A lot of boats have pulled off the plastic from the lifelines and it looks
better than the constantly dirty plastic.
What's the best method for getting it off? Blowdryer?

RB

Looks better but there's a reason for the covering. Sail protecton if
nothing else. First time you snag your hand on a wire 'hook' you'll learn
to put 'show' behind 'go' and not the other way round. If they don't look
good CLEAN them.

M.

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
A lot of boats have pulled off the plastic from the lifelines and it looks
better than the constantly dirty plastic.
What's the best method for getting it off? Blowdryer?

RB

Looks better but there's a reason for the covering. Sail protecton if
nothing else.


Good points.


RB

Nobody has "pulled off" the plastic. You have to get new lifelines made that
way. Better check your stanchions to see if they have chafe protection for the
wire or it ain't gonna work on your boat.
S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
"No shirt, no skirt, full service"

Life line wire doesn't work enough to get meat hooks. Many sailors are
going to bare wire for a number of reasons.

The wire doesn't corrode as it will under a vinyl cover.

Can be checked for wear more readily.

They can use a larger wire dia. for a stronger life line.

Stays cleaner looking.

Additionally, with the new high tech lines, there is a growing trend
to use this material in stead of wire for life lines. There has been a
lot of discusion about this on the various boards and Practical
Sailor.

On 19 Feb 2004 14:36:50 GMT, (Bobsprit) wrote:

Looks better but there's a reason for the covering. Sail protecton if
nothing else.


Good points.


RB

Nobody has "pulled off" the plastic. You have to get new lifelines made that
way.

Not correct. I know of several boats where they simply removed the covering.

RB

That's stupid. The plastic protects the sails from chafe and the
hands from fishhooks. The downside is that rust can develop
beneath the plastic which shortens the life of the lines, but then
you shouldn't be relying on them anyway. They're the grap of
last resort.

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
Nobody has "pulled off" the plastic. You have to get new lifelines made
that
way.

Not correct. I know of several boats where they simply removed the
covering.

RB

Actually I've seen fishhooks. I believe that stress on them
over time will do it. They certainly rust, though mostly
at the ends where the covers have pulled up a bit. You
shouldn't be relying on them, so "stronger" wire is a waste
of money.

Other material sounds interesting... doesn't it stretch more?

"Marc" wrote in message
news
Life line wire doesn't work enough to get meat hooks. Many sailors are
going to bare wire for a number of reasons.

The wire doesn't corrode as it will under a vinyl cover.

Can be checked for wear more readily.

They can use a larger wire dia. for a stronger life line.

Stays cleaner looking.

Additionally, with the new high tech lines, there is a growing trend
to use this material in stead of wire for life lines. There has been a
lot of discusion about this on the various boards and Practical
Sailor.

On 19 Feb 2004 14:36:50 GMT, (Bobsprit) wrote:

Looks better but there's a reason for the covering. Sail protecton if
nothing else.


Good points.


RB

On 19 Feb 2004, (Bobsprit) wrote:


Nobody has "pulled off" the plastic. You
have to get new lifelines made that way.

Not correct. I know of several boats where they
simply removed the covering . . . .

. . . or, perhaps better (if more expensively), have replaced the
cable/coated lifelines with now equally-strong Spectra or like lines -
right?

you shouldn't be relying on them anyway. They're the grap of
last resort.


Last resort? Don't rely on them?
I never heard anything like this before.

RB