@thetone When I first read this thread I was disappointed for you. You had been so happy with the new to you boat and had been careful to do so many things right, all the while excited about the new boat.
Your experience serves as a reminder to all SBO members - sailors, that the mast and all its rigging are just as critical to a sail boat as the hull and all the fittings.
We talk about surveys to all who write in "I am a newbie on the forum and I am looking at this beautiful 'insert brand' sailboat. Can you tell me what about this 'Hunter', 'Catalina', etc I should specifically look out for? Only 'you name the brand - owner' responses please."
Your experience points out that all sailboats, be it an active name brand or a brand from a time gone by, have much in common. Mast and rigging is universal. The nature of how the rigging is attached (swage or other) is more about the age of the build and the common practice of the time than the specific OEM methods.
When I purchased SV Hadley I knew she was a 1974 birthed boat. When I looked at the rigging and fittings it was evident that they were of a bygone age. So the first winter I made it a priority to pull the mast and do a refit of all rigging. I learned a lot discussing the project with my rigger. Like, "More than 60% of the sailboats in the marina have questionable rigging, and the owners are clueless." The Previous Owners of my boat were clueless. When we got the mast down on the mast supports in the yard, I inspected the spreaders. They had been made of spruce (common in the 70's). They had been neglected by the previous owners and were rotten. Squeeze them and they collapsed like a sponge.
This year of the Virus which has impacted our sailing in so many negative ways can be the year we give our mast and rigging the maintenance work we so often neglect.
Sorry that you had to discover the issue. Thanks for making it an opportunity for all of us to consider a careful safety inspection of our rigging both standing and running.
Your experience serves as a reminder to all SBO members - sailors, that the mast and all its rigging are just as critical to a sail boat as the hull and all the fittings.
We talk about surveys to all who write in "I am a newbie on the forum and I am looking at this beautiful 'insert brand' sailboat. Can you tell me what about this 'Hunter', 'Catalina', etc I should specifically look out for? Only 'you name the brand - owner' responses please."
Your experience points out that all sailboats, be it an active name brand or a brand from a time gone by, have much in common. Mast and rigging is universal. The nature of how the rigging is attached (swage or other) is more about the age of the build and the common practice of the time than the specific OEM methods.
When I purchased SV Hadley I knew she was a 1974 birthed boat. When I looked at the rigging and fittings it was evident that they were of a bygone age. So the first winter I made it a priority to pull the mast and do a refit of all rigging. I learned a lot discussing the project with my rigger. Like, "More than 60% of the sailboats in the marina have questionable rigging, and the owners are clueless." The Previous Owners of my boat were clueless. When we got the mast down on the mast supports in the yard, I inspected the spreaders. They had been made of spruce (common in the 70's). They had been neglected by the previous owners and were rotten. Squeeze them and they collapsed like a sponge.
This year of the Virus which has impacted our sailing in so many negative ways can be the year we give our mast and rigging the maintenance work we so often neglect.
Sorry that you had to discover the issue. Thanks for making it an opportunity for all of us to consider a careful safety inspection of our rigging both standing and running.
