Well, as I said to Bob, my experience is in dinghies, where such things
don't exist. I think I'll be taking them off for now and see what I can do
to rig a harness attachment point in the forward part of the boat.

Well, now you're not making any sense at all. If you are daysailing dinghies,
you won't need lifelines. If you are talking about storm jibs and attaching a
harness, and if you ever experience conditions where you actually deploy such
things, you'l be glad you have lifelines. They are not supposed to be a wall
to keep you on deck, but they are something nice to grab if you are sliding
over board in the dark on a bad night. If they are not falling apart, God
knows why you would want to remove them.

SkitchNYC wrote:

Well, now you're not making any sense at all. If you are daysailing
dinghies,

I'm making perfect sense. My experience thus far has been in dinghies, but
the boat concerned is an 18' cruiser.


you won't need lifelines. If you are talking about storm
jibs and attaching a harness, and if you ever experience conditions
where you actually deploy such things, you'l be glad you have
lifelines. They are not supposed to be a wall to keep you on deck,
but they are something nice to grab if you are sliding over board

So are the shrouds. A harness loop at the base of the mast can be reached
from the companionway.


... in the dark on a bad night.

No lights. No night sailing. Not for quite some time, at any rate. If
lifelines are a very good thing at night, then I'll look into them when such
activities are on the cards.


If they are not falling apart, God knows
why you would want to remove them.

There are no spreader plates under them and I don't like the present
mounting - too weak and too close to the hull. Making up plates involves
more metalwork than I'm willing to undertake at present.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

Well, now you're not making any sense at all. If you are daysailing
dinghies,

I'm making perfect sense.

There are no spreader plates under them and I don't like the present
mounting - too weak and too close to the hull. Making up plates involves
more metalwork than I'm willing to undertake at present.

No, you're not. And no need to get all snippy about it either. Do you really
think there is less work involved in pulling them all out, filling the holes
and fairing and painting the exterior than leaving them on and not pulling on
them until you need to? They lasted this long without tearing the deck apart.
If all you are looking for is someone to tell you it is OK, then go ahead, it
is OK.

SkitchNYC wrote:

No, you're not. And no need to get all snippy about it either. Do
you really think there is less work involved in pulling them all out,
filling the holes and fairing and painting the exterior than leaving
them on and not pulling on them until you need to?

The stanchion bases leak - they're all coming off anyway. The question is
what to do afterwards. I don't intend to fill and fair - I'll plug them with
flanged bolts. That way, if I feel later that I do want to have lifelines,
the plugging can be reversed with the minimum of hassle. Fitting 18 bolts
with a squirt of sealer on each one is the easiest way to deal with it at
present.


They lasted this long without tearing the deck apart.

I might not be the most expert sailor on the planet, but I know crap
engineering when I see it. The fittings are horrible. Whoever put them on
didn't even use penny washers on the 1/4" bolts to at least give a semblence
of trying to spread the load. The outer bolts are so close to the side that
a penny washer wouldn't fit anyway (can't even get a socket on the nut -
have to use an open ended spanner, turning bit by bit). There's mild crazing
on the internal gelcoat around the fixing holes due to the localised
compression.

It seems to me that their present state makes them a liability. The fact
that they've lasted this long is no indication that they're in any way up to
the job. Rather, I would take that as a sign that nobody has ever grabbed a
hold of a lifeline while falling overboard.


If all you are looking for is
someone to tell you it is OK, then go ahead, it is OK.

If you look at the original post, you'll see that I was trying to find out
if there was something I might be missing with regard to the purpose of
lifelines and how they're used. That isn't the same as looking for someone
to tell me it's okay, that's a sanity check for someone who has no
experience of boats with roofs.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

The stanchion bases leak - they're all coming off anyway.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry...wait...it's coming to me....

BWAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!

RB

Bobsprit wrote:

The stanchion bases leak - they're all coming off anyway.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry...wait...it's coming to me....

Well, it is a '72 boat, and not as well cared for as it could have been. Did
I mention the original sealer? It's that hessain fabric stuff with some sort
of non-setting gunk that plumbers use. (Go on, have another laugh!)


BWAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!

Enjoy your rainy sail, Bob - don't forget the foulies.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

Fitting 18 bolts
with a squirt of sealer on each one is the easiest way to deal with it at
present.

Stand by for the next installment of "Wally's This Ruined Old Boat."

RB

Bobsprit wrote:
Fitting 18 bolts
with a squirt of sealer on each one is the easiest way to deal with
it at present.

Stand by for the next installment of "Wally's This Ruined Old Boat."

Hey, it's a 'project'.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

Stand by for the next installment of "Wally's This Ruined Old Boat."

Hey, it's a 'project'.

Don't get sensitive! It's all in jest. But don't underestimate important
stuff...like spreaders and keel bolts...and lights!

RB

If you look at the original post, you'll see that I was trying to find out
if there was something I might be missing with regard to the purpose of
lifelines and how they're used.

This was Wally's best troll EVER!
4 stars!


RB