standing rigging on current boat. All the old rigging inspected pretty good, some normal wear (like forestay inside roller furling), some apparently superficial corrosion, one bolt with serious crevice corrosion, one broken wire strand on a diamond stay. But, I will sleep better off watch.

[UFO]

A friends Backstay went along with his mast! Not a cheap experience, although covered by his insurance - The rigging was around 9 years old.

[Paul M]

I just had lazy jacks installed on my 1973 morgan. The rigger came down the mast with a horrified look and told me he had sunk a half inch of his finger into the original wooden spreaders on the boat. He was shocked when we told him we had sailed thru 30 kt winds for 2 days. I'd suggest an inspection at minimum before heading to the gulf stream or similar.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

For me its about confidence in the rig in foul weather...esp on a more heaivly loaded cat. Im in the process of replacing all the 17 y.o. standing rigging on current boat. All the old rigging inspected pretty good, some normal wear (like forestay inside roller furling), some apparently superficial corrosion, one bolt with serious crevice corrosion, one broken wire strand on a diamond stay. But, I will sleep better off watch.

Oh, and to actually answer the question, No, Ive never had an old (or new) rigging failure. Came really close on a Hobie 16 once, when unstepping the mast ashore after a day of sailing, noticed one stay was only connected by a single strand!

Previous boat had old rigging which I never replaced. Boat was built about 84, I acquired it in the early 90s. Sold it in 2001. So, about 17 y.o. rigging too.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Oh, and to actually answer the question, No, Ive never had an old (or new) rigging failure. Came really close on a Hobie 16 once, when unstepping the mast ashore after a day of sailing, noticed one stay was only connected by a single strand!

We (my 15 year old son actually) had a Hobie 16 mast fall while sailing due to shroud failure, but a couple strands had been broken for a while.

Luckily, I was nearby on our other Hobie 16 so not a big deal.

The new shrouds were pretty cheap and also looked really nice on that old H16!

[sailorboy1]

My 2001 boat has it's original rigging. I think this whole 10-15 year year is just something inverted by the rigging guys just like you needing to change you oil in your car every 3000 miles. It probably has a basis somewhere, but it is based on the most extreme thing you can do.

Rigging isn't all that hard to inspect, even if you want to dye check the fittings.

[boatman61]

Winter of 99/2000 I bought a 1987 Bene 321 in St Martin which had been looked after by a young French guy whose idea of cleaning the interior was to hose it down rather than sweep and wipe so you can imagine what the maintenance on the exterior was like.
The purchase swallowed 98% of my funds leaving enough for provisioning for the solo trip back to the UK.
I had looked over the rigging and come to the conclusion that although there were a couple of suspect lowers all the uppers appeared serviceable so I went for it..
One night around 300nm NW of the Azores I was woken by a loud bang and on going topsides I saw the port aft lower swinging around.. I immediately went on the opposite tack and hove to for the rest of the night.
I always reef down to the 3rd reef on the main and 50% on the genoa when sleeping so there was no great strain to deal with and only a F4 or so blowing.
At daylight I got one of my spare lines and a couple of blocks.. hung a sling over the spreaders with a block attached and ran a line from the block I'd fixed to the deck fitting for the shroud then up to the block at the spreader and back down though the lower block and back to the port winch where I cranked it up to a reasonable tension to take any strain.
I sailed the remaining 1500nm to the UK with this set up..
Could it have been worse.. of course but.. if one frets about every possibility one would never leave port.
**** Happens..

[iancoombe]

I suspect most insurance companies would include any conditions that would negate a claim, there responsibility is to ensure profit and growth. I think a skilled rigger is a better judge.