[C320-list] Lifeline Replacement Guidelines - Pelican Hooks Forward

[danny jensen]

Group,
I have a 2004 C320. My life lines Forward are showing some wear. I also
launch my inflatable from the deck and have stressed the forward life lines
a bit. I am considering purchasing the Catalina Direct (CD) lifeline kit
https://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1489_704/lifeline-kit-double-deluxe-c-30-c-310-c-320.cfm
. Also I'm going to rig Pelican hooks on the port side so I can slide my
dingy off the deck and I won't need to put the dingy over the life lines.
The CD

Questions:

1. What is the approximate time range for lifelines? 15 years? I'm
seeing a bit of rust in the swages.
2. Stainless or PVC coated? Why to you like Stainless?
3. Have any of you used the CD ~$650.00 life line kit? What other source
do you recommend?
4. Since the CD lifeline kit has Pelican's included, I can use my old
Pelicans Forward
5. How much time shall I allocate for the job?
6. Have any of you rigged Pelican hooks forward. What was your
experience?

Danny
#972

[Stephen Cox]

>
> Questions:
>
> 1. What is the approximate time range for lifelines? 15 years? I'm
> seeing a bit of rust in the swages.

At 15 years your lifelines could probably do with replacement if you expect
them to work in a life threatening situation.

> 2. Stainless or PVC coated? Why to you like Stainless?

See
https://theyachtrigger.com/sailboat-lifelines-plastic-coated-vs-uncoated-pvc
-coated-vs-bare/ for one view. Note that the ISAF referred to in the
article is now called World Sailing and is the governing body for the sport
of sailing world wide and recognised as such by the Olympic and Para Olympic
organisations.

So the preference is for stainless and the ruling body of the sport requires
it if you are going to be racing unless there is some local exemption or
grandfathering clause applicable to where you race.


Regards,

Stephen Cox
C320 Tegwen #1141

[Allan S. Field]

I have replaced vinyl covered lifelines on both of my Catalina's (the previous C320 and the new-to-me C387) as I can't tell what is going on under the vinyl. Plus I think the stainless looks so much better. But it's mainly a safety thing. For the C320, I took the lifelines to a WM rigger who made up new ones for me. For the C387, a local rigger did the job for me. If you are thinking of doing them yourself, the C320 Association's toolbox loaner program, open only to Association members, has the swaging tools you'd need.


As for pelican hooks forward, the caution is that the forward stanchions don't have support legs. So if the lifelines are unhooked and say for example, someone was to lean on the lifelines further aft, or even fall into them, the stanchions are likely to be pulled out of the deck or at the minimum bent pretty badly. That said, we put pelican hooks forward on our C387, knowing the risk of so doing. But once on board and prior to moving aft, we always reattach the lifelines.


Hope this helps!


Allan S. Field
allan...@verizon.net

[Mark Calisti]

Danny - We have a 2000 and although the lines seemed in decent shape (albeit with rust marks), we went ahead changed them out before splash down this season. Seemed prudent after 18 years. We had three gates, so decided to add a fourth as we go into our slip bow first and needed a gate on the starboard side. One issue we had with our existing port forward gate is that when releasing it, the entire life line on that side lost its tension. So, now, we have stoppers that keep the tension on both sides. And having gates on both sides gives us flexibility for transient slips with finger piers.


I also looked at Catalina Direct, but decided to just let the marina do it as it was too much risk if our measurements were wrong (this actually happened with the marina and they had to reorder from their supplier). When I looked at the kit, I recall that it did not have the extra pelican hooks and stoppers, so I figured another ~$200 above the $650 (we just wanted everything changed out, including the hooks). We paid around $1250 (probably a bit high), but having no experience doing this and the risk on an inaccurate measurement as well as the possibility of a mistake during installation, it was worth it for us to just pay the labor and eat whatever markup was charged for the materials. In the end, the job was excellent, and we are now confident in the strength in the life lines and hopefully never have to test it out. And we did go with the PVC coated.


