I, too, have questions about rigging inspection. I am pulling the mast down this winter and intend to have the rigging inspected. The headstay will also be modified to incorporate a Schaefer furling system. I don't know the age of the rigging on our 1984 Starwind 27. The survey (done 2 years ago with the mast standing) indicated that the rigging was in good shape, and I currently have no reason to question its integrity. I have done business with Lockwood Marina in South Amboy as well as the 3 West Marine outlets that are in our area (along the bayshore of New Jersey). I have faith in all three, but does anybody have any specific preferences? Does it make sense to replace all rigging since I don't know the age? I thought I might simply replace the head stay since I am adding the furler. The backstay is split. What more can they inspect other than a visible inspection for any broken strands?
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A careful macroscopic inspection
of the terminals for cracks is good. If you spray them with penetrating oil wait five minutes, wipe them clean and coat them with white, liquid shoe polish and allow that to dry. any cracks will bleed oil out onto the shoe polish and be easy to find. Corn starch mixed with water and painted on, allowed to dry will serve the same purpose.
of the terminals for cracks is good. If you spray them with penetrating oil wait five minutes, wipe them clean and coat them with white, liquid shoe polish and allow that to dry. any cracks will bleed oil out onto the shoe polish and be easy to find. Corn starch mixed with water and painted on, allowed to dry will serve the same purpose.
replace it all
If you don't know the age, I would just replace all of it while it's down. Wire can fatigue even when it shows no obvious signs. If it 5 years old, Ok, if it's 22 years old, replace it!
If you don't know the age, I would just replace all of it while it's down. Wire can fatigue even when it shows no obvious signs. If it 5 years old, Ok, if it's 22 years old, replace it!
Dismasted
I bought a catalina 30 in 04 and had the rigging inspected and said that it looked ok. I did not know the age of the rigging and went with that. 8 months later the cap shroud snapped and I was dismasted( not very fun ) It will give you some security knowing when it was replaced and with what. After a 13,000 dollar refit I learned my lesson. Lucky no one was seriously hurt. Do not learn the hard way. The turnbuckle had hidden crack inside that was unseen. Even a rigging inspection may not be able to see a problem.If you are able to backtrack the owners this would at least give you an idea. Happy sailing with the mast up!!!!!, John
I bought a catalina 30 in 04 and had the rigging inspected and said that it looked ok. I did not know the age of the rigging and went with that. 8 months later the cap shroud snapped and I was dismasted( not very fun ) It will give you some security knowing when it was replaced and with what. After a 13,000 dollar refit I learned my lesson. Lucky no one was seriously hurt. Do not learn the hard way. The turnbuckle had hidden crack inside that was unseen. Even a rigging inspection may not be able to see a problem.If you are able to backtrack the owners this would at least give you an idea. Happy sailing with the mast up!!!!!, John
What's the peace of mind worth?
Good on you for pulling the mast and planning on inspection. But, even an inspection with a magnifying glass can only do so much. You don't know how old your stuff is. With the mast down, a complete inspection of all the connections (and if something's going to break, it'll be at a connection point) is much more thorough, but still the inspector can't see what's going on inside a swage going bad. On a 27 ft. boat, what does a whole re-rig cost, maybe $600-800? If there ends up being nothing wrong, and the rig lasts another 10 years, you're money ahead if you don't. But if there's a hidden problem inside that last swage on that last lower that the inspector rushed thru because the rain was starting to come down while he was inspecting, is it worth it to worry about it, now that I've raised that thought in your mind? Or to decline to go out every time the wind is over 10 knots for fear of... And then, your post would seem to indicate you're in fresh water ("Lake H."). If so, and the rig is original, and the boat's never seen salt water, 20 years is about the VERY CONSERVATIVE safe limit for fresh water boats. (In the fresh water harbor where my boat lives, we have 40 yr old boats with the original rig. But they are under used and don't get out often. I sure as hell wouldn't sail them the 65 miles to San Francisco Bay!) Without more info, I'd seriously consider replacing it all. For "no worries" (at least as it relates to the swages and wires) sailing, if nothing else.
Good on you for pulling the mast and planning on inspection. But, even an inspection with a magnifying glass can only do so much. You don't know how old your stuff is. With the mast down, a complete inspection of all the connections (and if something's going to break, it'll be at a connection point) is much more thorough, but still the inspector can't see what's going on inside a swage going bad. On a 27 ft. boat, what does a whole re-rig cost, maybe $600-800? If there ends up being nothing wrong, and the rig lasts another 10 years, you're money ahead if you don't. But if there's a hidden problem inside that last swage on that last lower that the inspector rushed thru because the rain was starting to come down while he was inspecting, is it worth it to worry about it, now that I've raised that thought in your mind? Or to decline to go out every time the wind is over 10 knots for fear of... And then, your post would seem to indicate you're in fresh water ("Lake H."). If so, and the rig is original, and the boat's never seen salt water, 20 years is about the VERY CONSERVATIVE safe limit for fresh water boats. (In the fresh water harbor where my boat lives, we have 40 yr old boats with the original rig. But they are under used and don't get out often. I sure as hell wouldn't sail them the 65 miles to San Francisco Bay!) Without more info, I'd seriously consider replacing it all. For "no worries" (at least as it relates to the swages and wires) sailing, if nothing else.
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