mmiller wrote:
Bridles and any other wire (pigtail) supporting the mast would be good... but...
Seems shrouds fail much more often that forestays and bridles. Likely because they warp around the unwrap from the mast on each tack.
That and they may become kinked in storage. Stainless wire shrouds can last a very long time if cared for properly and inspected at least annually. Look for birdcaging (where there is space inside the twist); check the connectors (swages) especially at the crimp and especially at the lower swage (water collects and penetrates there)--failure there is often by stress corrosion; lay the wire out and check for any permanent kinks. If all those things are good, keep using them.
I've personally become fond of new high tech line instead of stainless steel rigging. It is lighter and more flexible and has no swages (I brummel splice onto a sailmakers thimble)...It does, however, fail without warning unlike stainless. I've been dismasted in boats 5 different times in 10 years. All five were with stainless steel rigging. After I switched to Vectran rigging, no dismastings for five years (I did change the rigging every 3 years just to be safe--the line rigging will stretch a little the first few uses, so you have to plan for that).
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