Lifelines, SS vs Amsteel Swageless Johnson fittings were brand new and untested when I replaced our lifelines with 1/4" Amsteel. I might consider using those if I was ever faced with doing a different boat, but I like the Amsteel on my boat, and future replacement look to be far away from now.
In 2007, chose Amsteel because I could do it myself without any special tools, and create a stronger system. I had never splced before, but following the Samson website instructions, it was fairly easy. The first one was hard figuring out fids and fid length jargon, but over time got easier and easier and I developed a system where I could make the loop exactly where i wanted, fine tune on site and next time I will eliminate half of the turnbuckles. Upper lifelines in 7 x 7 strand 3/16" wire is rated for 3700#. The lower lifelines were 1/8# steel rated at 1700#. I replaced uppers and lowers with 1/4" Amsteel rated for 8600# which greatly upgraded the strength of the system, and I can easily replace a section (should chafe appear) at any time without tools or fittings. I used the original turnbuckles to tension the line, instead of lashings. I had one turnbuckle I had to cut off and replace, and another that seemed loose, so replaced both. 8 in total. The rest were reused, by changing the swage fittings to screw eyes. Some are right hand and some left handed, which Johnson made for me. I also replaced the double eye gate fittings, and added pelican hooks to uppers and lowers. When Amsteel is tensioned, it looks and feels just like steel. UV is supposed to be the enemy of Amsteel. One winter season, I removed all of the lifelines and stored aboard in a shoe box, to double their life. That took more than an hour for me to mark them, remove rigging tape and slacken the turnbuckles, remove the clevis pin from each turnbuckle, and coil. Took about te same to put them back on. Now the weekest link are the stanchion bases, which I am starting to strengthen with badly needed backing plates underneath. Tip1; Manmade fibers are hard on scissors, but a new pair of a good brand Fiskars work fine. Tip2; follow the splicing instructions, mark the line, but make your lines a few inches longer. You can always make them shorter by resplicing. You can only make them longer with a lashing. Tip 3; I found splicing was easier without a hollow fid (I cut different sized hollow sewing needles) which you put over the tapered end and push through the inside. Instead use a straigtened wire coat hanger or a #12 gage solid wire, or electical fish, and insert through the exit hole, up through the hollow, out the insertion point, then tape the tapered Amsteel end to the hanger and pull through. (check Amsteel instruction to understand this) The wire works on all sizes. Remember the adage, it's always easier to pull a rope instead of pushing one. Chuck Resolute 1990 C&C 34R Atlantic City, NJ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Graham Collins" <cnclistforw...@hotmail.com> To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 4:13:27 PM Subject: Re: Stus-List SS wire or line for lifelines I replaced my lifelines with bare wire, using the swageless hardware from C.S. Johnson. Bought it all from Defender. Easy to install, took about an hour. Graham Collins Secret Plans C&C 35-III #11 On 2013-02-15 12:54 PM, cenel...@aol.com wrote: I am considering replacing my 17 year old lifelines (wire with white plastic cover) this year. I like the idea of bare SS wire (long lifetime) although the hassle of the fittings, swaging, etc. is not appealing. OTOH, high tech line is begining to be used which eliminates the fittings, swaging, etc. but it likely has a limited life exposed to the North Carolina sun every day. Opinions and especially experience from the list would be appreciated. TIA, Charlie Nelson Water Phantom C&C 36 XL/kcb cenel...@aol.com _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
_______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
