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increasing and consolidating standing rigging size

8006 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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Stumble

· #17 · Feb 18, 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

Kinda, sorta, but NO. there is a type of dyneema called Dynex that is sutable for standing rigging, but Amsteel won't work. It has too much creep. But your idea is sound, just not the right specific rope.

Colligio is easily the leader in this field, and the Dux standing rigging works very well. There are trade-offs, but I am a fan.

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