On Sun, 01 Jan 2006 11:29:13 -0500, prodigal1 wrote:

In another overly long thread about the merits of the C&C33, someone
mentioned rigging as a potential issue in an older boat. Would anyone
care to share experience with assessing the condition of rigging on a
freshwater-only sailboat? Look-fors? Tips? Sources of information?
Cheers and Happy 2006!
--only 16 weeks till launch day--

There's the obvious eyeball "tests" of looking for cracks, rust
weeping, deformation of holes, fraying wire, terminals with
suspiciously shiny wire, etc.

There's the dye tests. Interpreting those is a rigger's art.

There's the X-ray tests. Even more so.

I have 1/4" original (33 years) 7 x 19 standing rigging all around in
freshwater with good quality Merriman open turnbuckles which I inspect
and lube yearly. I eyeball the entire spar before launch, paying
particular attention to cotter pins, tangs, etc. My insurance company
isn't making a fuss, and the boat passes survey requirements.

I also inspect the chainplates and have replaced two bolts there in
six years. I can see a day when that job will have to be attended to:
there's a slight deformation in the hole in one plate...but I don't
race it and I reef early.

Even so, common sense and a sort of learned conservatism would say
that I should replace the lot (except the heavy and undamaged mast) in
the next five or less years. Certainly, the desire to have new sheaves
and to go to new all-rope halyards is part of that. At that time, I
will likely replace ALL chainplates, which is a big, nasty job, but it
will allow me to service and maybe reglass and retab all the
structural elements tying the plates to the hull.

Brion Toss's "Rigger's Companion" is great on all this stuff, or buy a
surveyor a few beers.

R.