Wire for guard rails

[prv]

try restoring lashings in the middle of the night in the dark in a gale, after at least some of the crew is out of action and the rest tired after a MOB.

With these hooks it's a simple clip on then one has full guardrails restored...

I'm not trying to suggest that lashings are better than manufactured hooks. I'm just saying they're not all that bad.

I haven't tried securing guardrail lashings in your stated conditions, but I have secured square topsail clew gaskets on my own in the middle of the night, in the dark, in a strong gale, while tired, and raise you a hailstorm and climbing 50 feet above the deck to do it.

My guardrail lashings are within arm's reach of the cockpit and there is a stowage pocket on the cockpit bulkhead full of suitable short pieces of line.

Pete

 

[Sniper]

Alternative to what ?!

Either guardrails can be quickly detached - and re-attached - simple as that, ask any life saving outfit.

I am amazed this is even open for discussion in 2011, shows what tight wallets and lack of experience / imagianation some people have.

I'm amazed that you choose to express your opinion in such a pejorative way, given that there is usually more than one satisfactory solution to any problem, most definitely including this one.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Thanks for the replies - I can see the possible problem with chafing on 7 x 19 wire.
In any case I think I'll put some sleeving on the wires where they pass through the stanchions.

Definitely put nylon sleeving particularly if you have Alloy stanchions. The stainless WILL corrode through the Alloy and seriously weaken the stanchion - before I replaced all my alooy stanchions a couple of years ago, over winter and with a cover over the boat two stanchions broke. I immediately replaced all the stanchions with nylon sleeves where they pass through the stanchions. From memory it was 6mm bore x 8mm Diameter obtainable from a Pneumatic supplier or similar. Get the sleeves, 4" long, slipped on the new wire before swaging the ends. Secure with Amalgamating tape when in position. If wire already swage then you can slit the tubing with a spiral cut so it can be wound on.

 

[Hoolie]

Definitely put nylon sleeving particularly if you have Alloy stanchions. The stainless WILL corrode through the Alloy and seriously weaken the stanchion - before I replaced all my alooy stanchions a couple of years ago, over winter and with a cover over the boat two stanchions broke. I immediately replaced all the stanchions with nylon sleeves where they pass through the stanchions. From memory it was 6mm bore x 8mm Diameter obtainable from a Pneumatic supplier or similar. Get the sleeves, 4" long, slipped on the new wire before swaging the ends. Secure with Amalgamating tape when in position. If wire already swage then you can slit the tubing with a spiral cut so it can be wound on.

Thanks. I do have stainless stanchions so corrosion won't be a major problem. However the existing wires ARE corroded where they pass through the stanchions so I will put nylon sleeves - pneumatic as you suggest - to prevent abrasion. .. ... ... with Pelican hooks

 

[ChiPete]

Good idea re the nylon sleeving, however, I'm a tad concerned about self amalgamating tape used to secure them.

I wonder if heat shrink could be used instead:

http://www.heatshrink-online.co.uk/heatshrink/cat_146279--013-White-Heatshrink-21-Ratio.html

That way, the additional protection is almost seamless and you're not so dependent on another function (the tape) to secure it. Appreciate it won't work if you are already swaged...

Has anyone any experience of Jimmy Green Marine's guardrail make up service? Any feedback?

 

[Hoolie]

Heat shrink

The down side to using heat shrink is that it traps seawater and excludes air.
This makes the wire liable to corrosion in the same way as PVC covered wire.

 

[Sniper]

Good idea re the nylon sleeving, however, I'm a tad concerned about self amalgamating tape used to secure them.

I wonder if heat shrink could be used instead:

http://www.heatshrink-online.co.uk/heatshrink/cat_146279--013-White-Heatshrink-21-Ratio.html

That way, the additional protection is almost seamless and you're not so dependent on another function (the tape) to secure it. Appreciate it won't work if you are already swaged...

Has anyone any experience of Jimmy Green Marine's guardrail make up service? Any feedback?

I had mine made up by Jimmy Green and have no problems with the service. They came exactly as I specified and within a few days as well.

 

[Quandary]

The down side to using heat shrink is that it traps seawater and excludes air.
This makes the wire liable to corrosion in the same way as PVC covered wire.

This is important advice, SS wire wrapped up tight is vulnerable to the dreaded crevice corrosion. If you are going to sleeve you stanchions use tube that is a tight fit in the holes but a loose fit around the wire. A bit of tape around the tube either side of the posts will keep it in place when the inevitable 18st. hooligan rafted up to you, uses your guard wires as a pull up to hoist himself on board from a low pontoon.
Sleeving was perhaps necessary for softer alloy stanchions where the holes used to go oval quite rapidly but with stainless steel wire through SS posts I do not notice any detectable wear so I no longer bother.

 

[mitiempo]

One solution I have used is a short piece of stainless pipe through the hole in the stainless stanchion and flared where it exits. Any good welder/machine shop can do this and it eliminates chafe where the wire passes through.

 

[Quandary]

One solution I have used is a short piece of stainless pipe through the hole in the stainless stanchion and flared where it exits. Any good welder/machine shop can do this and it eliminates chafe where the wire passes through.

But surely most proprietary tubular stainless steel stanchions are already made exactly like that?

 

[Seajet]

I'm amazed that you choose to express your opinion in such a pejorative way, given that there is usually more than one satisfactory solution to any problem, most definitely including this one.

When it comes to such fundamental safety kit, and I have found an answer which suits well - while seeing others fit rubbish - you bet I'll put it strongly, it's not as if I was making a profit out of it some way is it ?!

 

[mitiempo]

Quandary

Some stanchions are but some have plastic of some kind instead. In my case I was having the stanchions custom made to raise the lifelines. My current boat has a plastic of some type and it will be replaced with stainless in the spring when the lifelines are renewed.

 

[Seajet]

The standard stanchion height was 24", but some boat manufacturers ( not Andersons ) in the 1970's / 80's fitted shorter jobs "so the boat would look bigger / better" !

 

[mitiempo]

I was going from the standard 24" to 28" on a Verl 900 at the time. Yes there is at least one Verl in western Canada.

 

[PerformanceSailor]

A better "pelican" hook

One of the best gate closures ever is pictured in reply #19 in this thread on another forum. http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoex...-lifelines-a-do-it-yourself-job&referrerid=28

They close securely and have No tendency to pop open even when the pin is first pulled. They are a clever and thoughtful design. It's been some years since the install and we still like them a Lot.


LB

 

[Hoolie]

They look quite similar to the second type posted by Snooks at post #13 on this thread. I can see the the pin is angled to minimise the strain on it and, yes, I guess it won't easily open even when the pin is withdrawn. Surely better than the other type with a ring!