Dismasting leads to Coast Guard warning

Posted on November 17, 2009
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The standing rigging of a 60-foot inspected passenger-carrying sailing catamaran failed recently in the Florida Keys, causing its rotating wing spar mast to collapse, according to a Coast Guard-issued safety alert.

Evidence suggests that the port shroud parted where it exits a swageless mechanical end fitting on the upper mast at a common shrouds/stay connection.

Although there were a number of passengers on board at the time there were no injuries reported.

A six-year review of Coast Guard casualty data shows 28 similar casualties involving inspected sailing vessels. Of those 28, nine involved the failure of mast, spars and rigging components leading to dismastings; six of those involved sailing catamarans. Two separate catamaran dismastings resulted in two fatalities.

Common among the dismasting casualties was the failure of the mast's standing rigging. While this investigation is ongoing, initial forensic metallurgical analysis of the failed cable strands showed visual corrosion and evidence of fatigue failure. The shroud cable and swageless end fitting had been installed seven years earlier.

Manufacturer published guidelines on mast and rigging system maintenance can be found in "Rigging Service Guidelines" published by Navtec Rigging Solutions. Practical standing rigging inspection information from a marine surveyor's perspective is available by clicking here.

Click here for the full Coast Guard notice.

Comments
3 November, 18 2009, 09:26 PM
By edward mc carthy (sailmaker)

As a sailmaker I have talked iwith boat owners about their rigging needs on a daily basis for the past fifteen years.  My first comment is that rigging shold be replaced after seven (7) and not more than (10) years.  Sad to say I find my comments fall on deaf ears more often than not.  While I do offer rigging as a part of my business, I refuse to rig with used wire, although often asked.


About tipping the rigging upside down as offered in a "comment', I sure don't want to attempt it. Se me at www.sailsetc.net, or e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


Edward.

2 November, 18 2009, 08:00 AM
By Wally Fsoter
Not enough attention is paid to the rig.  "if it's up it must be OK".  One way to prolong the life of standing rigging is to drip parrifin (wax) on the lower terminal.  This will help dissapate the standing water that accumulates there.
1 November, 17 2009, 12:41 PM
By Brian Stock
Standing rigging like all structural components of a vessel require regular maintenance and inspection.  One of the practices especially for a tropical salt enviroment is to take the standing stainless steel rigging and invert the rigging so that the cable now has the lower end at the top of the mast thus helping to stop corrosion buildup which normally ocures as water is trapped in the lower portion of the fittings at deck. This practice may forstall the need to replace rigging  for a longer period and also acts as a method of forced inspection of the rigging components.

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