Lifeline options for more jib clearance

[danstanford]

We have a new NorDac jib which is cut lower to the deck than the original. I have seen top lifelines connected to the lower point on the pulpit and I think this would be wonderful. Even with the turnbuckle completely closed up the top lifeline will be too long if I do this because of the forward angle of the pulpit,,,hopefully this is a clear explanation.
It doesn't appear that there is any way to shorten the lifeline, is there? Would some other line be suitable? If replacement is the only option, where would I go to get them?

 

[Rick D]

A rigger could shorten the top life line I should think.

 

[jssailem]

@danstanford You could take your lifeline in to a rigger shop (WM has one here in Seattle) and have them shorten the line to the length you want. They usually will have a hydraulic press to swage the replacement terminal on to the new length lifeline. For not much more you could likely have a new lifeline made for the times when you are going to use your new sail.
I would think twice before you decide to run the life line to the base of your bow pulpit.

Why do you have the lifeline there. Looks or to save you or the crew from going in the water while working on the bow of your boat. Most likely you are up there to do a two handed job, and more likely or not you are not tethered into a hard point of jack line while you are manhandling the sail. That lifeline just sits there offering to catch you should you fall.
Guess it also depends on why you have a low cut sail. Is it for racing? It is often acceptable by racers to be on the edge with out a safety net.

Many considerations to include having the sail re-cut to ride above the life line.
As always. Your Boat your choice.

 

[SG]

We have a new NorDac jib which is cut lower to the deck than the original.

So you ordered a North Sails jib and they cut it for the boat. Have you tried it out? I'm not sure it really will be too low.

Is it a full hoist -- i.e., does the head go within (say 4" of the roller furling mechanism at the top of the furler -- you need room to tension the sail)?

 

[danstanford]

We have a new NorDac jib which is cut lower to the deck than the original.

So you ordered a North Sails jib and they cut it for the boat. Have you tried it out? I'm not sure it really will be too low.

Is it a full hoist -- i.e., does the head go within (say 4" of the roller furling mechanism at the top of the furler -- you need room to tension the sail)?

I have sailed successfully with the new sail, in fact I love it so far. When beating the sail tucks nicely inside the lifeline and all is well but when reaching some more clearance would make the foot run straight through. I will check the hoist but I think it is good.

 

[Jackdaw]

This is typical for low-clew, high performance jibs designed for going upwind. When reaching, often a set of 'reaching sheets', secured closer to the base of the lifelines will help the jibs sheeting angle and keep the sail from curving out and pressing over the lifelines.

This is really your boat's way of telling you to put up a spinnaker.

 

[SG]

I have sailed successfully with the new sail, in fact I love it so far. When beating the sail tucks nicely inside the lifeline and all is well but when reaching some more clearance would make the foot run straight through. I will check the hoist but I think it is good.

If the hoist had some room (including some length to tension the luff), you might raise the sail up a bit.

I'd talk to North about it before I did anything. As Jackdaw notes, I think it might be fine. You could get North to add a little chafe strip now, or after you see if its necessary.

 

[jssailem]

Remember the North Sail promise. They will take care of the sail during the first year of ownership.

 

[thinwater]

I would also try rigging the lifeline lower (tie it farther forward) to see if you like the solution.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...r-dies-falling-overboard-changing-sail-round/

 

[danstanford]

Remember the North Sail promise. They will take care of the sail during the first year of ownership.

So far I would rather mess around with this than lose the added power of the sail. It is impossible to estimate the difference but I do know I am now wondering if my existing jib winches will let us handle the loads and that makes me think we are much better upwind both in speed and in angle.

 

[danstanford]

I would also try rigging the lifeline lower (tie it farther forward) to see if you like the solution.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...r-dies-falling-overboard-changing-sail-round/

Great idea Thinwater! If I understand you, you are suggesting I connect it further up the pulpit on the horizontal bar to see how I like it. We don't have a spinnaker and there is almost zero time spent on the foredeck under sail so I like this idea.
Thanks,
Dan

 

[JRacer]

On the J24, we did not alter the lifelines (Class rules). See the pic. Decksweeper Genoa was telling us we were late setting the chute! ;-) Actually, we were probably on the way to the offset weather mark.

 

[Jackdaw]

On the J24, we did not alter the lifelines (Class rules). See the pic. Decksweeper Genoa was telling us we were late setting the chute! ;-) Actually, we were probably on the way to the offset weather mark.

No, you're just late. The wind is WAY aft of you. ;^)

 

[Ron20324]

When my B323 was spankin' new, I redid the lifelines- pulpit to the aft gate stanchion (by the winches). Even my OEM 110% jib lays on the upper lifeline

In spite of the double LL gates on both sides of the cockpit, I have to dock bow-in, so needed bow gates. SO, you might do what I did and install pelican hooks on the front of the lifelines, both upper and lower. You can swing the LL down to the toe rail, but the entire LL will droop. I cut the LL at the first stanchion and added a coupler there. Actually, if you cut the OEM line, reverse the bow piece and use the pulpit end to connect to the stanchion end, you'll just have to add a pelican hook to the pulpit end.

I still have the OEM LL if anyone needs them. When I planned this out to replace all the lifelines, I bought the big crimping tool and saved enough in labor costs to pay for it. Also stripped the white cover off.

Before I did the LL work, of the upper LLs, one was between the mast shrouds, the other was not. I was "Sailing a Crooked Ship". I noticed the 4 vertical stanchions were leaning outwards, beyond the toerail. I raft with other club boats frequently, and the other boats hit the stanchions and was unacceptable. Not to mention hitting the pilings at the slip. I took the forward PORT ST, moved it to starboard and reinstalled it 180 degrees off, so it leaned INWARD. Checked for vertical from the base and measured how much it had to be bent to be above the toe rail-or a little more inboard. (Of the 4 stanchions, 3 were of differing degrees off.) This same stanchion can be moved to other locations, then have them all bent as needed. Me, I had the first one bent (2.5 to 3 inches?), tried it back in the PORT base for proper bend. GOOD! Then moved it to the aft STBD and PORT for correctness and bend if needed. The results were great. The cost was (IIRC) $165. I took my time getting it done- maybe a week. This meant the KATO shop had to reset the bender to hold the OEM bottom 4 or 5 inches while the rest was bent.

All-in-all, this was a multi-faceted job, but might as well do the stanchions before re-doing the LL.
REP, s/v TERI LYN III, 5-30-2018

 

[Joe]

Great idea Thinwater! If I understand you, you are suggesting I connect it further up the pulpit on the horizontal bar to see how I like it. We don't have a spinnaker and there is almost zero time spent on the foredeck under sail so I like this idea.
Thanks,
Dan

To clarify, instead of attaching your shortened lifeline lower down the pulpit tube with this Hayn pulpit anchor tie it to the pulpit's forward vertical tube and build a short extension with wire or dyneema line. The rope option would be 2 or 3 wraps of 1/4" dyneema, tied or spliced end to end. A shackle for the pulpit anchor and the open loop for the turnbuckle's toggle. With wire you build a pendant (which is a handy thing to have anyway) out length with metal eye's on each end.