Replacing safety lines

[Renoir]

Would someone advise my regarding "international" cruising requirements which would all my boat to pass an inspection for offshore cruising boats? For example, as I understand, vinyl jacketing would not pass due to the resulting inability to be able to inspect the strands of wire for breakage. In addition, I suppose that HM line would not pass as well.....what else?

Would there be an advantage to use Dyform wire for smoothness on the hands? I don't know that the stiffness of the safety line would matter that much due to the fact that there is such a gradual curve along the length of the "lead" along the sides of the boat....comments?
Thanks!

[NickfromWI]

Why won't HM line pass?

[Jim Fulton]

Originally Posted by NickfromWI

Why won't HM line pass?

It may depend on who is doing the inspecting. Check this provision in the US Sailing Special Regulations for Category 1 Monohulls:

3.14.6 Lifeline minimum diameters, required materials, specifications
a) Lifelines shall be stranded stainless steel wire of minimum diameter in table 8 below. Lifelines installed from 1/99 shall be uncoated and used without close-fitting sleeving.

Of course, that doesn't mean that high-mod line wouldn't work.

Jim Fulton

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
Historical oddity factor in gear, here. Wire rope lifelines were originally uncoated, and sailors clamored for coatings because if you were washed up against those skinny wires, it was a bit too much like hitting a cheese slicer. But the coatings, especially if the joints were not tight and/or taped, trapped water, leading to invisible corrosion. So now we're back to cheese slicing, and HM hasn't made its way into the ruling committee's consciousness. So your current choice might be dangerous-but-legal, or safe-but-illegal. Ain't yachting grand? I'd run the HM option by the rules people, and bring along the above arguments, plus break strength numbers for spliced lines.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss