Rigging, useful life?

[Jim Cate]

We have the 26M 2004 and leave the boat rigged, on its trailer in a storage lot-marina with access to a launch ramp. We use sail covers to protect the mainsail and pedestal from rain and uv exposure. The jib is on a roller furler and remains furled, and I rotate it from time-to-time to help minimize exposure to the sun. - However, I haven't been taking the time to raise and fasten the jib cover, which involves using an additional small halyard, etc. The running and standing rigging are left in place, exposed to the elements. We are in the southwest and have lots of rain from time to time and hot weather in the summer.

Can anyone advise me regarding the expected life of the rigging and the jib sail under these conditions? In other words, should I plan on replacing the rigging, the jib, and/or the main, in three years, five years, or seven years?? I know that I could remove the rigging in the winter and perhaps get more extended useage from it, and I could be more diligent in taking down or covering the sails, but I'm not sure it's worth the time and effort in view of the relatively low costs involved to replace the jib.

Thanks for any info or suggestions.

Jim Cate

[ESPERANZA]

I think your running rigging will hold up for several years but the jib won't. I'd guess maybe two years and the jib will fall apart...
Dik...

[James V]

It depends on where you live and how you use it.
warm salt water area - 5 years for the standing
northern freshwater - 10 years
This is the norm, so they say, for what the elements does.

It is hard to say the cost factor on covering the jib. Your sail loft can sew on a UV protection strip on the jib. This should extend the life.

[normo]

For one expert opinion on rigging check out Brian Toss's web site. He is a master rigger and has written several books. As I recall he favors the nicopress/nicropress oval terminals that MacGregor markets. They aren't pretty but they do not create the damaging high internal stresses that swaged fittings do. I had a Catalina 22 with nicopress shrouds that were over 15 years old and showed no signs of distress. Swaged fittings, on the other hand, can be a minute from failure with no visible signs - stress corrosion inside the barrel. I believe that swaged terminals should be good for 10 years in the tropics and longer in the northern climates but check out Brian Toss.

Rotating the jib won't help much. Unless you have access to cheap sails or use your boat a lot why not spend 5 minutes pulling the sock over the jib. I have the sock and have come up with a system that keeps it from falling off the deck into the water when I hoist it. Minor pain but no more than tying up the boat or putting on the mainsail cover or flushing the engine or hosing down the boat or collecting all the trash or dragging out the hatch and locking the boat or rotating the furler or ....