Standing Rigging Life

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oakleyb

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Our insurers tell us that 10 years is when its due to be changed - My question : plenty of architects that use rigging in their designs for support and many in public areas, is this changed every 10 years ?
 
Whilst architectural rigging and yacht rigging cannot really be compared, I think you need to tackle this from a different perspective.

Firstly, not all insurers insist on renewing the rigging after 10 years. If your boat is used for serious offshore sailing, or has had higher than average use, for example as a charter boat, then replacement at ten years might be wise. I have just had mine done on a 1998 boat, because it spent seven years in charter use. If your boat has been only lightly used, and the rig has been kept adequately tensioned, there is probably a lot of life still left in it. Before this year I always paid for an annual inspection by a skilled rigger, and took his advice.

I suggest that if your boat has not been abused, you should talk to the insurers before laying out a large sum on a re-rig.
 
Yacht designers have to minimise weight aloft because it adversely affects stability. Architects can build in far larger safety margins. NB loose rigging and masts left up when the boat is ashore cause shock loads, flexing and thus fatigue.
 
Interior rigging is nothing like as exposed nor subject to alternating strains as when at sea.

Any insurer insisting the rigging is chucked every 10 years, should, in my view be passed over in favour of a more considered approach.

PWEG
 
[ QUOTE ]
Check out GJW they don t insist on replacement every ten years!

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However, they wouldn't insure us to go blue water unless we changed ours. Try Euromarine Insurance Services (broker), they got us a great deal.
 
Try galvanised....with a bit of regular maintenance, it can last for 40 years plus!!

That modern stainless stuff........change every 10. Its a riggers dream! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
How long have you had the boat? do you know when it was last renewed? have you had the rigging checked regulararily? do you know the true condition of your rigging?

These are questions that every boat owner should ponder.
My insurance company dont require every ten year change, but I have the boat since 2006 and dident know when the rigging was last changed if ever, so 2 winters ago I renewed fore and back stay and upgraded from 6 to 7mm, this winter I renewed both cap shrouds and also upsized, my boat is due an insurance survey next winter, when I will renew the lowers.
Now I know the condition of most of my rigging and am content with that, plus in the future I wont have to fork out for all new rigging in one go.
BTW beware of insurance companies who dont want the rigging renewed every 10yrs or thereabouts.
 
Craftinsure don't specifically require that it be replaced every 10 years, HOWEVER, they exclude claims due to wear and tear. I've just replaced the 13-year-old rigging on my boat, as I can just imagine the claim conversation:

Me- shroud broke and mast went over the side complete with sails.

Them - When was your rigging replaced sir?

Me - I don't think that it's been replaced in the 13-year life of the boat.

Them - sounds like a wear and tear issue sir - get lost

Me - /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Well from my experience in a Yacht club with about 50 boats of our typical size.... The rigging wire cann not be trusted beyond 20 years with many examples of failed wire. This seems especially so in the 3/16 inch (4mm) dia size in 20 ft boats but at least one 26fter with heaier wire.

The wire usually fails quite suddenly at the entrance to the bottom swage either talurit or rolled type. My theory is that it is salt water that is the main problem. I don't think it is plain fatigue.

Certainly the cap and intermediate shrouds are the most susceptible or likely to cause catastrophe if they fail. Forestay is backed up by the jib halyard the backstay by the mainsail and sheet.

IMHO opinion replacement perhaps more like 15 years is important. olewill
 
We had the same issue, then found a company which can electronicaly test the rig, using the same technique used for overhead power cables. Their results are accepted by the insurers without question (I checked with ours - Navigators - before having the survey done and they knew this company well). The result is that we have 20+ year old rigging, tested and accepted as in A1 condition by the insurers.

The total cost, including travel to Poole was about £150

Their website is:-
http://maidsure.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=2


Incidentally the service was great, arrived next day, went up the mast in a force 6 and we had the survey report by email in 48 hours.

No connection, just very happy to have saved £1000 on a new rig when its not necessary!
 
As Bilgediver says - it's not on the GJW policy. They just say that you must "exercise reasonable care to make and keep the vessel in a seaworthy condition." A periodic check by a rigger would fulfil that.
 
Well I can't let the above 2 comments go by without refuting. Electronic check can only be for resistance and neither that no visual inspection will IMHO find an incipient failure. New wire ios the only way to be sure. olewill

PS I wonder if the electronic test has ever identified a wire about to fail that didn't look tatty?
 
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