How Old Is Your Standing Rigging

[waterman46]

Boat in tropics last 3 years. Main rigging replaced 20 years ago. It was oversized - designed for the sloop rig but we have a ketch. All still looks fine to me. I used Stayloks and Norseman so I could replace the wire myself w/o too much expense. The mizzen is original 1983 but gets almost zero stress. Need to remove external chainplates for inspection - sometime.

[meirriba]

On our boat everything is 10 years.
Everything seems fine.
If you ask advice as to when to replace there is no answer...
The rig state is dependent on two obvious things
1. Quality of materials used & installation.
2. Character of sailing. (weather and how much you pressure the boat)
So - pleasure sailing with good rig can take through 30 years or more.
Sailing with rig too tight or too loose can destroy it in two years...

[Mike OReilly]

Boat is 44 years old. Rigging and chain plates have been replaced, but are at least 17 years old now. I don't know exactly how old they are.

The boat has spent nearly 1/2 its life in fresh water, and has been hauled out every winter over the last couple of decades. For the last few seasons it's been back in salt water, but is still only floating for about 1/2 the year.

I inspect the rigging myself twice per year. I'm no expert, but try and examine it fairly well. So far, no signs of failure.

[capn_billl]

What he said.

It never hurts to get it inspected.

Inspections cost less than replacement, unless they find an issue.

Then problem solved

[Cpt Mark]

Boat is 26 years old, no idea on the rigging. Previous owner had interesting ideas on how to maintain the boat, all of which I have ripped out and done correctly. Rigging looks fine but boat has been in salt water it's whole life and since I'm departing to go cruising next spring I'm replacing all the rigging (using dyneema) for peace of mind. Doing it yourself is not hard and not that expensive.

[b-rad]

Boats a 1984, I replaced most of it last year. I belive it to have been original.

[guyrj33]

Boat 47 years old.
During my 30+ years of ownership, I have replaced two lower and one upper shroud, shortened the back stay. Pulled, inspected reinstalled chainplates.
All shrouds were replaced due to a single broken strand.
New England boat, rig pulled most years.

[sepharad]

Hull 1982
All standing rigging and hardware is *22 years old.

Each Year the boat has all the rigging removed, including mast and boom, all of which is stored indoors. Each year until last year. The boat is re-rigged and sailed for 3 months, then again disassembled and stored again.

While the rigging is 22 chronological years old, it has only stood in the elements for 5.5 years.

[keyway]

I use 1/4 7 -19ss with swaged eyes. 18years now. I have found a few broken wires so I will replace them this winter during a refit

[Tayana42]

My boat is a 1989 model. The riggings is original except for one lower turnbuckle on the staysail stay which I had replaced following a rigging survey 5 years ago. On this boat the rigging and fittings are heavily oversized.

It has not crossed oceans but did sail from Florida through the Panama Canal to California. Never raced but is a very actively sailed coastal cruiser subject to Pacific Coast weather.

Now, I’m not recommending to anyone that 30+ years is the best choice for rigging lifespan and if I was planning an ocean crossing I would go to the expense of renewing the rigging. I will probably have a new rigging survey done soon but I don’t think years alone are the determining factor. The quality of the wire and fittings, the size and strength of the rig, the stresses it has been subjected to all play a part in its useful lifespan.

[Orion Jim]

My boat is 36 years old and I have a cutter rig with 12 stays (forestay, backstay, two upper shrouds, four lower shrouds, staysail stay, two after lowers, and a bobstay). I used Sta-Lok terminals and replaced all the 1X19 myself in 2010. Subsequently I added Harken roller furling to my staysail and replaced the staysail stay in 2016. I did the same with my headstay in 2018.

[Mplight]

38 year old sloop, Hood Stoway in mast furler- pin sheared at top of mast- had rig down at beginning of season, all rigging checked then.
standing rigging and chain plates replaced 5 years ago by PO. New England waters (RI)
Typical season May to Nov. this year due to Covid sailed only 320nm

[Pegu Club]

Our 1977 Bristol had the original standing rigging when we bought it, we replaced it five years ago, to include the chain plates, cracked swaged fitting forced our hand ...

Fair winds,

[boat driver]

Boat is 39 years old, has been around the world racing, cruises/races average 6000 miles annually, is inspected twice a year. Rod rigging original but had to replace couple t-ball fittings from stress cracking. maintenance is key, inspecting key, quality of materials key, and simple logic.
Insurance company requirement suggests survey found issue or surveyor covering himself.
When was rudder pulled/removed and inspected internally?

[wingssail]

Our boat is 41 years old. It has been in salt water the whole time, sailed hard, including a circumnavigation, and raced continously; so very hard usage!

The mast was replaced after failure in 1983 after four years of service. (37 years now on new mast)

The standing rigging (three spreader rod rigging) and all turnbuckles, were replaced by myself in 2000 after one intermediate shroud failed during passage NZ to Tonga after 17 years of service. (20 years now on new this new standing rigging and turnbuckles).

Mast and rig was removed, disassembled, and inspected in 2011 after 11 years of service since since re-rig. (9 years now since last significant diassembly and inspection).

Forestay and backstay chainplates (originals) replaced in 2014 after failure of backstay chainplate after 25 years of service. (6 years now on these new headstay and backstay chainplates)

Both shroud chainplates inspected and one removed and repaired in 2018 these were installed in 1983, so after 31 years of service. (two years now on these new chainplates)

As you can see we have a routine of continous visual inspection and periodic major inspection and repairs or replacement when needed but rod rigging and stainless steel chainplates do not always reveal pending failuure.

If I was contemplating a major ocean passage I would replace the 20 year old standing rigging. But as I am now only sailing locally I will risk a mast failure rather than spend themoney on replacement of the rods. I can motor to port with a broken rig if I have to.