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increasing and consolidating standing rigging size

8012 Views 17 Replies 14 Participants Last post by blt2ski, Feb 20, 2015

bristol299bob

Discussion Starter · Feb 13, 2015

My boat has a mix of standing rigging, lower shrouds (two on each side) are 3/16" wire. The rest are 7/32". I have Sta-Lok fittings all around.

I am doing more and more ocean sailing and would like to go up a wire size (seems like a good idea and would probably ease my mind a bit when the going gets rough). Up one wire size would mean going to 7/32" on the lowers and 1/4" on everything else.

But I'm wondering if it would be wise (and OK) to go up to 1/4" all around. That would be going up *2 sizes* on the 4 lowers and up one size on the rest. This way all of my standing rigging would be the same diameter wire and it would simplify my spares quite a bit. (both wire and fittings).

However I understand that going up *too* much can overstress the boat fittings. is going up to 1/4" on the lowers too much in this case?

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zz4gta

· #16 · Feb 17, 2015

blt2ski said:
Not that this is an answer or a great option...........but.......

Could one not use amsteel or equal instead of wire. Go a bit bigger diam, be stronger, and lighter weight too! I also realize there are plus and minus's to both amsteel and wire or rod etc......but if weight aloft is a real issue, this could be an option......

Marty

Yes, but there are a lot of other considerations before making that leap.

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