440: Renewal of Standing Rigging

[coldar1]

I'm planning an East to West Atlantic crossing early 2015. My lagoon 440 is a 2006 build and I believe the standing rigging should be changed out sometime in 2014 ahead of our planned crossing. I'll be leaving Marmaris, Turkey early May to head to Rhodes, Crete, and on to Italy before following the northern coat via France and Spain. Can anyone please offer advice on location of recommended facilities, approx cost, etc along our proposed route?

[robert sailor]

We are heading the same direction for crossing the Atlantic late this year, we may run into each other enroute as we are leaving from Turkey as well. Might be a bit early to be changing your rigging as even in the tropics you should expect 10 years unless you visually see trouble. In a climate like Turkey with winter rains and 6 months a year in marinas I expect you'd get even longer life.

[2Wind]

Mine is hull number 30, 2005.
I am in the process of replacing the forestay which appears to have been damaged by halyard wrap issues that I have since sorted.
As I was replacing part of the standing rigging, I specifically asked the rigger to err on the being critical rather than conservative in his assessments of the remainder. He could find no issues and suggests yearly check and elective replacement perhaps at 12 years. The boat has done a hemi-circumnavigation so it has some miles on the rig.

Once again, it comes down to budget as incremental margins of safety are achieved by exponential increases in cost.

[Orchidius]

I've always wondered about this... I don't know the age of my current standing rigging, but doing my own visual inspections, there are no cracks anywhere or any visual damage.

How does the rigger asses the state of the rigging and how/when does he decide it needs to be replaced if the age is unknown?

[bletso]

Originally Posted by Orchidius

I've always wondered about this... I don't know the age of my current standing rigging, but doing my own visual inspections, there are no cracks anywhere or any visual damage.

How does the rigger asses the state of the rigging and how/when does he decide it needs to be replaced if the age is unknown?

How hungry he is?

[Dale Hedtke]

I note that the Jackline insurance policy requires rigging to be no more than 15 years old for the rig to be covered.
15 years seems reasonable.

[Orchidius]

Same issue applies when you don't know the age of the rigging...

[meirriba]

Time is a factor but not the single or most important one. Proper rig tension is very important. Sailing for two years with loose rig can cause more damage than ten years sailing under proper tension.
Check all fittings with a magnifying glass, looking for cracks or stretch marks. Check connections between fittings and wires for rust. Any single broken strand on the wire requires full wire replacement.
Check fittings connection to mast and chainplates for stress signs, rust, cracks in fitting or weld, elongated rivets, bubbles of paint, etc.
There is special spray to be used on fittings for cracks finding.
Check spreaders ends for integrity, spreaders angle to the mast/wire.
Check sheaves for wear.
There is more to the check - any experienced rigger will do a proper investigation - if he recommends replacement, you may interrogate him to show you the faults he has found. Age in itself when everything seems OK is a reason only if really extensive (12 - 15 years?)