Ok to remove guard wire plastic covering?

[Carduelis]

The white plastic guard wires on my boat are cracked and in a couple of places rust stained and worn. Since the wires inside are stainless, is there any reason why I shouldn't just strip off the plastic with a knife?

Most newer boats seem to have plain wires. I prefer the look, and it seems safer to me because you can see any damage.

Thoughts anyone ..?

 

[sailorman]

no reason why not,some think the plastic masks corrosion issues

 

[Robin]

no reason why not,some think the plastic masks corrosion issues

We replaced the ones on the Jeanneau Sun Legende we used to own and were advised by the rigger that race rules now insist on uncovered wires, we went for 5mm instead of 4mm that is plastic coated. Our current Beneteau also has plastic covered wires that show some corrosion where the coating is damaged, it is on our to do list to replace them with 5mm uncoated stainless, the larger diameter makes for being more grab friendly as well as being stronger

 

[Vara]

I stripped the plastic of my guard wire five years ago, the world did not end, in terms of strength the plastic brings nothing to the party. If you don't have them some plastic bushes for where the wire passes through the stanchion wouldn't go amiss.

 

[Ripster]

Our current Beneteau also has plastic covered wires that show some corrosion where the coating is damaged, it is on our to do list to replace them with 5mm uncoated stainless, the larger diameter makes for being more grab friendly as well as being stronger

+1 Likewise on our current Bavaria. The brown staining on the white covering looks dreadful and in any case where the wires pass through the posts, the cover is already cut and damaged and this only over 3 years. Don't understand why all wires are not just SS to start with.

 

[FullCircle]

The RNLI Sea Safety Check Inspector commented that guard wires should be without plastic as this facilitates inspection, and stainless doesn't corrode in air, but will when covered.

I stripped mine off in 2010, no issues.

 

[catlotion]

Stripped ours off our Beneteau Oceanis too - was split in many places and discoloured (1986 model). No problems and looks a lot smarter. The only issue is that it's a little rough on hands as the strands are not designed to be exposed. They're not frayed or sharp but just a little rough.

 

[LadyInBed]

Yep, as above.
Leave wire connected and run a knife along it like a spoke plane.
Then the plastic strips off easy.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

The major problem with stripping off the plastic is that the wire inside is likely to be one size too small. The one thing that keeps me from replacing mine with uncovered SS wire is the cost of twelve swaged eyes. As has been said above, ISAF rules do not allow plastic covering unless easily removable for inspection. Dyneema is now accepted for lifelines instead of metal wire.

 

[Aeolus]

Another problem may be if your sheets rub against the wire - mine do and they generate noise and probably increased wear on the sheets.

 

[Iliade]

I found that mine snagged hair after the covering was removed.

 

[rich]

A friend of mine had a really bad fall from his Fisher 34 when climbing a ladder in the harbour when the tide was out ,he pulled himself up by grabbing the plastic covered wire,it failed and he fell breaking a leg & concussion, he was lucky that someone saw him fall,he was under the boat & the tide was rising, thanks to the fire service they got him out just in time & floated him over to the slipway, he was aged 70+.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Another problem may be if your sheets rub against the wire - mine do and they generate noise and probably increased wear on the sheets.

Reading these posts has decided me to strip mine - because the rusty cracks look bad and could be hiding something even worse.
To get round the problem of chaffing at/through the stanchions I intend to use short lengths of the plastic "split tubing" for shroud covers. I may even put some longer lengths at points where sheets and sails come into contact (e.g. bow, fairleads), and where I lean against when helming.
The advantage of this method IMHO is that the covering is "mobile" and can be shifted for inspection.

 

[Graham_Wright]

There used to be a theory that the continuous circuit could interfere with DF readings. Anyone remember DF?

 

[Vara]

There used to be a theory that the continuous circuit could interfere with DF readings. Anyone remember DF?

Quadrantal error, solved by putting string fixings from wire to pushpit, which isn't a bad idea anyway as it allows wire to be released with a knife.

RDF a device which with application and diligence could fix your location to plus or minus one continent.

 

[pmagowan]

Quadrantal error, solved by putting string fixings from wire to pushpit, which isn't a bad idea anyway as it allows wire to be released with a knife.

RDF a device which with application and diligence could fix your location to plus or minus one continent.

Yes, we triangulated our position so accurately with RDF that we shared the inside of the triangle with the Isle of Man!

 

[mrming]

I stripped the plastic off mine this year as we were competing in RTIR and they are not allowed. Sure enough they were corroded under the plastic and we ended up replacing the lot.

 

[charles_reed]

Yes, we triangulated our position so accurately with RDF that we shared the inside of the triangle with the Isle of Man!

Having used RDF extensively during the 1970s, it would appear that the device is being blamed for gross operator-error. I would agree that marine radio-beacons were feeble and their occasional signal often prevented you from getting accurate bearings - but aerobeacons were just great.

As regards wire guard rails, why not replace them with Vectran, Dyneema or Spectra - usually for the same diameter stronger than plastic covered wire and far, far kinder to body parts of those thrown against them. There are several other secondary benefits which preserve the integrity of stanchions.

It's true that the OCC bans plastic covered wire.

 

[Robin]

I found that mine snagged hair after the covering was removed.

Use the western roll to get on board instead of the leg over move?

 

[BruceDanforth]

I snapped one of my wire coated guard rail wires last year when I hauled the dinghy onboard. I have replaced them with 7x19 stainless wire which is much more pliable and nicer to handle than the wire you will be likely left with if you strip the plastic off your existing wires. If they are cracked and stained they could well be rotted anyway. It wasn't that expensive to do.