[quote=DrivenByTheWind]I just spliced up a pair of shrouds and two sets of trap wires. I have a Hobie 18 that's new to me, but I've had a bigger trimaran for many years. I did the synthetic rigging because it's a lot easier to handle, I can make it myself and for a beach cat it's basically cheap. I really want to do it for the big boat, but I have other things to spend my money on and the connection rigging is more difficult because I don't have a rotating mast on the big boat.
Synthetic rigging is very much the norm on bigger boats and splicing 12 strand single braid Dyneema is the easiest splice in the world.
For the trap lines I used a double braid dynema core with a poly coat (3.8mm spiderline to name it by brand). The instructions can be found online at the rope manufacturer sites. I found the double braid instructions at one site confusing but on another site it made easy sense. The double braid on a thimble was more difficult because it can be difficult to sink the splice into the coat but I got it done.
Early on I had some difficulty putting the splice together because I didn't have any small fids. I bought a 2.3mm crochet hook and combined with clear packing tape everything flowed easy. This is now my tiny rope fid.
I have only just put this stuff together and set up the boat last weekend, but I haven't sailed it yet so I have no anecdotal proof. But I used one trap wire from each side to stay the mast while I raised it with the other from each side to raise the mast and nothing failed.
For anecdotal proof of the stuff; I spliced up some 1/4" stuff back in 2005. I used a pair of lines for the adjusters on my cap shrouds. They've been out in the sun and under tension for 5 summers and they have had no problems. Another line is used as the bobstay on my bow pole. It's not out as often, but it has been flawless also. Last summer I spliced up a new halyard, that also has worked fine.
Making the trap wires out of 3.8mm line cause me to have to drill out the trap handles I bought. But they drilled easy and straight with no trouble. I don't know how they will hold up over the years.
Yah, you can make trap wires from synthetic rope relatively easily and the cost is less than wire.
Geoff[/quote]
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