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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:SAILING
Notice:Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:UNIFIX::BERENS
Created:Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2299
Total number of notes:20724

1872.0. "Lifeline Replacement" by UNIFIX::BERENS (The Moderator) Mon Jul 06 1992 14:52

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Note 1872.0                   Lifeline Replacement                    13 replies
MRKTNG::KOLOGE                                       12 lines  20-MAY-1992 15:35
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    I need to replace my lifelines this year or next. The original lines are
    swaged, and I was wondering about alternative systems.  I was
    surprised to see that the "do-it-yourself" hand-swaged fittings in the 
    Boat U.S. catalog seem to end up costing more than just taking the whole 
    business to Marine Exchange's rigger and having everything machine
    swaged at 90 cents a foot. Anyone know of a better way?  Also, when 
    installing safety netting, is it tied to the stanchions or woven through 
    the lifelines or what?  In other words, does it have to be installed as
    the lifelines are swaged or can it be added later?
    
    
            
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1872.1UNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:3826
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Note 1872.1                   Lifeline Replacement                       1 of 13
UNIFIX::BERENS "Alan Berens"                         17 lines  21-MAY-1992 17:32
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The hand-swaged fittings I have seen (specifically, the ones on my boat) 
don't look all that nice and supposedly have a breaking strength of only 
2200 pounds when new. See note 787 for some discussion of jackline 
strength, which also applies to lifelines.

If cost is a concern, I'd use machine swaged 3/16" wire. If cost is not 
a concern, I'd use uncoated 1/4" wire with Sta-Lok fittings and standing
rigging turnbuckles, which would be considerably stronger than standard
lifeline stuff. Also two or three times as expensive. I'd be sure to use 
good quality, American-made wire (eg, MacWhyte) and fittings. 

I've never rigged "safety" netting. I doubt it's strong enough to do 
more than keep a sail or a very small person or a cat (or a dog, to 
avoid a discussion of pet preferences) on deck in calm conditions, which 
may be just what you want.

Alan
1872.2NettingUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:3829
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Note 1872.2                   Lifeline Replacement                       2 of 13
TUNER::HO                                            19 lines  22-MAY-1992 17:17
                                  -< Netting >-
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    When I put netting on a previous boat, I tied it to everything: 
    stanchions, upper liflines, lowers lifelines, and the toe rail.  Having
    a slotted toe rail made installation somewhat easier.  With wooden toe
    rails, eye straps can be screwed in or holes can be drilled right
    through the rail.  
    
    It's pretty effective in keeping sails, bumpers, lines, etc. from
    falling overboard, or at least, funneling them in such a way so that
    they'll fall overboard somewhere else.  Remember, you can't sit on the
    rail where the netting is, so unless your goal is child retention,
    I wouldn't extend it farther aft than the shrouds.  It's also
    somewhat more difficult to jump off the boat when docking where the
    netting is strung since your feet can't fit under the lifelines as
    well.
    
    The netting can be installed anytime.  It's not really an integral part
    of the lifelines.
    
    - gene
1872.3Alternatives to nettingUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:3816
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Note 1872.3                   Lifeline Replacement                       3 of 13
SHIRE::MEYER "Nick, DTN 7-821-4172"                   6 lines  25-MAY-1992 03:01
                          -< Alternatives to netting >-
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    Another alternative to netting is to just use 4 or 5 mm cord zizaged
    between toe rail & Lifeline. It is much easier to pass mooring lines
    etc... but it will not stop small items from falling overboard. It
    certainly is solid & safe. Crews sleep along it & it does the job as
    intended, it lasts a long time & is neat.
    						Nick.
1872.4Swaging and netting it will beUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:3825
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Note 1872.4                   Lifeline Replacement                       4 of 13
MRKTNG::KOLOGE                                       15 lines  27-MAY-1992 12:17
                      -< Swaging and netting it will be >-
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    My preference would be to criss-cross line, but the principal small item I 
    am  trying to keep aboard is a two-year-old and his army of stuffed 
    animals and plastic trucks, so I think netting will be the way to go.  (I 
    like Gene's term "child retention" -- sounds so neat, so feasible -- "Child
    Retainer, bolts and washers included. For Home, Car, Store, Boat. $10.95") 
    In any case, I have no intension of letting him out of the cockpit while 
    underway, but at the mooring or at anchor, it would be nice if he could 
    stretch his legs the length of the boat. 
    
