The difference between standing and running rigging can be confusing. Standing rigging usually means fixed wire or cable and even rod rigging that is adjustable by way of turn screws (turn buckles) or dead eye and lanyard on older style boats. Running is easily adjusted by way of block and tackle, winches and line. Quite often one may overlook the combination between standing and running rigging for instance a roller furling jib that is hoisted by wire to a winch and left as standing rigging. Here is where it gets confusing. Although jibs, stay sails and even some mainsails are held in place by wire this is very common on modern cruising sailboats. This rigging should be treated as both types, standing and running.
Early types of jib furls were actually an aluminum extrusion taking place of the wire fore stay. In this application we would treat this as standing rigging and inspect it accordingly.
With even earlier types of furl systems the jib or fore sail was actually stitched to the fore stay wire. This would be treated as running rigging and subject to constant inspection because of the nature in which it operates. This type of furling is subject to heavy loads and tremendous twisting stresses. The more modern furling systems consist of extrusions, bearings, roller drums and in most cases the furling drum conceals the turn buckle, toggle, tangs and pins.
Whenever the drum and housing conceal the turn buckle, etc. you may find the original compression wire terminal fitting still in place. This should be considered suspect and should be replaced as soon as possible with a Norseman or Sta-lock type fitting. One should also consider at this time replacing the fore stay wire due to its age.
Consult your insurance company in order to meet their criteria and limits on age of standing rigging (10 years is common).
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