Replacing Lifelines?

[DaveC426913]

So, since this thread IS called lifelines and shrouds, I have a question:

Has anyone had the need to replace the lifelines themselves? What's involved? If I don't have the skills/time to do it myself, I have to get someone in to do it? They're a safety feature, so you don't want to play fast & loose with them.

[Crikey]

So, since this thread IS called lifelines and shrouds, I have a question:

Has anyone had the need to replace the lifelines themselves? What's involved? If I don't have the skills/time to do it myself, I have to get someone in to do it? They're a safety feature, so you don't want to play fast & loose with them.

Along with this - I'd also like to install goose necks into the forward lifelines for helping launch our inflateable when anchored. It might also be helpful in the middle section for dealing with the spreaders when lowering the mast.

Ross

[Captain_Kirk]

So, since this thread IS called lifelines and shrouds, I have a question:

Has anyone had the need to replace the lifelines themselves? What's involved? If I don't have the skills/time to do it myself, I have to get someone in to do it? They're a safety feature, so you don't want to play fast & loose with them.

I think basically all you need is some stainless steel cable, a turnbuckle of some kind (one for each side), and some type of crimping for the ends. You can also get some covering for the cable as others have described here. I don't think it would be too difficult to make new ones. It's on my do-to list because I have the original life lines for my Venture 2-24 from 1971. They are vinyl covered, but I'm certain the SS beneath is probably done with life.

[mastreb]

I had some done at West Marine with pelican hooks on both ends, and with a bonded white vinyl covering. It was $194 for both if I remember correctly. I'd previously done my own and made a bit of a mess of it, so I had them redone professionally. I tried to use screw-on clamps, which worked but left ragged edges that could cut people.

[Sea Shadow]

I believe some are replacing their lifelines with braided lines. Might be worth a try and simpler to fit.

[Wayne nicol]

Has anyone used dyneema, I know it has been used for shrouds, but lifelines?
I wonder if that would be an option

[THE CUSCUS]

Dyneema, yep you sure can. And you can pick you color! It does stretch a lot, initially, so make it on the short side.
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1806

[RobertB]

Dyneema, yep you sure can. And you can pick you color! It does stretch a lot, initially, so make it on the short side.
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1806

Are you certain about that stretching stuff? I replaced my mast raiser baby stays with the stuff since I understood it does not stretch much.

Looking at the specs for Dyneema, at 10% of tensile strength the elongation is only about 1.7%. At 30% of tensile strength it is about 3.9%. This seems pretty low considering that even with lifelines, they will be loaded pretty low.

[THE CUSCUS]

Initial stretch when you get it, after being stored on a coil, the braids "relax" somewhat and need to get pulled back together. At first I measured exactly center to center with the pelican hood adjusted all the way loose. Cut and made eye splices to that measurement, put on boat, leaned on line and it got loose, adjusted turn buckle to make tight, leaned and it stretched again. repeated until there was no adjustment left, at whichtime I took the eyesplice apart, shortened the line and redid the eye splices. i'm now again at the end of my adjustment and feel the lines could be abit tighter, but taking those eyesplices apart (after wipping them correctly) is a PITA. Next time i will try to stretch the line before making anything. I used dyneema for my keel cable too and noticed that it really looks compressed when wound up on the winch spool.