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increasing and consolidating standing rigging size

8014 Views 17 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  blt2ski, 
bristol299bob
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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blt2ski
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
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blt2ski
So in reality, my thought of a rope/line could work. Just not what I mentioned, which is fine. I knew there was some kind of line that was being use, lighter in wt, just as strong as wire and all that. I knew it was not to be used, or should not be used for the fore and back stays. But side shrouds were okay for this. As is life lines......

The question becomes, how much wt is saved, along with some of the other issues I can see that line would be worst than wire rope!

The OP can ask someone for more info then.

marty
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