Any experience with Hi-Mod / Hayn Marine?

Jul 13, 2015
893
Catalina 22 #2552 2252 Kennewick, WA
I've actually contemplated (for 5 seconds) a $5,000.00 compact roller swager (yeah right-- maybe I'll start a second career as a C-22 rigger-- BUT in the process I stumbled across these mechanical (bonus; removable for repair/inspection) fittings in 316.

Anyone played with these? I'm going in......

Hi-MOD Fittings by Hayn Marine

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Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
That is a nice do it yourself solution. Did a google on them and just about everyone carries them so looks to be a proven product.
I don’t have a reference point on cost vs having new ones made up in a shop though but it sounds like you already made that assessment.
 
Jul 13, 2015
893
Catalina 22 #2552 2252 Kennewick, WA
figure at about 60 bucks per fitting it's worth a shot-- I can always go back to crimping but this appears so much cleaner -- and can actually be sealed with locktite blue. Rated at full breaking strength of the wire....
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
I've had a Hayn Hi-Mod on the top of my forestay for a couple seasons now. I needed to shorten the stay by a few inches (I had messed up the top of the cable; thankfully, I also needed to raise the lower end a bit to keep the furler clear of the anchor). The Hi-Mod made it an easy fix without removing the stay from the furler foil.

I'm always hesitant to place much weight on, someone saying, "mine hasn't broken" :) But I've had no complaints. And you're right that they're spec'd for full cable strength, and that it seems lots of full-time cruisers are using them. I don't remember why I chose Hayn over Norseman or Sta-Lok. Maybe because of @Maine Sail's recommendation at SailNet Community - Hi Mod fittings.

I think you can beat $60 each for the 1/8" model. E.g. ~$45 at Hayn Marine Hi-Mod Compression Eye Fittings (SBO is out of stock of 1/8" at the moment, but I bet they'll get some more in). The instructions call for a specific cleaner and Lok-tite. So doing it cost me $60+ to do one, and I now have some cleaner I'll probably never use again and Lok-tite that I might. But if you're doing a bunch, that $20 will cover all of them.
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Good intel! let the games begin :)
Curiosity question: Are you planning to replace all your standing rigging with this system? If so, what are your motivations? (vs. ~$500 for the full kit from CD, or going synthetic with WR2 or another heat-set Dyneema). Just user-inspectability? Or do you have other goals as well?
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
Great stuff, as good or better compared with other choices. I’ve used them in my net perimeters (a critical load) for years and they hold solid. I’m also using one in my rudder downhaul.
 
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Jul 13, 2015
893
Catalina 22 #2552 2252 Kennewick, WA
@AaronD : definitely on track to completely replace all the standing rigging in conjunction with a forestay reinforcement and chainplate hardware. Primary motivation is customization. I will add to the forestay and forward lowers the quick disconnects from C.SJ in addition to upgrading the diameter of the forward lowers. Theoretically I should be able to add all of the above without modification to the factory shroud dimensions-- but I've had some challenges with my forestay/backstay being what I perceive as not quite right. Definitely the forestay is too tight for the quick connect and I've never been happy with it.

What I don't know is if I have inherited something unique, or a PO mod or who knows-- so in the interest of being a control freak I wanted to build my own and have the ability to tweak ever so slightly if necessary.

Secondary to the above was the ability to tool up in a relatively easy manner and effect any ongoing needs myself-- just enjoy having the ability to whip up a new whatever at 10pm at night in the garage. Inspectability/ reuse of hardware is an added bonus.... think get out jail free card when I measure twice cut three times :)
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
Secondary to the above was the ability to tool up in a relatively easy manner and effect any ongoing needs myself-- just enjoy having the ability to whip up a new whatever at 10pm at night in the garage.
Learn to splice Dyneema. Nothing could be easier, and it’s super strong, super light weight and UV resistant. But I’d stick with stainless where abrasion is a factor.
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
I recently attempted to educate myself on standing rigging (previously very rudimentary - wire holds the mast up stuff) and was amazed at all of the new synthetic choices available, I’m not entirely convinced they are better than the proven counter wound stainless stuff for the simple reason that a lot of that rope “probably” isn’t as UV stable, resistant to decay as standard wire. Race boats swap this stuff frequently but “normal” sailors typically don’t. I have only had one mast come down while sailing and that’s WAY too many!
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
Learn to splice Dyneema. Nothing could be easier, and it’s super strong, super light weight and UV resistant. But I’d stick with stainless where abrasion is a factor.
Didn’t mean to step on your toes with my post as I have just started experimenting with dyneema, spectra etc and they are absolutely amazing materials and I don’t want to :hijack: either.
 
