I have sailed a 1/2 dozen times on a f31 tri that had it's shrouds replaced with this line
same size i think
it is pre-stretched and heat treated to reduce creep
Line is "size rated" under load - so 5 mil will be fatter when not under load (being stretched)
5mm is overkill. You're replacing 5/32 1x19 wire that is rated at 1,493kg with a 5mm product that is rated at 3,810kg
I use Marlow D12 Max SK99 for standing rigging applications. It's manufactured using the same heat treat process as Dux, but comes in smaller diameters.
You should be using 3mm D12 Max SK99 that is rated at 1,790kg. I replaced all of the standing rigging on an Nacra 20 and reduced the weight of the standing rigging by 75%.
Wonder under what load this sturdy rope is down to 5mm .
Mike,
It wasn´t about rating needed, it was about the delivered 5mm being 6.5mm without load. Expected it to be a 5mm line going down to 4mm when loaded like the other Dyneemas I have tried. Hampidjan probably did it the other way specifying diameter under load.
The rest I am aware of.
I use a std Liros SK78 4mm on my 16sqm dinghy, the rope is quite loose without load(unlike the Dux), going down to 3mm with 100kg load. Doesn´t loose tension when stretched. Creep has been no object as the rig is without tension when on land.
I think that this might be my boat. I think the weight savings was even more. I will look for pics. Mike is expert on this and highly recommended.
I will say performance gain was incredible. The rig is stiffer, boat accelerates faster, and less helm due to the elimination of weight up high near the hounds. I don't know why anyone wants wire anymore. This is the schit . . .
my hesitation would be line chafe aloft (i know you said you use a jacket up there) and vandalism by some douche with a sharp knife on the beach when parked overnight
How about creep? I have a foiling beachcat that's very finnicky with rig tension; I'm a lazybum that doesn't want to be re-checking with the loos gauge on each outing...
Our creep target is less than 0.1” per year of creep. We use the static load or pre-tension that a rig sees as the load number to use for creep. Most sailboats sit upwards of 95% of their time so Dynamic loads are ignored, most of the time. This has proved successful as we have rigged more than 750 boats around the world at this time. If you have a boat that you feel will have more use and dynamic loads will be more significant, simply oversize the line to accommodate that usage. Use the printable creep table here for determining your creep loads and thus the line size you need based on creep. Contact us here for help in sizing for creep.
With a beachcat creep shouldn’ t be an issue, as the rig is ”untensioned”after each raceday. With a creep of 0.1” a year under constant tension it should be unmeasurable on the typical beachcat.
Is there a way to measure tension? Say, some specific wire lines need to be in the 18-20 range in loos gauge. I check periodically that the rig has that the right tension. How would I do this with dyneema based rigging?
Another way could be to hang a Dyneema line from high up in a tree and load with different weights hanging at the lower end, to calibrate the Loos or RigSense.
Dyneema rigging is fine on a race boat where you are trying to save every ounce aloft and checking it regularly.
I would not advise using this on a recreational boat, or one that is kept mast up 95%+ of the time and you don't want to tip for regular inspections. Why? Chafe aloft is a real concern, sure it can be mitigated but do you really want to worry about it? Then you add the creep issues mentioned and its just not worth it on a recreational ride.
If you want to save weight and avoid the complications of dyneema, look into dyform. We still use this on A-Cat diamond wires and I have a set of dyform shrouds that are nice, relatively light and don't change tension over a day of sailing or a week of sailing for that matter.
Hi Sam,
No need to worry about chafing aloft if you take the right precautions with a rotating mast. Either add shrink tube or rope cover the first 20cm. Also Dyneema takes a lot of abuse before anything gets dangerous. But for me the big win is you don’t have to go to a rigging shop if you want to change anything, just alter a splice! Win-win with lower weight and lower cost . About creep, tell me more about the issues, actually I don’t follow you there? Could it be some recreational beachcat sailors are stupid enough to untension their rigs after the occational ride?
Chafe is certainly manageable but can appear where you may not think; for example it shows up on dyneema trap lines where the traps cross the shrouds (think long double wire spinnaker runs).
While your statement is partially accurate regarding avoiding a rigging shop, its not 100% true. In order to build a correct set of shrouds/forestay for a beach cat, you really need to load the finished product with a thousand or more pounds of force (at least 50% of the rated breaking strength of the line) to set the splices. Otherwise you will be constantly adjusting the rigging for the first few outings and can end up in a situation where the shrouds are too long and you need to completely re-splice. Most folks don't have a hydraulic press available. You can use a mainsheet system as an alternative but need a spot to rig it.
Creep can occur over time as well and most shroud systems are prone to changes in temperature (wire length increasing/decreasing). Point is you may show up to the boat one day and its okay, and a week later its no longer tensioned properly. Most rec sailors don't throw a loos gauge on the boat before they go sailing (heck many club racers don't either!). That's my point; with dyneema rigging you are more prone to error across the first few sails than with wire, which generally sets on the first outing and you are good for the life of the rigging.