eranb2
Well-Known Member
someone told me that 4 mm must be replaced after 4 years
6mm after 6 years and so on.
is that true?
6mm after 6 years and so on.
is that true?
is it true that the mm of shroud is one year?
- Thread starter eranb2
- Start date
jerryat
Well-Known Member
Never heard that one before. Sounds like a 'Riggers Mantra' to me!!
Having said that, I change my 7mm rigging every 8-10 years regularly, so not too far out.
Having said that, I change my 7mm rigging every 8-10 years regularly, so not too far out.
thomashoebus
Well-Known Member
I heard the rigging in general should be replaced after 15 years. But is this true? Most boats just keep on going with their old rigging even after 20 or 30 year. So i'm also curiuos about this one.
wotayottie
Well-Known Member
It's absolute nonsense. The fatigue life of stainless steel isnt a direct function of diameter. Its a function of many things including the sort of stresses the wire is put under. For that reason, you cannot predict the life of an individual set of standing rigging on one particular boat.
What you can say is that the 10 years used by some insurance companies is based on their experience of when rig failures start to increase. ie its an average. some will take longer, some shorter.
you can do yourself a favour by taking down the mast in the winter and examining the rigging with a magnifying glass. you are looking for line cracks on the swaged fittings and broken strands in the wire just above the fittings. rigging shouldnt normally fail mid length unless theres some funny local effect.
What you can say is that the 10 years used by some insurance companies is based on their experience of when rig failures start to increase. ie its an average. some will take longer, some shorter.
you can do yourself a favour by taking down the mast in the winter and examining the rigging with a magnifying glass. you are looking for line cracks on the swaged fittings and broken strands in the wire just above the fittings. rigging shouldnt normally fail mid length unless theres some funny local effect.
lw395
Well-Known Member
Never heard this before, but people who use dinghies to the max will change 3mm shrouds every 3 years or so.
Cruiser/Racer yacht rigging should be good for at least 10yrs.
Fatigue life of stainless is not well charted. I know two yacht masts that have come down this year, one was forestay failure after 11 yrs, the other was caused by catching the backstay on a fixed object. Luckily no-one hurt in either case.
Some rigging will last much longer, if it's twice the size it needs to be, the fatigue life is probably a lot more than double. But there are various mechanisms of failure, corrosion, wear, work hardening, abuse etc. Also the design of the rig could make a difference.
Cruiser/Racer yacht rigging should be good for at least 10yrs.
Fatigue life of stainless is not well charted. I know two yacht masts that have come down this year, one was forestay failure after 11 yrs, the other was caused by catching the backstay on a fixed object. Luckily no-one hurt in either case.
Some rigging will last much longer, if it's twice the size it needs to be, the fatigue life is probably a lot more than double. But there are various mechanisms of failure, corrosion, wear, work hardening, abuse etc. Also the design of the rig could make a difference.
VicS
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
broken strands in the wire just above the fittings
[/ QUOTE ] The trouble is that failure can and does occur inside the fittings where you cannot see it to inspect it!
broken strands in the wire just above the fittings
[/ QUOTE ] The trouble is that failure can and does occur inside the fittings where you cannot see it to inspect it!
sarabande
Well-Known Member
as an empirical guide, it must have some merit. The stresses related to rigging are - vaguely - linear in proportion to the size of the mast etc. so rigging diameter might well be subject to a similar "law". Fittings, too, increase in size proportionately to the wire dia, so any normal corrosion (i.e. not caused by impact / galling etc.,) will take longer to go through a bigger fitting.
Much as it may dismay some people, I reckon 1mm per year is a practical guide.
Much as it may dismay some people, I reckon 1mm per year is a practical guide.
quaelgeist2
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
...
you can do yourself a favour by taking down the mast in the winter and examining the rigging with a magnifying glass. you are looking for line cracks on the swaged fittings and broken strands in the wire just above the fittings. rigging shouldnt normally fail mid length unless theres some funny local effect.
[/ QUOTE ]
And you can do you and your boat an even bigger favor by NOT taking down the mast in winter - but carrying out a visible inspection climbing up there or having a rigger climb up.
As many a rigger will tell you, it is the rough handling during un-/stepping of the mast that causes much more damage resulting in failures than proper use in situ.
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
...
you can do yourself a favour by taking down the mast in the winter and examining the rigging with a magnifying glass. you are looking for line cracks on the swaged fittings and broken strands in the wire just above the fittings. rigging shouldnt normally fail mid length unless theres some funny local effect.
[/ QUOTE ]
And you can do you and your boat an even bigger favor by NOT taking down the mast in winter - but carrying out a visible inspection climbing up there or having a rigger climb up.
As many a rigger will tell you, it is the rough handling during un-/stepping of the mast that causes much more damage resulting in failures than proper use in situ.
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Searush
Well-Known Member
I have a short stout mast, oversized rigging and relatively small sail areas (ketch rig). I tend not to sail her too hard or even too often, using the motor when conditions are bad. My rigging is 35 years old AFAIK and showing no signs of failure to date.
I understand I may be living on borrowed time - but it's a risk I am prepared to take at present. Losing the rig will be frightening & could possibly be dangerous, but mostly it is just a nuisance - especially if one is within easy motoring distance of safety. For example, of all the Solent rig losses each year (and I guess there will be several) have there been any fatalities?
I understand I may be living on borrowed time - but it's a risk I am prepared to take at present. Losing the rig will be frightening & could possibly be dangerous, but mostly it is just a nuisance - especially if one is within easy motoring distance of safety. For example, of all the Solent rig losses each year (and I guess there will be several) have there been any fatalities?
William_H
Well-Known Member
A failure of rigging wire is usually death for the mast. No not fatal to the crew who normally sit to windward.
Rigging wire does fail. I am not sure that it is fatigue but rather some sort of corrosion function inside the swage.
I was maintaining 10 little training boats a while back. I was appalled at the short life of the rigging wire.( about 5 years) In this case 3 mm. The boats got about 20 hours per year use all the rest of the time the boats were stored indoors with mast down. In this case individual wires frayed at the swage the loads when sailing being so small we never had a total failure.
We have had 3 failures of rigging at our club in recent years.
2 were in 21ft keel boats in rigging probably 25 years old. These were sudden failures with no warning of strands letting go. The mast was ruined in each case.
Another case was of a heavy 26fter with heavier wire again sudden failure and loss of mast. Wire was original around 25 years.
So while 1 year per millimetre is being very conservative possibly 2 years per millimetre is getting closer.
Yes SS wire rigging does fail suddenly and is worth replacing just for peace of mind. olewill
Rigging wire does fail. I am not sure that it is fatigue but rather some sort of corrosion function inside the swage.
I was maintaining 10 little training boats a while back. I was appalled at the short life of the rigging wire.( about 5 years) In this case 3 mm. The boats got about 20 hours per year use all the rest of the time the boats were stored indoors with mast down. In this case individual wires frayed at the swage the loads when sailing being so small we never had a total failure.
We have had 3 failures of rigging at our club in recent years.
2 were in 21ft keel boats in rigging probably 25 years old. These were sudden failures with no warning of strands letting go. The mast was ruined in each case.
Another case was of a heavy 26fter with heavier wire again sudden failure and loss of mast. Wire was original around 25 years.
So while 1 year per millimetre is being very conservative possibly 2 years per millimetre is getting closer.
Yes SS wire rigging does fail suddenly and is worth replacing just for peace of mind. olewill
