Rigging survey — FAQ

Rigging failure is one of the most dangerous things that can happen at sea, and many of the most common failure points are not visible to the naked eye. Internal corrosion in swage fittings and fatigue within wire strands can leave no external indication, and chainplates can be working loose beneath perfectly ordinary-looking deck fittings. A professional inspection targets the areas most prone to failure rather than relying on surface appearance.

A deck-level inspection covers the standing rigging (shrouds, stays, toggles, turnbuckles and chainplates), running rigging (halyards, sheets, blocks and clutches), the mast base and boom, and associated deck hardware including winches, cleats and attachment points. It does not include going aloft.

An aloft inspection is recommended for older vessels, those with unknown rigging history, or where concerns have been identified at deck level. It involves physically going up the mast to inspect the masthead, spreader bases, halyard exits and upper fittings — particularly valuable before offshore voyages.

A deck-level rigging inspection is included as standard in a full pre-purchase survey for sailing yachts. Aloft inspections and standalone rigging surveys are priced separately.

Wire rigging is considered to have a useful life of around 10 years in regular use, but this depends heavily on the environment, the loads the rig has seen, and how the vessel has been sailed. Condition matters more than age.

Yes — deck-level and aloft inspections are both done with the mast stepped. If the mast has been removed for winter storage, a bench inspection of the spar and fittings can be arranged instead.