Edgar wrote:
"Moonshadow" wrote in message
...
The time has come to replace my Aries steering lines. The originals were
5/16" diameter single braided polysomething. I can't locate identical rope
to use for the replacements.

Has anyone replaced their Aries steering lines using a readily available
type of rope, and had the lines in service long enough to know that that
rope can cope with the continual flexing over the sheaves?

Yes, I had Aries self-steering gear on my first yacht and used it for some
years without any problems with ropes which were 3-strand terylene as far
as I can recall.
I never noticed any wear on the ropes at all. Hovever I had the pulley
blocks attached to short lines which allowed them to take up perfect
alignment with the direction of the ropes.
Unless your blocks are mounted so that they are prevented from swivelling
freely in all directions I do not think you will have any problems as long
as you avoid stretchy ropes.

Thank you. I will do as you suggest.

I think the Aries vane gear is absolutely the best gear of its type you can
get. My boat was very quick on the helm but Aries held a good course in all
conditions except light winds from dead aft, when all vane gears are pretty
useless anyway.
Very solid piece of engineering too. How often have you read about bolts
and other parts of other vane gears failing on long offshore passages? It
is easy to underestimate the forces a vane gear can develop.

I got the recommended spare parts kit from Aries but never had to use any of
it.
Likewise.
Ours has steered us through some very wild weather. No part of it has
ever broken.