Should I keep my old standing rigging?

[driftless]

Wasn't sure what the proper forum for this was, so wonderful mods please feel free to move...

We're having our original 30 year old rod rigging completely replaced, fittings and all, so we're switching to wire.
The riggers are asking if we want to keep the old rigging. That has spawned a debate between the Captain and me.

So, let me know your thoughts?

We recycled the old lifelines as a raspberry trellis, but I think rod is overkill for the garden.

 

[Loren Beach]

Back about 16 years ago, after a complete re-rig, I took all of the coils of ss wire and fittings to a commercial metal recycler. I got $35. out of it, IIRC.
We did the turnbuckles and all fittings.
Same for the old lifeline assemblies a few years later.
We will replace the standing rig again this November, as our "covid summer re-fit" wraps up.

Love the raspberry idea!
Yum.......

 

[bigd14]

Hah, my wife used some of our old rigging for grapes and raspberry trellis too. I cannot get rid of the rest as it will “soon” be needed for more plantings (it’s been collecting dust and dead mice in the garage for three years now). Rod rigging would be more difficult to use in the garden and to store in the garage. I say scrap it before any wild ideas for a future use come up!

 

[racushman]

On a prior boat I re-rigged and used the 1/4" 1x19 wire to replace the lifelines (used the old studs and turnbuckles at one end, and swageless forks at the other). 20 years later those lifelines are still going strong. Works fine as long as you don't care about having the gates.

 

[driftless]

Thanks for chiming in everyone. Since we've already got new lifelines it's destined for scrap instead of dust mouse collection.

 

[Butch Bogan]

I don't know if you've already scrapped your old rigging, but may I offer a suggestion? As a rigger I tend to accumulate other peoples rigging, including one of the moderators on this forum. If you have any local artists that work with metal they might greatly appreciate a "donation". The Nitronic stainless is extremely expensive and you won't get much as scrap, but you might get a nice piece of sculpture.

 

[driftless]

I don't know if you've already scrapped your old rigging, but may I offer a suggestion? As a rigger I tend to accumulate other peoples rigging, including one of the moderators on this forum. If you have any local artists that work with metal they might greatly appreciate a "donation". The Nitronic stainless is extremely expensive and you won't get much as scrap, but you might get a nice piece of sculpture.

That's a brilliant idea Butch, but we already told the riggers to scrap it. Maybe they, like you, have a worthy recipient though? One can hope.