Rigging Inspection

[OregonCoaster]

Hi All, Looking at buying a 1980s Gulf32. So far survey has been good. Looking at hiring a guy to look at standing rigging and my question is: is it worth having them go up the mast? His price was $150 to look at all deck level rigging, $250 to do everything (up the mast as well). Is it logical that if everything on the deck looks good, everything above should be good as well? What are the pros of going up the mast? Thank you all!

[Sailmonkey]

Up the mast is the part that gets ignored.

Unless you’re going to go up the mast yourself and inspect, it’s worth it to have it inspected.

[psk125]

You only need one tang to have a crack, or one swage to fail. Half of them are at the bottom, the other half are at the top. Only inspecting the bottom half is better than nothing, but it only gives you half an answer. We check our rigging every year, top to bottom.

[Benz]

Every time I've seen forestay strands part, it's aloft. Definitely spring for the full monty.

[chrisr]

i cannot believe you are quibbling about $100. get a decent rig inspection done for heavens sake !

cheers,

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by OregonCoaster

Hi All, Looking at buying a 1980s Gulf32. So far survey has been good. Looking at hiring a guy to look at standing rigging and my question is: is it worth having them go up the mast? His price was $150 to look at all deck level rigging, $250 to do everything (up the mast as well). Is it logical that if everything on the deck looks good, everything above should be good as well? What are the pros of going up the mast? Thank you all!

No it isn't logical.

If it was logical, the hull surveyor could have saved you another $100 by only looking at say the starboard side of the hull - if the starboard side was OK, it is only logical the port side will be OK too, right!

If there is no doggy poo on your left shoe, is it logical there is no doggy poo on your right shoe.

etc etc...

[Jim Cate]

Well, should you go up the mast? Look what I saw up the mast one fine day:

I had been up the mast inspecting about ten days previously, then had a rather hard beat up the west coast (a lee shore in extant conditions) of Tassie and on to Sydney... and then had a casual look up the mast and voila, that ugly crack was there... and the bottom of that lower shroud was perfect.

So yes, the upper bits condition is not closely related to that of the bottom bits, and an inspection aloft is a damn good idea.

Jim

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by OregonCoaster

Hi All, Looking at buying a 1980s Gulf32. So far survey has been good. Looking at hiring a guy to look at standing rigging and my question is: is it worth having them go up the mast? His price was $150 to look at all deck level rigging, $250 to do everything (up the mast as well). Is it logical that if everything on the deck looks good, everything above should be good as well? What are the pros of going up the mast? Thank you all!

1) If the rigging has never been replaced in 40 years don't waste your money inspecting any of it, just replace it. No amount of inspection will make 40 year old rigging safe



2) If you will be unstepping the mast after purchase for any reason then you might as well defer the inspection until then.


3) If you have a furler on the forestay then an aloft inspection will not be able to assess the forestay condition. The forestay is likely to fail first because of wear from the furler

[George_SD]

A couple of things
1) that's not a bad price if he does good quality work

2) you may need a full rig inspection, report and also correcting any noted deficiencies in order for insurance to cover rigging (includes anything above deck - so mast, boom, standing, running, etc).

3) as others noted - it's a good thing to do for safety reasons.