Getting new running rigging, should I keep old lines just in case...

[tudorsailor]

So the yacht is now 10 years old and some of the sheets have frayed. Halyards look OK where I can see. I worry about where I cannot see.

Thought I should replace halyards and sheets. Since I have a cutter rig this includes sheets for yankee and genoa.

Should I keep all the old lines just in case??? They would take up quite a lot of space and are also quite heavy. Cannot keep them at home as yacht is in the Med. I wondered about one of each of the sheets and one of each of the spinnaker and pole up halyards

What do others do?

TS

 

[Boomshanka]

So the yacht is now 10 years old and some of the sheets have frayed. Halyards look OK where I can see. I worry about where I cannot see.

Thought I should replace halyards and sheets. Since I have a cutter rig this includes sheets for yankee and genoa.

Should I keep all the old lines just in case??? They would take up quite a lot of space and are also quite heavy. Cannot keep them at home as yacht is in the Med. I wondered about one of each of the sheets and one of each of the spinnaker and pole up halyards

What do others do?

TS

I had all halyards and sheets on board replaced with new once (it was a new to me boat that had been kept on the hard for two years - everything was covered in green algae). Kept all the old ones, put them through the washing machine (many came up like new) and put the decent ones in a locker... they never saw light again, but I always thought they may come in handy. Make of that what you will!

 

[bbg]

If you are going offshore or planning to go offshore you should consider keeping them. If not, consider keeping one line that will do all jobs. You are unlikely to break two brand new lines in one day's cruising. If going further afield (say two weeks cruising at a time) maybe keep two lines that can do any job. The halyards would be the obvious choices.

 

[Kelpie]

Wow, I have never contemplated the idea that you could have too many bits of rope on a boat.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

I will soon be in the same situation, with all new running, and standing rigging and having looked at the old halyards (probably 20yr old) they are gone hard and unyealding so dont know if they would be any good for shore lines.
As for the standing rigging, 7mm fore and back stays and cap shrouds, and 4 x 6mm lowers all had been renewed in the last 4yrs. seems a complete waste to chop them up and dump them, since they cost me well over a grand. anyone suggest an alternative action?
C_W

 

[Aries]

Too much string?

I replaced all my 'string' last year and kept the old to use during the five months that the boat is out of the water with the mast up.

 

[Searush]

I always keep the old stuff, it's used for bow & stern lines when rafted up or on a quayside, or towing or just a mooring warps for overnight stops. No great worries if it gets a bit of chafe, it's earned its keep already.

No, you can't have too much rope, it's nice to be able to say to someone who has rafted up alongside; "Would you like me to put a shoreline on for you?" as a gentle hint & yet not be too botherd if you never see that rope again.

When I first started sailing I collected many hanks of 8, 10 & 12mm polyprop from the roadside that had fallen off trucks. I still have some kicking around that can be used for towing cars out of ditches, jump starting etc. Also usefull in shorther lengths for tieing loads on roof racks, trailers etc. Nope there is no way you can have too much rope, just throw a coil in the boot of the car as well!

 

[Searush]

I will soon be in the same situation, with all new running, and standing rigging and having looked at the old halyards (probably 20yr old) they are gone hard and unyealding so dont know if they would be any good for shore lines.
As for the standing rigging, 7mm fore and back stays and cap shrouds, and 4 x 6mm lowers all had been renewed in the last 4yrs. seems a complete waste to chop them up and dump them, since they cost me well over a grand. anyone suggest an alternative action?
C_W

I presume there is some special reason for condemming this stuff? I would be happy to take some off your hands! At least keep some of the longer ones in a locker as spares! My standing rigging is 35 years old at a guess, even the most timid insurers/ surveyors suggest a 10 year life for rigging, unless ocean racing.

 

[A1Sailor]

it's nice to be able to say to someone who has rafted up alongside; "Would you like me to put a shoreline on for you?" as a gentle hint

What a lovely way of putting it!
Does running rigging break at bits that don't look worn? I suppose it's the "inner core" that you can't see that matters.
I've always been more concerned about my Standing Rigging - I'd be kind of snookered if that failed.

A1
(OK - my current boat hasn't got any!)

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I would likely keep the old lines on board.

I am not quite as Tinker like as Searush (but I have been known to stop and pick up the odd cargo strap).

Clyde_Wanderer I would keep the older standing rigging in the garage, for example, just in case of damage. Maybe keep one long wire on the boat for emergency purposes. Having said that a few people over the years I know have kept old rigging and it just sits there doing nothing, taking up space, waiting for a rainy day that never arrives.