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AaronD

.
Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Learn to splice Dyneema. Nothing could be easier, and it’s super strong, super light weight and UV resistant. But I’d stick with stainless where abrasion is a factor.
Agreed that splicing single-braid is easy (and fun!) I'm not sure it's quite as easy to do it for standing rigging, as the length tolerances are pretty tight. Heat-set Dyneema will limit creep, but getting the construction stretch out and splicing to exactly the length you need seems like it might be tricky. See some of @CloudDiver's posts on the topic. That said, I'll probably try it when it's time to replace the standing rigging again. But that shouldn't be for another few years.
 
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Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
Agreed that splicing single-braid is easy (and fun!) I'm not sure it's quite as easy to do it for standing rigging, as the length tolerances are pretty tight. Heat-set Dyneema will limit creep, but getting the construction stretch out and splicing to exactly the length you need seems like it might be tricky. See some of @CloudDiver's posts on the topic. That said, I'll probably try it when it's time to replace the standing rigging again. But that shouldn't be for another few years.
Use lashings. Time tested since the days of clipper ships (and who knows how long before). As for UV stability, I read that in thicker dimensions (and especially in darker colors) UV only affects the outer layers, and if the line is sufficiently oversized to limit creep it’s way oversized for sufficient strength. Dyneema should be good for 10 years or more before replacing, same as recommended for wire rigging. Unless abraded. Dyneema is more UV resistant than other types of line
 
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Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
Use lashings. Time tested since the days of clipper ships (and who knows how long before). As for UV stability, I read that in thicker dimensions (and especially in darker colors) UV only affects the outer layers, and if the line is sufficiently oversized to limit creep it’s way oversized for sufficient strength. Dyneema should be good for 10 years or more before replacing, same as recommended for wire rigging. Unless abraded. Dyneema is more UV resistant than other types of line
Great perspective, and aligns with my recent reading and it’s obvious that you are no stranger to high tech stuff if you are sailing a 1200! It may be just my old school perception creeping in but I just feel safer looking at a stainless connector on a stainless guy when it’s piano wire tight. Perhaps stuck in the mindset of metal is stronger than rope.

I’ve taught myself how to make soft shackles and am learning to trust them but when I consider that I’ve split the weave in half at the point where they open and close (most common point of failure if properly made) and I know the material is subject to abrasion I get a bit nervous.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Swageless, mechanical fitting are pretty popular, especially with cruisers. It's quite feasible to have some wire and a sack of mechanical fittings, such as Hayn and Norseman produce, shipped to you anywhere in the world... allowing the sailor to repair or refit his vessel more conveniently.
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
Swageless, mechanical fitting are pretty popular, especially with cruisers. It's quite feasible to have some wire and a sack of mechanical fittings, such as Hayn and Norseman produce, shipped to you anywhere in the world... allowing the sailor to repair or refit his vessel more conveniently.
You're absolutely right. But Dyneema is less than 1/16th the weight and it's more flexible. That's a big advantage when thinking about shipping or storing a hundred feet or more plus terminals for your spares kit. Coils of 6 or 8mm 1x9 are pretty big in diameter, but a hundred feet of 3/8" Dyneema probably weighs less than 4 pounds and can fit in a small box, where an equal length of steel is probably 30 pounds or more and perhaps 24-30" in diameter.
PS - and if GOBI gets you and the package goes overboard, the Dyneema floats. ;)
 
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Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
I recently attempted to educate myself on standing rigging (previously very rudimentary - wire holds the mast up stuff) and was amazed at all of the new synthetic choices available, I’m not entirely convinced they are better than the proven counter wound stainless stuff for the simple reason that a lot of that rope “probably” isn’t as UV stable, resistant to decay as standard wire. Race boats swap this stuff frequently but “normal” sailors typically don’t. I have only had one mast come down while sailing and that’s WAY too many!
Dyneema has a proven track record. It's been around for much longer than 10 years and proven to hold up just fine when properly sized and assembled. Dyneema is extremely UV resistant (after it forms a sacrificial layer on the outside) and enormously resistant to flex fatigue (unlike wire rope) and lighter weight. It has different physical properties than stainless wire rope, so you have to how to work with a new material. The "rules of thumb" for SS wire rope sizing can't be applied to dyneema. You must spec it for minimal creep rather than breaking strength, which results in it being much strong the wire you replace. Not all dyneema ropes are created equal, so you need to know what formulation you need for your application.

I've had some dyneema rigging on my last two boats, since 2013. It's much more user friendly than stainless wire rope for some applications. I don't use synthetics/dyneema for forestays with furlers that require a turnbuckle/rigging screw that fits inside the lower unit of the furler.

Judy B
 
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