Rigging Guard

Rigging Maintenance Guide

Did you know standing rigging should be replaced every seven to ten years?
You can extend the life of your rigging significantly if it’s properly maintained and inspected on a regular basis.
Only RIGGING GUARD is designed to help combat the harsh and hostile marine atmosphere.

As you will see from the links page, maintenance of your standing rigging is essential to prevent dismasting. Your life depends on having a rig that is durable and above all reliable in all weathers not just on sunny days. Whilst your rigging may look superficially OK rust is eating away at the inside of your fittings. Even slight rust marks are a tell tale that all is not well and you should investigate problems as soon as they emerge. We are not trying to be scare mongers but are merely trying to educate the sailing world to the potential risks of not maintaining the standing rig. Rigging is not fit and forget but needs constant attention to keep it fit for purpose. Your life may depend upon it.

I can hear you say but stainless steel doesn’t rust! Well look at the website photos from the Independent Links and you will see that it does. Unlike mild steel, stainless steel will rust in the absence of oxygen and especially when it is in a corrosive atmosphere such as a warm salty environment. Even in the UK we suffer from such conditions so it pays to keep an eye on your rigging. The only way to prevent this happening is to impregnate the fittings and seal the ends with Rigging Guard. No other proprietary product exists specifically designed for this purpose.

In tropical countries the problem is even worse where standing rigging can last just three years before it needs replacement. Typically in this environment fittings can fail very quickly rotting from the inside until the fitting bursts and the wire rope fails to support the mast. Additional pressure is put onto other failing fittings and they also fail bringing down the mast. This can result in serious injury, loss of life and loss of the vessel.

Insurance companies are now starting to recognise these potential problems and are starting to insist on regular inspections and maintenance. Can you convince them that you have a regular maintenance schedule? Ask yourself these questions?

When was the rig last inspected?
Are there any signs of rust on the wire rope?
Are there any signs of rust on the fittings?
Are there any broken strands of wire in the rope?
Are the wires tensioned properly? (Strain gauges are available form other manufactures)
Are chain plates inspected or are they out of sight out of mind?

If the answer to any one of these is yes then you need to inspect, overhaul or replace the items concerned.

You should never use ordinary lubricants on standing rigging as they will not prevent salt water penetration into fittings only Rigging Guard can prevent water ingress. If you do use ordinary grease or lubricants you could be speeding up the corrosion process by introducing unwanted chemicals that will react with the stainless steel and salt water.

Rigging Maintenance Guide