On Oct 8, 3:56 am, Jere Lull wrote:
On 2007-10-07 19:44:16 -0400, said:

I've managed to put two nicks in the 1/19 stainless forestay on my 32'
boat. Dont ask how, far too embarassing, suffice to say a hack saw got
drawn across the wire. Nothing was cut through, but two small chunks
got taken out of two strands. How dangerous is this?

Dangerous enough that my only thought is to replace it.

Demastings aren't any fun, and you've degraded that stay by about 20 percent.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages:http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages:http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Since when does 17/19 become 20%? If your only thought is to replace
it, you need to think more because your logic means that you should
make it safer by going from 19 strands to 21 to be even safer. On a
scale of relative dangers, one he deals with the nicks this becomes a
very small danger compared to almost anything else on a boat. Your
average marine head would be far more dangerous.