When should you change standing rigging & Sails?

[Georg Leitner]

My hunter 310 is now 15 years old and the guy who services our boat suggested that we change the standing rigging (though it still looks ok) as well as the sails.
Is this something that should be done every 15 years ?

 

[jdhohmann]

My hunter 310 is now 15 years old and the guy who services our boat suggested that we change the standing rigging (though it still looks ok) as well as the sails.
Is this something that should be done every 15 years ?

Depending on what you are using your boat for, I would say your maintainer is looking to make some cash. If you are racing offshore all the time, then maybe it might be something to look at. If your using it as a cruiser and racer, then I would say you should be able to get at least 25 years and probally more... If you take a look at your riggin and you see some corrosion and maybe rust and some broken strands, then yes change it, SHort of that, save your money, same with the sails, if they look to good and perform good and not ripping then stay with them.... :dance:

 

[Rich Stidger]

My rigger examined my entire rig this spring and told me that he would have no hesitation sailing with everything for another 10 years. We have a h40.5 that is 17 seasons old and we do coastal cruising in the Rhode Island area.

He told me that wire replacement isn't dictated by age, but rather by miles, where it is used, and how it is used.

YMMV.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I'll Second That Statement ................

Depending on what you are using your boat for, I would say your maintainer is looking to make some cash.

.................. speaking from a 16 YO H-310. Be sure to take a close look at your swadged fittings for any possible corrosion. Strictly a matter of what is the present condition of your rigging and sails.

 

[woodster]

Also look at the cables for candy cain coloring in the strands or barber pole appearance

 

[Jackdaw]

As others note, there is no straightforward answer. One point most pick up on is that replacement period is a function of use. True. And obviously compromised wire or fittings is a sign to replace right away. True again.

But what is often lost is that over time, wire and fittings fatigue in ways that cannot be seen by eye. This effect is cumulative and irreversible. Anyone that tells your 15 year old rigging is 'good for another 10' after a simple look-see is doing you a serious disservice.

A few years back the USCG did a great paper on rigging replacement. It's hard to find but I have a public copy at the link below.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/955501/INSNOTE13.pdf

 

[Bob 04 H260]

A lot of insurance companies want a rigging survey after 10 years of use. If there is a failure and the mast comes down after the inspection they will pay. If the failure was deterioration of the rigging they will try to obtain their costs from the surveyor (according to my insurance company). This can make it difficult to get a surveyor to OK the older rigging. I took my 10 year old rigging to several riggers, none would say it was OK or could say what was wrong with it. They just wanted to sell me new rigging.
I was told in saltwater 10 years is a common time period for replacement, while fresh water boats often go 25 or more years without changing it.

Bob

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Whole Different Kettle of Fish ...................

A few years back the USCG did a great paper on rigging replacement. It's hard to find but I have a public copy at the link below.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/955501/INSNOTE13.pdf

..................... or in this case, rigging.

"DEFINING THE PROBLEM. Hawaii’s small passenger sailing vessel fleet is comprised of 95% multi-hull vessels that operate in more extreme wind and sea conditions than experienced by the national inspected sailing fleet, often with passenger loads at or close to the vessels’ capacities. The inherent high initial stability of multihulls due to their beam and the resulting stiffness of the hull, especially when fully loaded, translate more force directly to the rig compared to similar sized monohulls that roll out (heel over) as wind pressure increases. This combination of unique sailing design and a high wind operating environment make regular inspection of key components critical to good preventive maintenance."

 

[Maine Sail]

The general consensus in the industry, to which the insurance companies have jumped on, is every ten years for recreational and every six to ten for commercial/charter/inspected etc.. This is not just US insurers European insurers go by the same 10 years...

If your vessel has standing rigging that is beyond ten years old....

GET A RIGGING INSPECTION, IN WRITING, BEYOND YEAR TEN

If your rig fails and you don't have a current rig inspection the insurer will most likely say:

"Sorry this failure was due to lack of maintenance, you're not covered.".....

Having had a mast come down, on a delivery, that had just been fully inspected and signed off on, and it was just barely over ten years old, I bet you know when I replace mine.. I don't gamble and I don't play Russian Roulette either....