Spectra Lifelines / Jack Lines

[Tigerlily]

I've been talking with my rigger and he mentioned Spectra Lifelines. Mine are due for replacement as the plastic covering is getting cracked. Is there a rules issue for replacing stainless lifelines with spectra. I plan on installing dual lifelines in place of the single lifeline now installed.

Anyone installed jacklines? Where did you place the forward padeyes? Did you install stern padeyes or use the toe rails?
Currently, I run the jacklines from the bow cleats to the toerail nearest the forward part of the cockpit but this requires underway rigging after the docklines have been stowed. Since I do quite a bit of singlehanding I like to reduce the "ready for sea" workload as much as possible.

[Tom Elsen]

For US racing of any type, one-design, handicap, whatever, all lifelines must be cable. You could certainly rig a lower 'lifeline' out of spectra, but if you do you can't hike out between the two (under the top, over the bottom).

Note to anybody carrying spectra as a 'second lifeline': read the sentence above.

[sycmcsa]

For US racing of any type, one-design, handicap, whatever, all lifelines must be cable. You could certainly rig a lower 'lifeline' out of spectra, but if you do you can't hike out between the two (under the top, over the bottom).

Note to anybody carrying spectra as a 'second lifeline': read the sentence above.

Most PHRF fleets allow non-wire lifelines, in fact it's pretty common to use line like Sta-Set rather than cable on even cruising boats. Most PHRF rules, note I said most not all, allow you replace lifelines with anything that is as strong as what it is replacing. Spectra is as strong as cable. BUT, one thing to note Spectra has some cutting properties that might not make it user friendly unless it has a cover.

[tpf]

I believe Chesapeak bay still requires wire.

[dave]

Tom Elsen
Site Admin


Joined: 20 Dec 2002
Posts: 224
Location: Minnesota & Colorado
Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:27 pm Post subject:

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"
For US racing of any type, one-design, handicap, whatever, all lifelines must be cable. You could certainly rig a lower 'lifeline' out of spectra, but if you do you can't hike out between the two (under the top, over the bottom).

Note to anybody carrying spectra as a 'second lifeline': read the sentence above.
_________________
Best wishes,
Tom "

Tom, I'm not trying to cause trouble, just pointing something out. Where do you find this ruling? I have read the class rules many times and I have seen nothing that specifies what material the lifeline[s] must be. Also, rule # 49.2 doesn't say that the lifelines must be cable, it says [in a nutshell] that "if" one is hiking between the upper and lower lifelines, both must be wire.

Neither the class rules or 49.2 say that a single lifeline must be of wire. Many other offshore one design classes use spectra. Also, although my regatta experience in the class is limited, everyone that I have seen using a second lifeline had them made of spectra. I know that doesn't make it right [in the last case] but it's being done in the class, which leads me to this; Rule # 86 "Changes to the Racing Rules" specifies what rules can and can't be changed. # 49.2 is not one of them. That means that a class can vote as it pleases on this issue.

Dave

[Tom Line]

Be careful to include ISAF regs and cat 5 regs in your discussion - many venues like Miami and Key West use them and they have a definition of the spacing, tension (2 inch deflection with about 12 pounds of force on it), and angle (no more than 10 degrees from verticle).

That in itself may make the whole angle argument a moot point.

[dave]

Tom, I'm aware of what you speak of but I have a serious question for everyone. Do race officials ever inforce the tension requirements? From what I have seen over the years competitors sure don't. Everytime I see a picture of any Melges 24 fleet [Key West, all of the NOOD's etc] the lifelines are so loose that the crew is actually hanging out past the verticle edge of the boat even though their torso's are still "inside" the lifeline. They all seem to do it even though it is explicitly illegal according to their own class rules, not to mention any other rules, because it's what it takes to make the boat go. The 7.9's are no different. The boats that have a second lifeline all seem to have it rigged the same way, loose to slack. Personally, I give the crews a hats off for working that hard and doing what it takes to get the job done. The "lifelines shall be taught" wording in the RRS is just one more example of something that I touched on very early in the stanchion height discaussion, that is, the monohull world and keelboats in particular are still caught up in "corinthian" thinking, without any thought as to why something has been a certain way for so long even though the sailing masses seem to have moved on by. I do know this. Tight lifelines put a great deal of stress on the stanchions, bases and deck because the tension is pulling all of the stanchions inward, toward the center of the boat, even while at rest. The longer the stanchion the worse the problem. When someone leans or pulls on the already tight lifeline, things [the deck mainly] really start to show the strain.

Dave

[Tom Line]

Dave,

I share your view regarding the lack of enforcement for certain rules. However I think it is probably in the class' best interest to maintain our one-design rules so that they remain legal in as many other venues as possible.

The Melges race primarily one design - and in their one design class the configuration of lifelines is legal. 7.9's are not exactly in the same situation. Many of us (dare I say most?) spend the majority of time sailing handicap races.

I think that any of the rules surrounding lifelines are modified, we should at least keep them in agreement with the offshore racing regulations and the majority of the phrf regulations as well.

To that effect, it appears that most folks would get very little benefit over the angling of lifelines out to the maximum 10 degrees. Considering the work vs. benefit ratio, I don't think I would put my vote behind modifications of the lifelines anymore - even if it did mean my genoa would auto-skirt itself.

[dave]

I thought that the "angling" issue was already dead, I know that I gave up on it.

Dave