Have a 84 C 30 and have no idea if it has been replaced or not. Any advice? Bob in CT Windborne 3634
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Like everything else with boats - it depends 
Was the boat sailed in salt or fresh water? Was it stored each winter with mast up or down? Check swage fittings for any signs of rust or corrosion. If you can see it, time to replace. There is also a dye test that will show visably imperceptible cracks in wire strands. Run your hands up and down the shrouds/forestay/backstay for meathooks (broken strands of wire). Be careful doing this or do it while wearing cotton gloves. If you have meathooks, they will catch in the cotton. If you have any of these symptoms anywhere in your standing rigging, best to replace all.
Was the boat sailed in salt or fresh water? Was it stored each winter with mast up or down? Check swage fittings for any signs of rust or corrosion. If you can see it, time to replace. There is also a dye test that will show visably imperceptible cracks in wire strands. Run your hands up and down the shrouds/forestay/backstay for meathooks (broken strands of wire). Be careful doing this or do it while wearing cotton gloves. If you have meathooks, they will catch in the cotton. If you have any of these symptoms anywhere in your standing rigging, best to replace all.
Rigger
Hire a professional rigger to inspect your rigging. S/he can tell you how much life is left in it. If you're planning on long distance cruising, you might want to just bite the bullet to have peace of mind. For what it's worth, the rigging on my '73 is still original (though I have replaced the chainplates). I'm careful about the winds I take her out in but otherwise, it shows no signs of deterioration. Definitely needs to be replaced soon though. LaDonna
Hire a professional rigger to inspect your rigging. S/he can tell you how much life is left in it. If you're planning on long distance cruising, you might want to just bite the bullet to have peace of mind. For what it's worth, the rigging on my '73 is still original (though I have replaced the chainplates). I'm careful about the winds I take her out in but otherwise, it shows no signs of deterioration. Definitely needs to be replaced soon though. LaDonna
19 and going strong
I just sold my 98 Hunter 240 and bought an 83Catalina 30. The survey revealed the forestay as needing to be replaced. However, the remaining stays are OK. I don't know if they are orriginal or not. Can't wait for spring. (I haven't had it on the water yet.) Joe
I just sold my 98 Hunter 240 and bought an 83Catalina 30. The survey revealed the forestay as needing to be replaced. However, the remaining stays are OK. I don't know if they are orriginal or not. Can't wait for spring. (I haven't had it on the water yet.) Joe
For tall rig C27/C30......
Don't forget the bob stay. On my 86 model, all the rigging looks good except the bob stay, which was starting to look a little rusty at the bottom. Before I could change it, it broke. It had corroded inside the terminal end. The rig stayed up, but the bowsprit was bent upward about 30 degrees, and the wood cracked. Catalina Direct sells a replacement bowsprit for $188 and the bob stay for $70. Since the bob stay is subjected to more corrosion than the rest of the rig, I would recommend changing it at the 10 year mark, especially if you sail in salt water.
Don't forget the bob stay. On my 86 model, all the rigging looks good except the bob stay, which was starting to look a little rusty at the bottom. Before I could change it, it broke. It had corroded inside the terminal end. The rig stayed up, but the bowsprit was bent upward about 30 degrees, and the wood cracked. Catalina Direct sells a replacement bowsprit for $188 and the bob stay for $70. Since the bob stay is subjected to more corrosion than the rest of the rig, I would recommend changing it at the 10 year mark, especially if you sail in salt water.
Test it out
I've had my '84 Cat30 about 1 1/2 years. This past June I was heeled over on SF Bay and the leeward shrouds looked like limp pasta. Guess what. I replaced all the rigging. It was a matter of safety and now I know the details of how it is rigged.
I've had my '84 Cat30 about 1 1/2 years. This past June I was heeled over on SF Bay and the leeward shrouds looked like limp pasta. Guess what. I replaced all the rigging. It was a matter of safety and now I know the details of how it is rigged.
Local conditions make a difference
You're going to have a shorter life in warm salt-water conditions, longer in cold salt water conditions and longest in freshwater. This might explain why Don's failed and LaDonna's is still OK. My '81 is a freshwater boat with occassional trips to SF Bay and is still original and looks OK. I have replaced the old closed turnbuckles with open ones.
You're going to have a shorter life in warm salt-water conditions, longer in cold salt water conditions and longest in freshwater. This might explain why Don's failed and LaDonna's is still OK. My '81 is a freshwater boat with occassional trips to SF Bay and is still original and looks OK. I have replaced the old closed turnbuckles with open ones.
