My PVC coated lifelines need replacing. Not wanting the coated wire again, I'm unsure of what diameter wire to go for? I think the coated wire is about 5mm outside diameter, is that about right for bare stainless replacement? What about construction 7x19, 7X7, 1X7? What diameter for the lower lines?
Yacht is a NS370.
Many thanks for help/advice!
I just replaced my top and bottom lines with 4mm.
Both the same thickness.
Not sure what the wire construction was - I just left it to guy at the shop.
Your spot on re plastic coated, get rid of them.
They aren't allowed in ocean racing (unseen corrosion).
Most yachting shops tend to have lifeline wire.
If your planning to race - check your blue book for specifications
1 x 19 is standard for lifelines, anymore strands and it tends to break and leave sharp bits too easily. 4mm (5/32) is fine for your boat.
If you use a turnbuckle with a swaged stud on one end and a swaged eye with a thimble on the other you can take your old line in to get them made and leave the staunchions on the boat.
Out of interest, Dyneema is no legal and not a bad option, especially if you can splice it your self.
I used the white plastic coated life lines when I completed my rebuild 5 years ago....... After 5 years and around 5,000 Nm they are due for replacement, although I'm sure I could get another 5,000 Nm before replacement!
Thanks people, 1x19 4mm appears the go.
My current lifelines are are terminated with lashings through an eye at both ends. It's the original lifelines and they look hand crimped, but I may be wrong, will check again.
Next question is on how to terminate, lashing, turnbuckle, pelican?
I was thinking of this project as DIY but that would only be for lashing on a hand crimped eye.
Suggestions on whether this is better done by a professional rigger? Racing will only be inshore social and also some cruising along the coast.
Hi there, I have not long done this on my boat.
The question is do you need to provide a safety certificate with your club, to be able to race, even short social, or twilight races need a cat7.
I prefer lashing one end, with a shackle at the bow, it is safer to swage directly onto the pulpit, but I like to be able to remove the lifeline for any work or such that may be needed in the future.
Pelican clips are used at the gates, and I tape mine up before a passage, so they don't suddenly pop open when you are leaning against them on the bow in the middle of the night......
Turnbuckles are fine too, but you have to be more accurate cutting and swaging, nothing worse than seeing an extra shackle here and there, and having to remember to make sure they are tight on a regular basis.
The lashing is cheap, every boat should have a roll of VB cord......and easy to do. When it starts to look old, it's time to replace it.
The blue book does have requirements, I think the lashing has a maximum allowable length of 100mm (maybe 150mm but sounds too long) and a minimum of 8?? Turns of the lashing.....maybe old days as haven looked at a book in some time.
It is actualy an easy job, just requiring a swaging tool, but if you have any doubts, in the interest of safety, get a more knowledgeable person or rigger to help the 1st time.
Cheers
Rick
And I also bought a full 100m roll for less than $1/m from local hardware store as they use the same wire for balustrading.....
BIAS was $3/m.....and I have since seen it cheaper on flea bay....
Cheers
Rick
You might want to have a look at this website which describes lifelines and lashings.
smallboatprojects.blogspot.com/2012/03/diy-lifelines.html
I don't know whether there is any truth in the assertion in this project about lashings for lifelines being a requirement in England.
The white plastic covered ones nearly killed my Dad about 10 years ago when he fell through them in the middle of the night, in a storm offshore. By the time I got him back on the boat he was so exhausted he couldn't get up for 24 hours and I tore most of the muscles in my right arm lifting his 130kgs onto the boat because he couldn't climb up himself. Best not to use them I reckon.
As I said above, get a pro to do it becasue if you do it your self I guarantee you'll end up with sharp bits sticking out of the swage and an ugly looking swage that has sharp bits itself.
If you get the pro to put an eye in one end and a roll sage stud that screws into a turnbuckle then it all can be made off the boat and then installed yourself.
Oh and don't buy the crap hardware store wire!!! It's terrible quality and within 12 months you'll have rust and broken strands!! A good rigger will use the same wire that he uses for rigging and personally I wouldn't use ballustrading wire for my rigging so why trust it to hold people on board 
"Oh and don't buy the crap hardware store wire!!! It's terrible quality and within 12 months you'll have rust and broken strands!! "
I tend to agree on some things you may get from a hardware, but some things you get from a marine chandler are just as bad.
The wire I got from my hardware store is the same brand that was on the floor at Whitworths..... 18 months on and still perfect. I trust my kids lives with it.
The hardware store stuff is usually pretty good, because as a carpenter and builder, if I did a stainless wire rope handrail for one of my customers on the water or ocean front, and it started to corrode or discolour within 6-7 years, I would be liable for replacement. I can hear them screaming down the phone at me now!!
And I did say that if he had any doubts to get it professionally done. But I believe it is one of those things that anybody with basic knowledge and skills could attempt.
cheers
Rick
replacing lifelines is not rocket science.
Buy quality wire and fittings.
Save money on a cheap tshirts or aldi beer, not safety equipment.
If your got a boat, invest in a swaging tool.
Neat swaging is possible, easier with an extra pair of hands, one to hold the swager in position, and the other to squeeze. Take your time, and multiple passes over the ferrule will avoid deformed of spiky swages.
Practice on one or 2 to start, and test what your done.
Easy way to trimcut the wire after swaging is a small cordless angle grinder, does a neat job.
I replace my own, and do trust the job with my life and family whenever we go sailing.
If doing lifeline swageing your self, put a length of heat shrink tube over the wire before swageing, swage and then shrink the tube over the swage.
Eliminates sharp edges and prickles but no doubt there will be an argument against that re corrosion etc.
