AMPowers wrote:
As a multihull owner interested in saving weight wherever possible I'd
appreciate hearing any insight, opinion, ideas or experience anyone has
with this.

The one concern I've heard from someone who had Kevlar shrouds and stays
on his racing boat's mast was that it was far easier to cut those lines,

Yes but ohw often have you gave a life line a whack with your knife?

The concern I'd have for using them as lifelines (as voiced by Gary) is
more about the possibility that the lines might UV degrade, making the
unnoticibly weaker.

That was my first thought also but. The first tiem I say Spectra was
on the back of 320' facatory trawler in the Bering Polock derby. It was
1988 and they had been using it fro a couple years. Its yankin up a
90MT bag of fish. I was impressse as was the deck boss.

IN the last 10 years I have noticed significant increas in the plaited
Amsteal for winch wire applications under 3/4". The grey color. This is
in the PNW drager and shrmip fleets. If those guys are using Amsteel
its got to be tuff and worth the price!


Gary wrote:
It is doable but think about pros and cons first.
Gary

I tend to watch the commercial docks. If thoes guys are using the stuff
its got to be reliable and cost effective. Most thess guys are also
using lots of galvanzed not SS for the same reason: it works good.

Standing rig I'll stay with SS but if its running Im using Samson or
New England plait low streach for getting the sails up and maybe even
life lines. If the companies are accurate, they have the UV root
problem solved.

Has any one penciled out the hardware cost diffrences between synthetic
and wire for llife lines??

My gut felling even if I ahve to replace the Amsteel life lines twice
for one SS installation the hardware splicing cost may be less for the
synthetic. Maybe?!?

Bob
PS Oh almost for got my usual cavet.......... stay away from the WM
type stores. Go to a cordage/industrial rigging/ wire rope place. Get
600' and have fun! Just emagine the savings DIY instead of paying some
rigger $65/hr for INSTALATION and paying FULL Retail for the line.