Inspecting and replacing standing rigging (shrouds and stays)
How to assess wear on shrouds and stays, replace standing rigging safely and tune the mast.
The standing rigging holds the mast up and carries enormous loads, so its condition is a matter of life and death. The accepted life of stainless steel rigging is around 10–15 years or 30–40 thousand miles, but in salt water and the tropics it wears out faster. Insurers and charter operators often require replacement after a set age regardless of appearance. The decision to replace is made on the basis of age, history and a careful inspection.
Start the inspection at the terminals, because that is where the stresses and fatigue cracks concentrate. Look for hairline cracks at swaged terminals, signs of rust (a sign of crevice corrosion inside the terminal), broken strands (meat hooks) and deformation. Inspect the clevis pins, toggles and bottlescrews for wear, elongated holes and cracks. Crevice corrosion of stainless steel is insidious, because it develops inside, invisible from outside.
There are several systems to choose from: 1x19 stranded wire with swaged or mechanical terminals (Sta-Lok, Norseman), rod rigging, and modern synthetic fibres (Dyneema). Mechanical terminals can be fitted yourself and serviced repeatedly, while swaged ones need a specialist press. The diameter and type must match the yacht's original specification — going under-size lowers safety, going over-size overloads the mast and hull fittings.
The safest way to replace it is to unstep the mast and have new shrouds made using the old ones as patterns, ideally at a specialist rigging shop. Measure and label every new shroud carefully, keeping the lengths and the order. If you use mechanical terminals, follow the maker's instructions exactly — the correct lay of the wires on the cone and the tightening torque are critical. It is worth filling the inside of the terminal with the sealant the maker recommends.
Once the mast is stepped, tune the rigging: first set the mast upright and straight athwartships, checking it with a halyard and a weight on both sides. Then tension the shrouds evenly, aiming for the recommended tension (typically of the order of 15–20% of the breaking load), measured with a tension gauge (a Loos, for instance). The forestay and backstay control mast bend and the shape of the mainsail. Once sailing, check that the leeward shrouds do not go slack excessively, and correct the setting.
Secure every clevis pin with new split pins or rings and tape over their ends, so they cannot cut sails and lines. Lock the bottlescrews against undoing themselves (split pins, locking wire or a special paste) and lubricate them with a suitable anti-seize product (lanolin or Tef-Gel, never ordinary grease, which accelerates corrosion). Keep a log with the date of replacement and the specification — it makes planning the next service easier and raises the yacht's value.
Safety: rigging under tension stores enormous energy — release it gradually when dismantling and never stand in the line it could whip. Work aloft in a bosun's chair on a proven halyard with a second line as backup. When stepping the mast, keep your hands out from between components and wear a helmet. If you have no experience of tuning rigging, leave the critical inspection and the first set-up to a professional rigger.
Material prices — products and options
Indicative prices in EUR (incl. VAT), as at July 2026. Products widely available in Europe; prices depend on the shop, the wire diameter and the quantity. The links go to example shops that ship across the EU. Dollar amounts are converted at 1 EUR = 1.1622 USD (ECB, 7 September 2026) and rounded — treat them as a rough guide, not a price in a US shop. Imperial values in brackets are conversions of the metric figure.
Wire and rod for the standing rigging
- 1×19 Stainless Steel Cable AISI 316
wire for shrouds and stays, price per metre (depending on the diameter)€2–6 (≈$2–7) / m - Blue Wave — Dyform / compacted wire
wire of higher strength, smaller diameter for the same load€4–9 (≈$5–10) / m - Seldén — rod and system wire
rod/wire rigging for Seldén masts, quoted through an authorised dealerindividual quote
Terminals
- Sta-Lok — Self-Fit Terminal (swageless)
terminal fitted by hand, reusable; depending on the diameter€55–110 (≈$64–128) / pc - Blue Wave — cones / parts for terminals
replacement cones for swageless terminals€21–35 (≈$24–41) / pc - Seldén-Sta-Lok — Wire Eye Terminal
eye terminal for 1×19 wire, fitted by hand€30–60 (≈$35–70) / pc
Bottlescrews, clevis pins, toggles
- Stainless bottlescrew, fork/fork
A4/AISI 316 steel, for tensioning shrouds; depending on the size€15–45 (≈$17–52) / pc - Stainless toggle
joint that cancels side loads at the bottlescrew attachment€8–25 (≈$9–29) / pc - Clevis pins and split pins / rings in stainless
clevis pin + split ring/pin for shroud attachments€2–8 (≈$2–9) / set
Shroud tension gauge
- SVB — Rig Tension Meter
budget tension gauge (equivalent to the Loos gauge), various diameter ranges€70–110 (≈$81–128) - Loos & Co — Professional Tension Gauge
the classic reference gauge for 3–10 mm (0.12 in–0.39 in)€90–180 (≈$105–209) - Spinlock — Rig-Sense
precise gauge with a readout, one instrument for several diameters€160–190 (≈$186–221)
Anti-corrosion and anti-seize pastes
- TIKAL — Tef-Gel
PTFE paste for threads and stainless/aluminium joints, protects against seizing€11–25 (≈$13–29) - Duralac — Anti-Corrosion Compound
compound insulating dissimilar metals (mast/fittings)€15–28 (≈$17–33) - Duralac Green — Jointing Compound
newer, more environmentally friendly version of the jointing paste€25–35 (≈$29–41)
Bosun's chair (working aloft)
- LALIZAS — Bosun's Chair
budget chair with tool pockets€30–40 (≈$35–46) - Plastimo — Pro Comfort (max 150 kg (330.7 lb))
padded chair with a tool pocket, more comfortable€130–150 (≈$151–174) - Topclimber — solo climbing system
hoist for going up the mast without help€290–320 (≈$337–372)
Price sources: svb24.com, compass24.com, the makers' sites (Sta-Lok, Seldén, Loos & Co). Prices depend on the diameter, the size and the shop.