Lee shrouds
You probably already know this, but the wording of your message caused my reply. Loose shrouds don't neccessarily mean that you need new rigging. If the shrouds are not rusted or frayed then all you need is to tighten them. (cant wait till spring) happy hollidays all Joe
You probably already know this, but the wording of your message caused my reply. Loose shrouds don't neccessarily mean that you need new rigging. If the shrouds are not rusted or frayed then all you need is to tighten them. (cant wait till spring) happy hollidays all Joe
peace of mind
I like the comment about peace of mind. I had been told anywhere from 3 to 6 years as the replacemennt cycle (mostly by people trying to sell me rigging supplies). Mine was 12 years old and I thought replacing the rig prior to sailing to Bermuda was a good idea . Did it myself (get a Loos gauge). Ran out of time and didn't get to the forestay, probably the most important one. It took a beating coming across but never failed. The peace of mind knowing that the rest of the rig was solid was worth alot. I did worry about that forestay however.
I like the comment about peace of mind. I had been told anywhere from 3 to 6 years as the replacemennt cycle (mostly by people trying to sell me rigging supplies). Mine was 12 years old and I thought replacing the rig prior to sailing to Bermuda was a good idea . Did it myself (get a Loos gauge). Ran out of time and didn't get to the forestay, probably the most important one. It took a beating coming across but never failed. The peace of mind knowing that the rest of the rig was solid was worth alot. I did worry about that forestay however.
Rule of thumb is about 7 years.
Much depends on where the boat is and what kind of stainless steel your rigging is made of. I just replaced the standing rigging on my Catalina 27. Boat US had an excellent article on rigging failure earlier this year. They have a very informative web site. In far northern latitudes, where the temp is cooler, less corrosion takes place than in warmer places (i.e. Seattle versus Miami). All marine stainless steel is not equally corrosion resistant. Type 304, commonly used for rigging, is less corrosion resistant than 316. Type 304 is somewhat stronger, however. I would suggest that you get a good, strong magnifying glass or loupe and look closely and intensely at your rigging, just where the wire enters the swaged fitting. This is where corrosion is most dangerous and failure is most likely. If you can see any cracks in the swage at the wire, or pitting in the wire, or if any wire strands are broken, replace it ASAP. The bottom fittings will usually corrode before the upper fittings, because they collect salt water and retain the water and salt in the fitting. You can buy dye kits to rub on the wire and swage that will show cracks and pitting more easily, but in my experience a good magnifyer will show the problems unless one has vision difficulties. If you see no faults in your fittings or wire, it's a judgement call whether to replace. Seven years is the rule of thumb for replacement. When I got my boat two years ago, the former owner couldn't tell me when the rigging had last been replaced. Upon close inspection with magnification, as above, I found cracks in the swages and pitting in the wire. I replaced the rigging myself, buying the wire and Norseman terminals fron a reputable rigging vendor. It is not exactly easy to do the work yourself, but if you are handy with tools and mechanically inclined and determined, the job is well within your abilitiess and will result in enormous satisfaction and confidence in your boat. You can put a drop of WD40 into each swage at the wire-swage connection to slow corrosion if your rigging is sound.
Much depends on where the boat is and what kind of stainless steel your rigging is made of. I just replaced the standing rigging on my Catalina 27. Boat US had an excellent article on rigging failure earlier this year. They have a very informative web site. In far northern latitudes, where the temp is cooler, less corrosion takes place than in warmer places (i.e. Seattle versus Miami). All marine stainless steel is not equally corrosion resistant. Type 304, commonly used for rigging, is less corrosion resistant than 316. Type 304 is somewhat stronger, however. I would suggest that you get a good, strong magnifying glass or loupe and look closely and intensely at your rigging, just where the wire enters the swaged fitting. This is where corrosion is most dangerous and failure is most likely. If you can see any cracks in the swage at the wire, or pitting in the wire, or if any wire strands are broken, replace it ASAP. The bottom fittings will usually corrode before the upper fittings, because they collect salt water and retain the water and salt in the fitting. You can buy dye kits to rub on the wire and swage that will show cracks and pitting more easily, but in my experience a good magnifyer will show the problems unless one has vision difficulties. If you see no faults in your fittings or wire, it's a judgement call whether to replace. Seven years is the rule of thumb for replacement. When I got my boat two years ago, the former owner couldn't tell me when the rigging had last been replaced. Upon close inspection with magnification, as above, I found cracks in the swages and pitting in the wire. I replaced the rigging myself, buying the wire and Norseman terminals fron a reputable rigging vendor. It is not exactly easy to do the work yourself, but if you are handy with tools and mechanically inclined and determined, the job is well within your abilitiess and will result in enormous satisfaction and confidence in your boat. You can put a drop of WD40 into each swage at the wire-swage connection to slow corrosion if your rigging is sound.
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