Rigging Inspection - Advice Requested

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Plangstraat

We have a 2000 Beneteau 321 that we purchased in 2015. We live in Victoria B.C. Our cruising grounds are the Pacific Northwest.
We have no record of the rigging ever having been inspected. I assume that the boat is overdue for this type of inspection.
We plan to have the rigging inspected this winter but want to make sure we ask the right questions and that we get the service we want.
Having never done this on a boat I would appreciate some advice.
1. What can I do myself and what sorts of things should I ask the rigger to inspect?
2. What are "essential" things to replace and what are "nice to haves"?
3. What should I expect in terms of cost?
4. For those of you who live on Vancouver Island do you have any recommendations of riggers?
I appreciate any advice and input.

Call Mike Carkeek at Yacht Sales West, B.C. We bought our boat through him and he’s not only the finest broker I’ve ever met, he’s very knowledgeable and knows all the yards. We had our rigging (fairly complicated on a big tri) checked and a couple of items fixed and added - excellent work. Tell him Lee from Maryland with the Corsair 36 sent you!

v/r,

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by daletournier

When I purchased my boat twelve mths ago the rigging was 15 years old. The Polish assured me it was fine and didn't need replacing, my question how does he know that? I don't have x ray vision therefore can't see into those bottom swages . Also the work hardening aspect? I don't trust stainless steel. It doesn't always tell you it's about to break.

For piece of mind I changed all the wire and tested all fittings with a dye kit that shows cracks.

Pretty much did the same. My old rigging looked perfect but as far as I know, there's no easy way to test for work hardened or metal fatigued fittings so bought all new.

[Elie]

If we want to be sure of the rigging, we have to consider that the risk of trouble comes from the swaging and all failures occurs at the junction. Therefore, to avoid wasting perfectly good cables, the best way to renew the rigging is to cut all the bottom swages and replace them by stalock or equivalent rigging connectors. Longer fitting to compensate for the shortened stay are avalable. It can be done without getting the ring down, and I believe also that in general, only the lower fittings that get soaked in salt water need to be replaced, the top ones deserve a good inspection, no more.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by Elie

If we want to be sure of the rigging, we have to consider that the risk of trouble comes from the swaging and all failures occurs at the junction. Therefore, to avoid wasting perfectly good cables, the best way to renew the rigging is to cut all the bottom swages and replace them by stalock or equivalent rigging connectors. Longer fitting to compensate for the shortened stay are avalable. It can be done without getting the ring down, and I believe also that in general, only the lower fittings that get soaked in salt water need to be replaced, the top ones deserve a good inspection, no more.

Don;t bother. You have no idea how good the wire is. The wire is also the least expensive part of the rig.

[meirriba]

My point of view (being a yacht surveyor...)
1. Skipmac & Suijin's post are the gospel.
2. There is no simple way for a rigger to check inside the turnbuckles where the real problems lurk.
3. My usual advice is to replace, even a good looking rig, when its age in years is larger than rig cable thickness in mm. This is nothing scientific, only a rule of thumb in lack of a better rule...
4. Sailing offshore or inshore does not affect the rigging. What does influence is: weather, sailing character (i.e. when do you reef), and proper/not proper rig tension.
5. 17 years is an overdue time to not only replace the rig but to check and replace as needed all internal cabling.
6. I do not see the wisdom of using the same cables with new turnbuckles. Most of the cost is in the end connectors. Cables age even if they still look fine, so you may have trouble with the cables in a short time down the road and you will have to replace everything again. Do it now and ensure trouble free sailing for a few years.
7. Bring an expert on board to tune the rig after shrouds/stays replacement. Proper tuning will prolong useful life.