Well, it looks like US Sailing will adopt the ISAF ban on high-tech rope lifelines next year. Sorry you racers and others who went that way. So, there will be a bonus for riggers coming up. Anyhow, it got me to thinking: how many documented fatalities have there been with coated steel lifelines anyway? I did some research and could find nothing. There are some second-hand reports of lifeline failures and a warning about inferior coated cable and a 1998 study pointing to pushpit failure in actual testing (contrasted to cable failure). So, does anyone have a measure of reliable documented failures? I'm suspicious this is just one of those "look what could happen" things that generates a life of its own.
This is sort of morbid curiosity since I buy that uncoated lifelines are easier to inspect and I have replaced two sections of line at gates where they are bent a lot and where I saw rust in a fracture of the coating in the middle of the gate. So, when it comes time for replacement, I'll go uncoated. Still, there are a bazillion older boats with uncoated original lifelines around (most?) and I'm not aware of failures first-hand.
"January 26, 2014 ISAF Bans Dyneema/Spectra lifelines
At the ISAF AGM in Palma, Majorca, Spain last November, the Oceanic and Offshore committee issued a ban on the use of HMPE (Dyneema/Spectra) lifelines in offshore races (Category 0, 1, 2, and 3) effective 1 January 2015. See http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/OSR2015AmendmentSheet12012015v2-%5B18222%5D.pdf
This ban is in place because of concerns over HMPE susceptibility to chafe and burn-through. It is hoped that these concerns will be resolved prior to the 2016-2017 edition of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations. HMPE is still permitted for Category 4 events.
The US Sailing Safety at Sea Committee believes a 1 January 2015 effective date does not give sufficient lead time to US racers using HMPE to change materials. They have issued a US Sailing Prescription that changes the effective date to 1 January 2016."
PS to add: BTW, I am curious if the use of uncoated lifelines will foster more chafe. I know that, especially when poled out, my jib sheets do rub on the lifeline as does the downhaul on the pole. I don't think it's any big deal or cause for concern, but it seems obvious there will be some increase.And, of course, when the jib isn't skirted in, it might be laying on the upper lifeline.
This is sort of morbid curiosity since I buy that uncoated lifelines are easier to inspect and I have replaced two sections of line at gates where they are bent a lot and where I saw rust in a fracture of the coating in the middle of the gate. So, when it comes time for replacement, I'll go uncoated. Still, there are a bazillion older boats with uncoated original lifelines around (most?) and I'm not aware of failures first-hand.
"January 26, 2014 ISAF Bans Dyneema/Spectra lifelines
At the ISAF AGM in Palma, Majorca, Spain last November, the Oceanic and Offshore committee issued a ban on the use of HMPE (Dyneema/Spectra) lifelines in offshore races (Category 0, 1, 2, and 3) effective 1 January 2015. See http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/OSR2015AmendmentSheet12012015v2-%5B18222%5D.pdf
This ban is in place because of concerns over HMPE susceptibility to chafe and burn-through. It is hoped that these concerns will be resolved prior to the 2016-2017 edition of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations. HMPE is still permitted for Category 4 events.
The US Sailing Safety at Sea Committee believes a 1 January 2015 effective date does not give sufficient lead time to US racers using HMPE to change materials. They have issued a US Sailing Prescription that changes the effective date to 1 January 2016."
PS to add: BTW, I am curious if the use of uncoated lifelines will foster more chafe. I know that, especially when poled out, my jib sheets do rub on the lifeline as does the downhaul on the pole. I don't think it's any big deal or cause for concern, but it seems obvious there will be some increase.And, of course, when the jib isn't skirted in, it might be laying on the upper lifeline.