    I ended up taking the lines to Marine Exchange to be reswaged, but I was
    sort of surprised and dissapointed that there was no reasonable way to do 
    the lines myself -- Nicopress, Sta-lock, etc., all demand a heavy 
    investment in equipment, parts, etc. that would only pay for itself over 
    the very long term. 
    
1872.5UNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:3822
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Note 1872.5                   Lifeline Replacement                       5 of 13
UNIFIX::BERENS "Alan Berens"                         13 lines  27-MAY-1992 13:00
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re .4: 

Well, Nicopress may or may not be expensive, depending on how neat you 
want to be. A simple tool to crimp the Nicopress sleeves used to make
loops in wire is cheap -- $40 for the one that does 3/16 and 1/4 wire.
If you don't mind the less elegant looks of thimbles and Nicopress
sleeves, you can assemble lifelines less expensively than using machine
swaged fittings. I've considered replacing my lifelines this way, using 
uncoated 1/4" wire, spinnaker snap shackles for the boarding gates, and 
standing rigging turnbuckles. The weak point in this would be the 
strength of the pulpits -- they'd no doubt badly deform or fail before 
the wire or other parts break. 

1872.6UNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:3816
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Note 1872.6                   Lifeline Replacement                       6 of 13
CHRCHL::GERMAIN "Improvise! Adapt! Overcome!"         7 lines  28-MAY-1992 09:36
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    Of course, you could always learn how to make eye splices in wire. 
    
    
    :^)
    
    
    Gregg
1872.7pointUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:3814
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Note 1872.7                   Lifeline Replacement                       7 of 13
SALEM::GILMAN                                         4 lines  28-MAY-1992 12:17
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    You better wear KEVLAR gloves to splice wire rope.  Just kidding but
    you get the 'point'.  
    
    
1872.8reply lostUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:560
1872.9reply lostUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:560
1872.10reply lostUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 15:560
1872.11Marine Exchange? where?UNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 16:0717
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Note 1872.11                  Lifeline Replacement                      11 of 13
STOKES::BARTOSZEK                                     7 lines  11-JUN-1992 13:23
                          -< Marine Exchange? where? >-
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    I am comtemplating replacing my lifelines and had considered doing it
    my self via Boat US or West Marine. Sounds like Marine Exchange may be
    a better way. Can anyone tell me where and how to contact Marine
    Exchange? And is the $.90 or $.99/ft figure include just labor or all
    hardware (including vinyl coated wire)?
    
    John
1872.12Marine Exchange infoUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 16:0717
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Note 1872.12                  Lifeline Replacement                      12 of 13
WONDER::BRODEUR                                       7 lines  11-JUN-1992 13:47
                           -< Marine Exchange info >-
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    	I just had 2 new lifelines made up by Marine Exchange. Cost was the
    quoted $.90 or $.99 per foot and $2.50 each for the labor to swage the end
    fittings. They have shops in both Peabody and Marblehead MA. although I
    tink its the Marbelhead shop that does the work. Call em @
    617-639-0797 Marblehead, not sure of the Peabody shops #.
    
1872.13More Marine Exchange InfoUNIFIX::BERENSThe ModeratorMon Jul 06 1992 16:0824
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Note 1872.13                  Lifeline Replacement                      13 of 13
MRKTNG::MOORE_T "TOM MOORE @TTB"                     14 lines  11-JUN-1992 16:01
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THey also have an 800 number. 800-888-8699. The people are very helpful 
though generally stressed out in the store. I go to the Peabody store, 
its the larger one but be prepared to experience something quite 
different from Boats R US. If you have ever been in a feed/hardware farm 
store where the owners are the only people who know where anything is, 
you'll feel at home there. 

The store is on route 1, just north of 128 on the south side of 1. The 
sign is hard to see as it is blocked by a motel sign. Take 1 north from 
128, pass the turnoff to 95 north and take the first exit, I don't 
remember the number of the road. Go under 1 and get back on going south. 
Its about a mile from there.

TOm