Mark Calisti

#749

Solomons, MD


________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of danny jensen <da...@jensenshouse.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2018 10:29 AM
To: C320...@Catalina320.com

Subject: [C320-list] Lifeline Replacement Guidelines - Pelican Hooks Forward

[Danny Jensen]

Mark,
Were the stoppers swaged on or are they put on after the install?
Danny

Sent from my iPhone

[Mark Calisti]

Danny - I'll send a picture directly to your email as I don't believe we can send attachments via the list.


________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Danny Jensen <da...@jensenshouse.com>
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 3:57 PM
To: C320...@Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Lifeline Replacement Guidelines - Pelican Hooks Forward

Mark,
Were the stoppers swaged on or are they put on after the install?
Danny

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 22, 2018, at 5:28 AM, Mark Calisti <mjca...@msn.com> wrote:
>
> Danny - We have a 2000 and although the lines seemed in decent shape (albeit with rust marks), we went ahead changed them out before splash down this season. Seemed prudent after 18 years. We had three gates, so decided to add a fourth as we go into our slip bow first and needed a gate on the starboard side. One issue we had with our existing port forward gate is that when releasing it, the entire life line on that side lost its tension. So, now, we have stoppers that keep the tension on both sides. And having gates on both sides gives us flexibility for transient slips with finger piers.
>
>
> I also looked at Catalina Direct, but decided to just let the marina do it as it was too much risk if our measurements were wrong (this actually happened with the marina and they had to reorder from their supplier). When I looked at the kit, I recall that it did not have the extra pelican hooks and stoppers, so I figured another ~$200 above the $650 (we just wanted everything changed out, including the hooks). We paid around $1250 (probably a bit high), but having no experience doing this and the risk on an inaccurate measurement as well as the possibility of a mistake during installation, it was worth it for us to just pay the labor and eat whatever markup was charged for the materials. In the end, the job was excellent, and we are now confident in the strength in the life lines and hopefully never have to test it out. And we did go with the PVC coated.
>
>
> Mark Calisti
>
> #749
>
> Solomons, MD
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of danny jensen <da...@jensenshouse.com>
> Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2018 10:29 AM
> To: C320...@Catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Lifeline Replacement Guidelines - Pelican Hooks Forward
>
> Group,
> I have a 2004 C320. My life lines Forward are showing some wear. I also
> launch my inflatable from the deck and have stressed the forward life lines
> a bit. I am considering purchasing the Catalina Direct (CD) lifeline kit
> https://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1489_704/lifeline-kit-double-deluxe-c-30-c-310-c-320.cfm

Catalina Direct: Lifeline Kit Double Deluxe C-30, C-310, C-320<https://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1489_704/lifeline-kit-double-deluxe-c-30-c-310-c-320.cfm>
www.catalinadirect.com
Catalina Direct, publishers of the Catalina 22 and Catalina 25 Owner's Handbooks and the largest supplier of parts and Lewmar winches for Catalina Yachts in the country

[Warren Updike]

Our lifelines had cracked vinyl covers and rust stains bleeding through the cracks. I looked into replacing them and found a place online that would make them for less that $500. I had to send them my existing lines. Our marina quoted a price of about $800. Over the Winter, I took the lines home and with a hammer and a bench anvil, I gently cracked the vinyl covers and broke them off by twisting lightly with pliers. The vinyl was so dried, old, and brittle, that it broke easily and came off. It probably took me all of an hour or so to remove all the covers. I then cleaned the SS lines with a rust remover/lubricant and left them till Spring. That was several years ago and now the lines are clean with no signs of rust. I did treat them each year with a lubricant. HOWEVER, if you have rust appearing at the cable entrance to the swages, do not continue to use them. The crevice-corrosion will continue and the connection will, eventually, fail.

El Frugal:
Warren and Pattie Updike
1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
Middle River, MD (Chesapeake Bay)