 

[pagoda]

I would likely keep the old lines on board.

I am not quite as Tinker like as Searush (but I have been known to stop and pick up the odd cargo strap).

Clyde_Wanderer I would keep the older standing rigging in the garage, for example, just in case of damage. Maybe keep one long wire on the boat for emergency purposes. Having said that a few people over the years I know have kept old rigging and it just sits there doing nothing, taking up space, waiting for a rainy day that never arrives.

I tend not to throw anything out. We recycled our old guard wires as indestructable washing lines..just 5mm stuff. Works well.
Sheets and spare halyards are not a bad thing to have. We lost a spinnaker sheet off Skipness once (don't ask...) , having an alternative in the locker - albeit old is very useful. I've re-used clunky old sheets as temporary extra mooring back up this winter - again didn't have to go to the swindlery in dire need. If you have space on board - hang on to it.

 

[bbg]

I will soon be in the same situation, with all new running, and standing rigging and having looked at the old halyards (probably 20yr old) they are gone hard and unyealding so dont know if they would be any good for shore lines.

Running rigging is NOT good for shore lines. Running rigging should not be stretchy. Shore lines, on the other hand, are designed to be stretchy. If you use running rigging for shore lines you will significantly increase the snatch loads on the cleats on board (and on shore).

 

[Searush]

Running rigging is NOT good for shore lines. Running rigging should not be stretchy. Shore lines, on the other hand, are designed to be stretchy. If you use running rigging for shore lines you will significantly increase the snatch loads on the cleats on board (and on shore).

That asumes you have your mooring ropes short & tight. Maybe on a marina pontoon that is true, but I never use marinas so lack of stretch is not generally critical. My shorelines are long & slack enough to allow drying out on 10m tides. If stretch actually is important for a specific use, I have retired climbing ropes with 25% stretch.

It's all about horses for courses rather than strict rules. A nice bulging scran bag of old ropes can provide hours of entertainment.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

I presume there is some special reason for condemming this stuff? I would be happy to take some off your hands! At least keep some of the longer ones in a locker as spares! My standing rigging is 35 years old at a guess, even the most timid insurers/ surveyors suggest a 10 year life for rigging, unless ocean racing.

No it hasent been condemed, I am getting all new standing rigging as the swaged fittings on upper ends wont work on the new mast.
As I say the old sr was all renewed in the last 4-5yrs.
If someone was looking for newer sr that would be a few inches shorter than mine then all they would have to do is cut off the upper swaged fittings and have new ones fitted, but their mast would need to be slightly shorter than mine was.
The old rr will be getting retained for spares and emergencies.
C_W

 

[jwilson]

So the yacht is now 10 years old and some of the sheets have frayed. Halyards look OK where I can see. I worry about where I cannot see.

Thought I should replace halyards and sheets. Since I have a cutter rig this includes sheets for yankee and genoa.

Should I keep all the old lines just in case??? They would take up quite a lot of space and are also quite heavy. Cannot keep them at home as yacht is in the Med. I wondered about one of each of the sheets and one of each of the spinnaker and pole up halyards

What do others do?

TS

I started sailing on the Bristol Channel, with huge rise and fall of tides, hence ultra-long shore lines if alongside a quay, so could almost never have enough warps. Old running rigging is almost always re-usable somewhere, particularly the bits that don't get much UV exposure.

I forget who said "Seamanship is having enough spare string and the knowledge how to use it". Sooner or later you will need to "lash up" something, and if all you have is the "marina boat kit" of a few short docklines you'll be stuck, and maybe in trouble.

 

[Wansworth]

maybe once in alife time a very long line ashore to back up an anchour would be a good reason to not throw out.

 

[Blueboatman]

The answer seems so obvious that it probably isn't, hence the OPs question I suppose.
Where else are you going to get a spare line from when, after a few hours in a blow one dark night, you notice that the new halliard/sheet/reefing line/furling line has chafed half through where it crossed another unfamiliar line in the night, both gently sawing back and forth across each other under load.......

I suppose that in the absence of any useable spares you drop the sails and motor to the nearest port. Or pick up the phone ( joke).

There, now when the OPs crew complain about that manky old string taking up locker space, they can be referred to this thread !

 

[maxcampbell]

Replace now.

Ten years old? Knackered. PM me and I'll arrange to come & pick it all up for the cost of the petrol.

See dylan winter's thread about how to decide whether to throw rope away.