Spreaders when Switching to HM Rigging

[Essington]

Originally Posted by AnaLog

Hey Essington,
You don't give enough info about your boat or its intended use to go into any detail, but given its size and make one would guess you *really* don't need to bother with the danger, expense, or nuisance of dynema.

This is a small boat used primarily for day excursions. And it is true that I could just replace the gang with stainless just like it already has, but I am a rather long way away from the equipment used to make new rigging. This is a primary driver for converting to rigging that I can construct myself.

I'm not sure where you sail. But on my little lake, there is not a single documented knife fight amongst yachts, so I'll be lumping that danger right along with someone taking a cable cutter or hacksaw to the gang. Also since Dyneema does not stretch, it does not exhibit the violent behavior you encountered with your heavily loaded dock line.

Dyneema is stronger, lighter, stretches less, and does not work harden. I can construct the stays on site, and the asthetics match the boat. Nuisance and danger are not terms that describe Dyneema at all, and once the terminators are purchased, expense is pretty similar.

I am just left with how to best deal with the shrouds passing over the ends of the spreaders.