Are these standing rigging hardware seaworthy?

[robo555]

I'm a boat newbie, looking for a boat. The seller says the standing riggings are in good condition, from my newbie eyes, the actual cables look super shiny, no fragged wires, but the hardware I have in the pictures look a bit corroded.

Do they need to be shiny, or is it just cosmetic? Will these hardware be safe for the next couple of years? If not is it difficult/costly to replace?

I understand it maybe difficult to tell just from photos. I'm just looking for a rough idea, before committing and looking for a more professional opinion.

Thanks

[Rucksta]

The rigging screws may be fine.
Loss of chrome is not an issue but the general condition looks poor.
What are the deposits in the body of the screws.
Carefully inspect where the wire enters the swagged end fitting.
A ring of rust is common on the lower end but these appear swollen - orange flag.
Where the chainplate attaches the deck looks distorted, bowed upwards.
Repaired caulking indicates an examination of the structure under and around the chainplate is warranted.

That pic of the deck mounted turning sheave is a worry.
The deck looks repaired in that area.
The fairlead to the block is not fair.
You can see the deflection and the chafe on the line.
What's under the turning block and why couldn't a better spot be found?

Based on the posted photos I'd be suspicious of any claim of good condition.
That suspicion would not be confined to the rig.

[s/v Jedi]

Agree with previous comment. Also, I think I see cracks in the toggle.

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by robo555

I'm a boat newbie, looking for a boat. The seller says the standing riggings are in good condition, from my newbie eyes, the actual cables look super shiny, no fragged wires, but the hardware I have in the pictures look a bit corroded.

Do they need to be shiny, or is it just cosmetic? Will these hardware be safe for the next couple of years? If not is it difficult/costly to replace?

I understand it maybe difficult to tell just from photos. I'm just looking for a rough idea, before committing and looking for a more professional opinion.

Thanks

The loss of chrome in the turnbuckle is very normal and does not affect anything apart from aesthetically, and assessing the condition of the rigging by looking at some pictures, well, I don't see it, if you want you can do the pliers test on the top of the swage or search for cracks.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by robo555

Will these hardware be safe for the next couple of years?

I would be surprised if you can find a surveyor who would state in writing that they are safe in their present condition.

If not is it difficult/costly to replace?

Think in terms of $1000 for a typical boat in the 30' range.

[SVTatia]

I agree that this is not considered "good condition", and I doubt very much it would pass survey.
What kind of boat is it and where was it built? I would also check the decks for water penetration.

[robo555]

Originally Posted by neilpride

The loss of chrome in the turnbuckle is very normal and does not affect anything apart from aesthetically, and assessing the condition of the rigging by looking at some pictures, well, I don't see it, if you want you can do the pliers test on the top of the swage or search for cracks.

Thanks, what's the pliers test?

[robo555]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

I agree that this is not considered "good condition", and I doubt very much it would pass survey.
What kind of boat is it and where was it built? I would also check the decks for water penetration.

Thanks, what would be a good test to check for water penetration? I walked and poked on the deck and didn't noticed any obvious soft spots.

It's an Oyster, that's why I'm looking into it, despite the average condition.

[SVTatia]

If you are serious about it, the best course would be a survey. You can however poke into the lockers, etc and check the glass from below, tapping with a rubber mallet. Most boats have a liner that prevents this, so the next option would be a moisture meter.

[Rucksta]

Originally Posted by robo555

Thanks, what would be a good test to check for water penetration? I walked and poked on the deck and didn't noticed any obvious soft spots.

It's an Oyster, that's why I'm looking into it, despite the average condition.

Wash the decks with a firehose.
Watch it dry.
Wet areas are current or near future leaks.
Note any areas that have had localised re-caulking.
These are historic leaks which may be dormant or active.

Check deckheads, beams, bulkheads inside the boat
Look for repaired areas, mold, water staining...
Some areas will be obscured by cabinetry or head liners.

If this is a pre-purchase inspection it is unlikely you will be able to pull things apart.

Survey does not usually involve disassembly.
Destructive testing e.g. driving a spike into suspect areas to test for rot rare.

I've included disassembly and discretionary destructive testing, in defined areas, as clauses in an offer to purchase.

You'd need to find a skilled surveyor to exercise that discretion and you need to be able to make good any damage should a sale not proceed.

There are various post on CF relating to surveying many with a link to a DIY guide with examples of good bad & ugly systems installations.

Anyone got a link handy?

[Ryban]

In addition to all the good advice above:

• You can find good deals on lightly used toggles and turnbuckles if you have a yach surplus store around, or by checking craiglist/ebay. These get pulled off boats all the time and often they're in perfectly good condition.
• Carefully inspect the clevis pins, clevis holes, and the surfaces the T-bars sit on for signs of crevice corrosion. The bronze turnbucles are probably fine.
• If you decide to re-rig the boat yourself for peace of mind, you can do the job yourself fairly easily and probably for less than $1K.
• Chainplates that go through the deck like that are usually my biggest fear, as they could be hiding unseen corrosion where they pass through the deck, especially if they've been leaking at all.

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by robo555

Thanks, what's the pliers test?

Take a pliers and gently squeeze the wire where it enters in the terminal, turn it from left to right, if the wire is bad a strand usually pops out.

Deep isolated rust spots may also indicate that the terminal is rotten inside.

If the rust is uniform on the terminal, it may be a lack of maintenance, but
does not necessarily indicate anything wrong.

If the terminal has a banana shape , it's screwed.

This at deck level, there is more above.

[GreenWave]

1) How old is this rigging?
2) Do you plan to get insurance?
3) How hard will you sail this boat?


If more than 10, YES, and anything other than motoring to the fuel dock then you will need to replace that junk.

[JPA Cate]

I feel quite concerned about the crack in the stbd lower toggle that Jedi mentioned above, because I spotted it, too. An attentive owner would have, and replaced it.

The replacement of the mast boot to keep out water is relatively cheap and easy to do, but I'm guessing the boat's a lot bigger than 30 ft., the OP said it's an Oyster, so it is an old luxury boat that is x hand, and no one's been loving it for a long time, looking for a naive buyer, possibly.

Give it a big beware in my book. Yes there's something wrong with the fittings or the deck or both, also. Teak decks, unless glued down, are held by 3,000-5,000 screws, each one an invitation to water ingress.

I agree that the crome coming off the rigging screws is merely cosmetic, but beware any distortion in the turnbuckles themselves.

From those pictures, I would be surprised if the interior of the boat is cherry.

Generally restoration projects cost about double what the work estimates were, and the vibe from this boat is that it is old and starved.

Ann

[Kd9truck]

Run, if you don’t know what you’re looking at, or your gut tells you something is up, and I think that’s why you’re posting. It’s not that the rigging seems that suspect (but it does) it’s that the condition of the vessel looks like it has not been cared for in a really long time, and that’s not good for sailboats.