This Sailboat Rigging Could Kill Me | Inspecting 20+ Year-Old Lines in Alaska

We’re inspecting the running rigging on our steel sailboat Alaskan Gypsy, and what we found is honestly sketchy.

Some of this line is 15–20 years old, heavily worn, UV damaged, mildewed, and absolutely not something I want to trust while hanging 60+ feet above a steel deck. Before replacing our radar and climbing the mast, we needed to take a hard look at what’s actually holding us up.

In this video:

• How to inspect old sailboat rigging
• Identifying dangerous wear in double-braid line
• Why aging lines fail (UV, chafe, mildew)
• What sizes we need to replace (½” and ⅜”)
• Budget-friendly ideas for sourcing replacement rigging
• Real-world Alaska conditions that accelerate wear

This is part of our ongoing sailboat refit as we work toward making Alaskan Gypsy a fully functional, safe sailing vessel again.

If you have experience with rigging replacement, sourcing overstock line, or favorite marine rope brands, drop your knowledge in the comments — salty wisdom welcome.

⚓️ Brands & sponsors: We’re actively refitting a full-size steel sailboat in Alaska. If you make marine rope, rigging hardware, safety gear, or electronics, let’s talk.
​‪@USRigging‬

Chapters:
00:00 Inspecting Old Rigging on Alaskan Gypsy
00:35 Why I Don’t Trust This Line
01:25 Examining Wear, Chafe & Thin Spots
02:10 UV Damage, Mildew & Line Degradation
03:00 When Double Braid Loses Its Sheath
04:05 How Much Rigging This Boat Actually Has
04:55 Estimating Replacement Needs & Costs
05:45 What Line Sizes We’re Looking For
06:30 Preparing to Replace Radar & Climb the Mast
07:10 Alaska Weather & Working Window