[Rhodes22-list] Wow this is a boring night(Rule # 1)

[Jim White]

Yep. Eliminate the avoidable.
   
  Also age of rigging should be taken into account.
   
  I had myself an experience of this nature over the weekend. On Monday I was sailing in 15-25 mph winds (on the "big" boat) under jib and jigger, we had just made the first tack when what sounded like a gunshot occurred, and a pile of cable that was formerly the split backstay fell to the deck. 
   
  It was the ONLY piece of rigging that the former owner had not changed out....
   
  I uncleated the working sheet, locked the bow into the wind, my crew (read: wife) doused the jib, we got a line around the mast ( thank goodness the inside aft shrouds are a lot like the Rhodes, providing some aft stability), hardened up the mainsheet/topping lift, and led halyards aft. We motored in without incident, and I examined the failure culprit, which was an upward facing swage fitting about 12" from the mast head at a SSB isolator. 
   
  It had failed within the fitting. 
   
  There was no overt indication of failure though. I replaced the stay with Norseman fittings, and we're back in bidness...no worse for the wear.
   
  Stainless is like that, it usually does't let you know (unless it's popping individual strands somewhere away from fittings). 
  Cheers
  jw

R22RumRunner at aol.com wrote:
  Rule # 1

Always, always check all standing rigging and make sure pins and cotter 
rings are intact before going out. 

Rummy
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Jim White
Le Menagerie
www.lemenagerie.blogspot.com

S/V Le Menagerie
Rhodes 22

S/V Olivia
Westerly Centaur
 		
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