One issue that I have not seen mentioned in this thread is worth considering in my opinion: How and where are you using your boat.
For instance, I use my 1995 C&C 36 XL/kcb almost exclusively inside the NC Outer Banks in the Pamlico Sound and Neuse River, both of which I consider 'protected waters'--inside the banks, relative shallow (< 30 feet) and muddy bottom, no swells or tides and many creeks to anchor/hide in unless on the way to Ocracoke, where it looks like open ocean (no land visible for miles) but is still inside the banks. I have taken her down the ICW to Charleston and back with one or 2 near-shore trips between NC and Charleston and the Chesapeake Bay. All of this is on my schedule, so I mostly decide what weather she will face--not mother nature.
That said, I still had my rod rigging replaced in 2021, after 26 years of this type use and anticipating similar future use. Did it need replaced--probably not--I didn't bother with any inspections. Why did I do it: 1) most knowledgeable sailors (from this list) and riggers recommended replacement after a couple of decades and 2) some assurance that it would not come down on me under my sailing conditions. Plus although she has not been in any offshore conditions, her rig had been 'stressed' in various strong wind speeds (~25 knots) and kite adventures in similar winds over the years.
While my rod rigging replacement doesn't guarantee the rig's integrity, I prefer not to press my luck and have the rig come down on me as a matter of principle--very bad form IMHO!
So if you sail and/or cruise in such relatively protected waters as I describe, should you replace your rigging at 20-30 years--you decide based on how, where and how often you use/stress your rigging AND your tolerance for the risk of a rig failure.
FWIW,
Charlie Nelson
1995 C&C 36 XL/kcb
Water Phantom6
