Galvanised Rigging?

Rosie1963

Rosie1963

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I have a 1960's cutter that needs a rigging replacement (I think). The current stuff is stainless (ten years old), but I wonder whether I should replace to galvanized? The reason is because I might go off cruising and wont have funds to replace in years to come and I understand that galvanized is more durable if maintained. I just wanted your thoughts.
 
I replaced the galvanised rigging on my (previous boat) Hillyard 8-tonner.
I did the job myself using a borrowed hydraulic swageing press just to put the eye ferrules on each end.
The 6mm wire rope came from a fishing net manufacturer in exchange for a few pints.
After a couple of seasons I had the mast down and dressed the rigging using a traditional goop of stockholm tar, old paint, boiled lindseed oil and japanning hardener. This was preventative maintenance, there was no sign of break-down.
The pros:
Cheap. the whole job was done for the cost of the ferrules and a couple of pints;
Galvanised wire rope will show signs of failure long before it happens unlike stainless which will work harden;
Properly dressed, galvanised will last a lifetime;
It looks right on an MAB.
Con:
Sail hanks will abrade off the dressing and zinc. Not a problem with roller reefed foresails.
I hope that gives food for thought.
 
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Stainless rigging is subject to insurance requirements to renew any time from ten years on, some give longer but all see it at risk after that time. Galvanised on the other hand is not seen as a time related replacement by the insurers , of course they will not insure badly maintained rigging that has broken due to rust but galvanised rigging can easily last 40 years or more if maintained from about 5 years of age as Gordonmc says. Galvanised running rigging is not particularly long lasting though as the filaments are very small diameter and a small amount of surface corrosion represents a large proportion of the individual filament diameter especially when running over sheaves which wear the galvanising away.

John Lilley
 
I replaced all the standing rigging on my Broads gaffer over ten years ago, taking the originals along as patterns. The 'rigger' and I had a conversation which went something like this.

"Can you make up a new set to these patterns please?"

" Recon, Galvanised?"

"I rather thought I'd like stainless"

"What for?"

" Won't it last longer?" (I asked in all innocence )

At this, he stood back from the counter, eyed me up and down and retorted

" Galvanised 'll see you out old partner"

I was in my 50's at the time.

I'm pleased to report that he (so far) has been proven to be perfectly correct, and the wire shows every sign that this happy state of affairs will continue :)
 
This is my current schedule of rigging. I assume the 2006 stuff will be OK?
Cap shrouds 6mm 1 x 19 s/s 2001
Intermediate shrouds 6mm 1 x 19 s/s 2002
Lower shrouds 7mm 1 x 19 s/s 2006
Masthead stay 6mm 1 x 19 s/s 2006
Inner forestay 6mm 1 x 19 s/s 2001
Backstays 6mm 1 x 19 s/s 2001
Running backstays 6mm 1 x 19 s/s 2001

Am I being a bit premature? Should I just replace some of it in order to start a rolling programme?
 
Rosie1963 said:
Am I being a bit premature? Should I just replace some of it in order to start a rolling programme?
Click to expand...

Depends on the type of sailing you do and where you will go. Also, how the rig has been treated in the past. The recommendation for racing boats is a life of around 6 years for ss rigging. You may have problems if you try to claim for a lost mast with the older wire in your rig, but then not many people loose their rigs during relaxed coastal cruising (though it has happened). A rolling programme may well be the way to go
.
No mention of a forestay in your schedule, this is the one wire that takes the most punishment with side loads and vibration from the headsail. I always specify a size larger, even when with my current boat (a cutter) it meant replacing two roller reefing systems to fit the new forestays. Just a thought, if you use hank on headsails ss 7x7 wire is more flexible than 1x19 but not as strong so will need to be a size larger. It will stand up to a fair bit of abuse and will not suffer from wear by hanks. (The hanks being softer will wear though). You can have eye splices in 7x7 to keep a traditional look. I had a boat with these forestays and all the rest galvanised.

Incidentally, my normal insurance coverage is UK + European waters and Scandinavia up to 62 North and no mention of age of rig. This year have extended the area for a cruise to the Azores - they added a clause that rigging must be less than 10 years old.
 
Thanks for the tip. She is effectively a cutter, so the forestay is in a foil - so this will need to be SS as I wont be able to maintain it otherwise. I will take advise and overspec.The inner stay will need to be stainless too, as the staysail in hanked. Then we have the running backstays; I think this these need to stainless too. So it is only the two backstays and shrouds that will be galvanised. Getting the galvanised done with classic marine in woodbridge - no Norsemans just basic crimps.


srm said:
Depends on the type of sailing you do and where you will go. Also, how the rig has been treated in the past. The recommendation for racing boats is a life of around 6 years for ss rigging. You may have problems if you try to claim for a lost mast with the older wire in your rig, but then not many people loose their rigs during relaxed coastal cruising (though it has happened). A rolling programme may well be the way to go
.
No mention of a forestay in your schedule, this is the one wire that takes the most punishment with side loads and vibration from the headsail. I always specify a size larger, even when with my current boat (a cutter) it meant replacing two roller reefing systems to fit the new forestays. Just a thought, if you use hank on headsails ss 7x7 wire is more flexible than 1x19 but not as strong so will need to be a size larger. It will stand up to a fair bit of abuse and will not suffer from wear by hanks. (The hanks being softer will wear though). You can have eye splices in 7x7 to keep a traditional look. I had a boat with these forestays and all the rest galvanised.

Incidentally, my normal insurance coverage is UK + European waters and Scandinavia up to 62 North and no mention of age of rig. This year have extended the area for a cruise to the Azores - they added a clause that rigging must be less than 10 years old.
Click to expand...
 
Running backstays are kinder on sails and boom if made of modern rope rather than wire. Mine are dyneema, I had vectran before but that is a bit UV sensitive. Nicere to handle, too
 
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