Rigging Inspection Fail! Critical Sailboat Problems Found Before We Sail Around the World Ep 124

Hi and welcome aboard @SailingAstridTheWombat We are Gav and Shezz and two and a half years ago we bought our Beneteau Oceanis 430 sailboat with absolutely no sailing experience and jumped straight into the deep end of liveaboard sailing. Our very first passage was just over 700 nautical miles, launching us headfirst into the world of bluewater cruising, learning to sail, and real life at sea. Since that moment, we’ve been fully immersed in boat life, documenting the journey of turning a production cruising sailboat into a capable, self-sufficient home as we prepare for full-time liveaboard life. From major sailboat upgrades and off-grid power systems to everyday maintenance and skills building, we’re learning what it truly takes to own, sail, and live on a boat while working toward our goal of sailing around the world. If you’re into sailing adventures, beginner sailing, sailboat ownership, cruising lifestyle, and traveling the world by sailboat, our journey is all about real-time learning, ocean freedom, and building the confidence to chase long-term world cruising under sail. In this episode, we discover that getting ready to sail around the world isn't always smooth sailing! As part of our final preparations for full-time liveaboard sailing and offshore cruising, we have a professional rigging inspection completed on our sailboat—and the results reveal several issues that need immediate attention before we can safely set sail. One of the biggest concerns uncovered during the rigging inspection is birdcaging in the forestay, an instant fail that every sailboat owner and offshore sailor should know about. Birdcaging is a serious rigging defect that can compromise the integrity of standing rigging and put both vessel and crew at risk during offshore passages. If you're planning world cruising, bluewater sailing, or extended liveaboard adventures, understanding the importance of regular rigging inspections is essential. With only a few weeks remaining before departure, we get to work replacing our old headsail furler with a brand-new furler system. Watch as we remove the aging furler, install the new unit, and tackle the challenges that come with upgrading critical sailboat equipment. Proper sail handling systems are vital for safe and efficient offshore sailing, especially when preparing for long-distance cruising and ocean passages. Safety is also at the top of our priority list, so we take delivery of a life raft—an essential piece of offshore safety equipment for anyone planning bluewater sailing, ocean crossings, or sailing around the world. Every step we take brings us closer to achieving our dream of exploring the world by sailboat. To complete the project, we have the rig professionally tuned and adjusted, ensuring our mast, standing rigging, and sailboat setup are ready for the adventures ahead. Rig tuning plays a critical role in sail performance, safety, and reliability, making it one of the most important final checks before setting off on a major cruising voyage. If you're interested in sailing around the world, liveaboard sailboat life, sailboat maintenance, rigging inspections, offshore sailing preparation, cruising yacht upgrades, DIY boat projects, bluewater cruising, sailing safety, sailboat repairs, world cruising adventures, and life at sea, this episode is packed with valuable insights and real-world lessons. Subscribe and join us as we count down the final weeks before leaving the dock and beginning our journey to explore the world under sail. Subscribe and follow our journey as we prepare to leave our current life behind and explore the world by sailboat. With every repair, upgrade, and lesson learned, we're getting closer to the adventure we've been dreaming about for years. You can also become part of our crew over at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/sailingastridthewombat/posts Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Life Raft from Marine Safe 04:54 Head Sail Repair 06:46 Rigging on our Sailboat 07:46 Removing the Furler From our Sailboat 13:50 Capturing the Halyard Line 14:28 Furler Coming Down 14:57 Birdcaging a Rigging Failure 16:08 Deferred Maintenance 16:44 Chainplate Pin and Hole 17:52 Installing the Furler on our Sailboat 18:30 Tuning the Rig 19:04 Job Done 20:30 Putting the Head Sail On Please leave a comment, like and subscribe to follow our journey. Join us now as we settle into liveaboard life and get our boat ready to take off and sail around the world in just a few weeks. As new sailors we want to share all of our learnings and keep it real in our videos. We want to show step by step what it takes to choose a boat, buy the boat and learn how to sail. Our sailing learning curve is steep so come along with us as we learn and grow as liveaboard sailors. We promise you will have a laugh! Welcome aboard Astrid The Wombat Gav and Shezz You can also find us on Instagram and Facebook: Sailing Astrid the Wombat #sailing #liveaboard #sailingaustralia #sailingadventures #sailboat