For a long time I have disliked the way the lifelines on my 26S have interfered with getting in and out of the cockpit and prevented crewmembers from sitting on the gunwales to help balance the boat. I have toyed with a modification idea and am determined to bring it to fruition while I have the boat hauled out for the winter.
Refer to attached drawing.
My plan is to take the aft stanchion on each side and move it back close to the aft end of the cabin cover. Rather than attaching the lifelines to the eyelets on the cockpit gunwales, they would attach to the stanchions. An after-market brace such as this one: Stainless Steel Stanchion Brace | S3610-0600 would provide the needed support for the relocated stanchion (see red line in "Proposed configuration" portion of the drawing).
The way I see it, nothing is lost in this approach. The section of the lifeline between the aft stanchion and the attachment at the gunwale was never really high enough to provide any added safety, and is frequently in the way when entering or exiting the cockpit.
Part of this mod may include going to Dyneema lifelines, but I may wait on that.
Refer to attached drawing.
My plan is to take the aft stanchion on each side and move it back close to the aft end of the cabin cover. Rather than attaching the lifelines to the eyelets on the cockpit gunwales, they would attach to the stanchions. An after-market brace such as this one: Stainless Steel Stanchion Brace | S3610-0600 would provide the needed support for the relocated stanchion (see red line in "Proposed configuration" portion of the drawing).
The way I see it, nothing is lost in this approach. The section of the lifeline between the aft stanchion and the attachment at the gunwale was never really high enough to provide any added safety, and is frequently in the way when entering or exiting the cockpit.
Part of this mod may include going to Dyneema lifelines, but I may wait on that.
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