Lifelines
- Thread starter Plane to sea
- Start date
ISAF: 5/32 if wire, 3/16 if HMPE. Coverings and over braids are not counted. For racing the wire must be bare, but for cruising it's your call.
Just completed this upgrade...
Defender Marine has the wire and the fittings for you to do yourself. The wire is 1x7 (uncoated $ 1.39 a foot).
The fittings I used were Suncor. You can install them yourself and save a ...dare I say it...a boatload (humor...coming at ya.)
My concern was having the wire measured correctly. I took one of my lifelines off the boat, brought it home, measured it carefully and ordered a foot more.
I ordered one lifeline with two Suncor fittings. I wanted to see how easy it would work. I put one fitting on in the comfort of my home then went to the boat to install the other end. Took about 15 minutes per fitting. Each fitting has a built-in "toggle adjustment" so you have about three inches of "fudging" at each end.
Each of my lifelines cost about $ 139.00 in parts. Defender will cut the wire to approximate length. The final cut is made using a Dremel type tool with a cutting wheel.
The upside of DIY is that the fittings are reusable if/when you replace the wire.
Completly changed the look of the boat (coated wire to uncoated wire).
Defender Marine has the wire and the fittings for you to do yourself. The wire is 1x7 (uncoated $ 1.39 a foot).
The fittings I used were Suncor. You can install them yourself and save a ...dare I say it...a boatload (humor...coming at ya.)
My concern was having the wire measured correctly. I took one of my lifelines off the boat, brought it home, measured it carefully and ordered a foot more.
I ordered one lifeline with two Suncor fittings. I wanted to see how easy it would work. I put one fitting on in the comfort of my home then went to the boat to install the other end. Took about 15 minutes per fitting. Each fitting has a built-in "toggle adjustment" so you have about three inches of "fudging" at each end.
Each of my lifelines cost about $ 139.00 in parts. Defender will cut the wire to approximate length. The final cut is made using a Dremel type tool with a cutting wheel.
The upside of DIY is that the fittings are reusable if/when you replace the wire.
Completly changed the look of the boat (coated wire to uncoated wire).
You may want to see my description of using fabric lifelines instead of wire. Cost is less and it is a do-it yourself job.
I used Denemma line from New England rope. You can get it from West Marine or Defender. I used "Splicing Nuts'
I went with 3/8" just for looks, it's almost three times stronger than the wire.
Both Sail magazine[latest issue] and practical sailor have articals[sic]. on it.
You can get new fittings made for Denemma from the C.S. Johnson people, they are the ones who make the turnbuckles, gates etc.
The proper spelling is Dyneema. A similar option is Spectra. Both are very strong, very light, and importantly, resistant to UV.
Has anyone created an instructional video on how to install Dyneema lifelines? How about thoughts about using Dyneema?
Last edited:
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,390
I applaud the DIY project of life lines. But, since I am considering sailing my boat on the open ocean, I decided the 3 or 5 hand crimp plan with borrowed crimper just was not as secure as a hydraulic swage machine. So I had them done at WM Rigging in Seattle. Took me 2 weeks to get them back. 316 wire rope and C.S. Johnson fittings/terminals, machine swaged out the door at $700 on my 35ft boat. Went with dyneema line for the gates, mainly for the feel. Very pleased. Checked with 3 shops in the area. The season is starting many of the shops were talking 4 to 6 weeks. If there had been a delay I might have gone the DIY method.
Looking forward to installing them is the next week.
Looking forward to installing them is the next week.
WM also has a walk in service for swaging. your mileage will vary finding an attendant that actually knows how to use the machine and they will have NO CLUE as to how long to make things.
I just priced out a set of lifelines for a customer who thought he wanted the quick attach fittings. My cost on the parts alone was over $900.00 then the labor. I called my rigger and had the job done for less that half what it would have cost the customer and it was done with machine swaging....