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Replace life line covering


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Hi all,

 

I need to replace my top lifeline covering, it's aged and started to crack and split.

 

As I can't replace the covering without cutting the wire, I thought now might be a good time to switch to Dyneema top lines.

 

On other boats I have always found Dyneema life lines to suffer from abrasion and constantly needing replacement, therefore my thought was to use Dyneema inside the plastic lifeline covering.

 

Subject to no one saying that this is a ridiculous idea (and giving a reason why) :-)

 

Where in Auckland (or online) can I purchase the life line covering?

 

Thanks folks!

 

 

 

 

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The usual product used for 4mm wire is "Fender Insert" should be available from your favourite chandlers. Be warned though, threading 4mm dyneema or such is a right pain in the neck.

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The usual product used for 4mm wire is "Fender Insert" should be available from your favourite chandlers. Be warned though, threading 4mm dyneema or such is a right pain in the neck.

I guess you'd push a wire through and pull the dyneema.

 

My concern would be that the cover would make visual inspection difficult.

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We got ours from Dynex Extrusions on Rosebank Rd. Can't remember the product code sorry. It may well have been called "lifeline cover". Pretty sure it came in a 40m roll. Not expensive from memory.

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Read the Cat rules first, it is worthwhile.

 

LIFELINES
17.17 The minimum diameter lifeline wire shall be: X X X R R
Yachts under 8.5m (LOA) 3mm
Yachts 8.5m to 13m 4mm
Yachts over 13m 5mm
Wire manufactured with a plastic coating
shall not be used.
Grade 316 Stainless Wire is recommended –
1x19. Tape unacceptable.
If fibre used instead of wire e.g. single
braided dyneema, spectra, vectran, dynex
or similar, there can be no tolerance for
wear. Material must be protected from U.V.
and chafe by a sheath.
Sheath can be taken as an overbraided core
over the main load member of the same
material or another type of material.
The strength of the fibre must be equal to or
greater than that of the appropriate stainless
steel wire.
The wire shall show no significant signs
of corrosion or weathering. When plastic
tubing has been used it should be cut at its
lowest point to allow any water to drain.
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I have 4mm sheathed dyneema on my top lifelines. Its awesome. No chafe issues, care needs to be taken through stantions.

My lower is still wire due to inability to protect from chafe through stantions

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Yip.  I've mentioned this before... lifelines on Oliver are now Dyneema "Supercable"  Perhaps ask the guys at Chain Ropes and Anchors to splice to the correct length.  It's small and very tricky.  

 

Light weight.  Easy on the Hands.  And the best bit is; if the lifelines need to be removed to maintain stanchions, simply pull the line through.  No cutting swaged wire rope... 

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I have 4mm sheathed dyneema on my top lifelines. Its awesome. No chafe issues, care needs to be taken through stantions.

My lower is still wire due to inability to protect from chafe through stantions

 

 

Same as clipper and the bonus with dyneema is its easy to take it off to replace/fit foam tube to top life line

 

 

Do you guys have some pictures of the product and how it goes through the life lines?   I'm just about to do this myself and am undecided about sticking with stainless or going synthetic.

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Mine is just plan old sheathed dyneema off the roll as per cat3 specs. lashed on at the ends with 2mm dyneema . Knot me would throw a tanty about the bowlines at the pulpit/push pit for attaching but it’s held my 100kg crew onboard a couple of times. I don’t have any sign of chafe at staunchions yet after almost a year , holes are well radiused which helps

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I haven't got pics. Mine has an eye spliced into each end (by CRA) and cow-hitched through the pulpit and lashed to the pushpit.  I spliced a few short bits for stern lifelines, its quite fiddly and with almost no stretch in  the dyneema cover it was a challenge for a splicing newby like me.  i wish I could replace my lower wire too, but chafe would be too much of an issue through the stanchions.

 

Mine has 50mm lengthsoff lifeline cover tube at each stanchion to prevent chafe there.

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