Fortunately, I was not alone. Re-read my message. It started - "The last time WE went out..." BTW, it was very calm, but a powerboat got too close and created an unexpected large wake.
Recently saw a boat rigged with rope lifelines, it was for sale and I just assumed owner cheaped out. But it did have a nice feel and traditional look (it was an older bluewater boat) anyone familiar with this? Appeared to be rigged from standard stanchions, each section terminated at a stanchion with some sort of fitting and tension was very similiar to wire.
The best reason for having wire is it will absorb your fall and a solid rail won''t. The downside of wire is you can fall down on top of a stanchion and be stabbed. You won''t get stabbed with a solid top rail. A harness is ok but it has to be very short (too short for my preference)to keep you from hitting the lifelines.
There was some discussion on Brion Toss''s rigging website about synthetic low-stretch line as a non-corrosive subsititute for wire rope.
Most of the recomendations circled around the UV coated Vectran single braids. Apparently the USN has also started using those type low stretch materials as lifelines because they are also non-conductive electrically. Some info/discsussion also from NER.
I rigged my last boat with rope lifelines when the wire ones needed replacing. You can buy rope that easily exceeds the breaking strength of wire, you can do it yourself, and it is usually cheaper. I just used a standard open body turnbuckle to tension one end. I had no gates, so it made the job easier. If I needed to replace my present lifelines (which I don''t) I would do it with rope again.
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Glad you didn''t get wet...
