Inspecting/removing mast

[Pete Peterson]

I was advised when I bought my boat to have the mast taken down for inspection every 2-3 years. I assume that the inspection is of the sheaves, rigging connections and the instruments on the masthead. My questions are: 1) is anything else inspected when the mast is down, and 2) can all this be done by someone on a crane w/o removing the mast?

 

[Don]

Sounds like overkill to me.

I would recommend going aloft (or hiring a yard ape) at least every 2 years to visually inspect the shrouds, fittings, spreaders, sheaves, and tangs. More often if you go offshore or the rig is very old. I check mine from a bosun's chair about once a year, but ususlly in conjunction with fixing another problem like changing an anchor light bulb or spreader tips. I wouldn't pull the stick unless I suspected a problem.

 

[LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners.com]

Have to agree - overkill

Seems kinda like pulling a tooth to fill a cavity. If you don't feel comfortable inspecting the rigging yourself, hire a rigger to do it for you. But with a boat just a couple years old, I can't imagine they'd find anything. As Don said, unless you have a problem, don't pull the rig.LaDonna