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,
resulting in catastrophic loss. I'm not sure how easily Kevlar cuts,
but I would think it is somewhat easier than steel wire.

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. Given that I intend to couple my life lines with
netting, and also use jack lines and harness when out of the cockpit, I
think this minimizes the issue, but it is worth consideration.

Robb




Roger Long wrote:

I've heard or seen something somewhere about using some of the new super
low stretch rope for lifelines. Has anyone heard about that idea?

Gary wrote:

I have seen many different parts of a boats rigging being replaced with
new high modulus ropes. The multihull world is embracing rope because
of the weight savings. They are certainly strong enough and look good
but the are a couple issues that warrant thought. First of all is the
UV degredation. It is much greater in any rope than in wire and
requires more frequent replacement. The second thing is nicks. Wire
will stand some abuse but a nicked rope will be much weaker. I have
seen a couple boat lose their rigs because of nicks in rope backstays.
Finally the splices in the new ropes are much more challenging and many
require special splices to ensure the strength isn't lost.

It is doable but think about pros and cons first.

Gary
I think someone has already mentioned it but here in the PNW the PIYA
(Pacific International Yachting Association) rules for racing do not
allow synthetic lifelines. Most races here use those rule as
guidelines. Before you install synthetic lifelines would check your
local rules if you race.

I wonder if insurance companies have any thoughts on lifelines?

As far as standing rigging is concerned, I have seen a couple "turbo'd"
boats lose the top of their mast when flying masthead kites supported by
synthetic backstays that parted. Casseopia lost hers on the last
Van-Isle 360. Quite a mess. I think that running backs,inner stays and
sails with built in lufflines (staysails, screechers, windseekers, code
zeros) are well suited to synthetic rope luffs but I would prefer all my
core rig to be wire.

Gary