Considerable forces are exerted on all the elements of a sailing rig – the mast, spreaders, boom, kicker, stays and the fittings that hold everything together – when at sea.
Less obvious, perhaps, is that the process of cyclic loading – the cause of metal fatigue – continues unabated even when a boat is merely rocking gently on a sheltered mooring. The rig components continue to push and pull against each other, day in and day out.
Added to all the stresses and strains imposed on the rig components are their susceptibility to different kinds of corrosion, caused in the case of aluminium masts both by exposure to the marine environment and by galvanic corrosion.
Galvanic corrosion occurs when stainless steel or bronze fittings are fitted to aluminium masts and not adequately insulated from each other, which causes the aluminium to corrode. While wooden masts do not suffer from galvanic corrosion, instead they are susceptible to rot and delamination.
Rig care
As with many other kinds of boat care, regular checks, preventative maintenance and the correct set-up of mast and rigging are key to ensuring longevity and preventing failure. With sailing boat rigs in particular, the integrity of all their
