Guardrails

[mickp]

I have been quoted a large figure to replace my guardrails with new wire ? Is there a kit that can be bought to replace them yourself ? I dont think it is a particularly difficult job, nor would it take to much time. I just dont have the tools ?
Anyone done their own if so how ?

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Why don,t you just buy the stainless steel wire and get Norsman terminals for each end, the only tools you will need is a couple of spanners and a means of cutting the wire. Best way is to measure the length of wire you need and add a bit. Make up one end with a Norseman terminal, feed the wires through the stanchions to get the corect length, mark the wire with some masking tape and take it back to the chandlers to get them to cut the wire with there cutters. After that, back to the boat, feed the wire through again and make up the other Norseman terminals. Dont forget to set the terminals adjustmnet before you measure other wise you will not have any adjustment.

John C

 

[LadyInBed]

As the loops in the end of the wires wont fit through the stanchions. I would have thought that if you measure up the lengths of wire required, removed the stanchions and wire then hawked them round to a chandler or two who does wire crimping. You should get the job done for the price of the wire and the crimping thereof.
If you can't get the stanchions off the boat, then you are into a whole new ball game. I've no idea how much a crimping tool might cost.

 

[LadyInBed]

A much better idea than mine!

 

[Bergman]

Perhaps a good idea to leave the length a bit short and finish after end in a loop type terminal and attach to pushpit with a tie that can be cut thro with a knife. Just in case you want rid of the wire, say to get someone inboard after MOB.

 

[Avocet]

At one end, mine are proper crimped terminals. I then threaded them through the stanchions and the other end I just formed into a small loop by putting a couple of those miniature "U" clamps on the cable (I think they're called "gripples" but am not sure - they are galvanised steel and came from a caravan shop for joining trailer brake cables. they're only pennies to buy. I then have a short lashing securing the loop to the boat so I can cut it in a hurry if I need to fish someone out of the water

 

[dickh]

As avocet says, try grips - you can get stainless ones nowadays, trouble is it looks messy & potentally dangerous - cover with plastic pipe?
Normally you have a Talurit eye at one end with an M8 stud swaged on the other end - the M8 stud should go through your stanchion holes, then a eye is screwed on the stud and you finish with a lanyard of about 4-6" long. The lanyard so you can cut it in an emergency and also it helps VHF reception - breaks the 'circle' around the boat. The Talurit eye is shackled to the pullpit - and moused with monel wire. Try shopping around to get the best price from chandleries or try www.jimmygreenmarine.co.uk - you will get a good price during the winter months.
I had mine done by Z-Spars in Hadley - if I remember about £90 for a 27' yacht(4 wires).
The norseman terminals are expensive and I suspect iy's cheaper to get them swaged.



dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Twister_Ken]

Try asking your friendly neighbourhood rigger. I got mine replaced a couple of years back for only a few quid more than it would have cost me to buy the materials from a chandlery.

 

[rhinorhino]

Why wire?

 

[pandroid]

People like Jimmy Green do guardrails. You can get them to put on end fittings that come apart and therefore will feed through the holes in the stanchions. I bought mine by post. I used a rope lanyard to cope with adjustment.

 

[bigmart]

I sell the same type of rigging for buiding applications.

The rope is relatively cheap it's the fittings that cost the money. Careful consideration as to which terminals you use can make a large differenct to the price you end up paying.

A simple soft eye with a crimp or a hard eye formed around a thimble is by far cheaper than a crimped thread terminal & self make terminals should be 24 carat gold for their price.

Final attachment with a rope lanyard is an extremely good idea.

martin

 

[charles_reed]

You won't save a right lot by changing - I'm using Spectra rather than wire on mine, it's 40% of the weight, 10% stronger than the same diameter of ss wire, and costs the same per metre run, essentially you save on the fittings and swaging.
The main benefits are that you don't injure yourself quite as much when you're thrown against them in a seaway, people don't grab them to handle the boat and of course the weight is less.
Disadvantages - stretch (chafe is a minor problem) and they get grubby.

You could try galvanised wire - OK until it starts rusting in about year 4, but about 1/3 the price/m of ss.

 

[frilaens]

I was interested in the postings as I have guard rails that are in pretty bad shape and have thought about replacing them. I didn't know what a "Norseman" was so searched a bit on the web. This product came up and seems good; however I don't know the price. What I liked was that the fittings are strong and re-usable; from experience I know I never seem to measure anything correctly first time however hard I try to plan ahead

http://bosunsupplies.com/QuickAttach.cfm