Chotu’s Advanced Standing Rigging Thread (lots of pics)

[Lee Jerry]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

Maybe make a dam around the mast base and pour in some Chockfast Orange?
Cling film on the mast base to stop adhesion.

Chotu, don't do this. It would do little to help your situation. Your goal is to add some load (pre-load) to the front of the mast (ideally equal loading around the base) and this wouldn't do that at all. (You could help it a little with various pre-casting shenanigans, but not enough). The shim is a better option at this point (even though not ideal, IMHO).

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Lee Jerry

Chotu, don't do this. It would do little to help your situation. Your goal is to add some load (pre-load) to the front of the mast (ideally equal loading around the base) and this wouldn't do that at all. (You could help it a little with various pre-casting shenanigans, but not enough). The shim is a better option at this point (even though not ideal, IMHO).

Exactly. Couldn’t agree more.

[s/v Jedi]

Also, the cast shrinks during cure so I’m puzzled by the idea

[The Yacht Rigger]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

A while ago there was a thread about using Dyneema for the lifeline gates. A Whoopie Sling to close the gate is great, but how to open it again… It might be doable with a toggle/dogbone but I didn’t try it yet.

Check out the new rope clutches for halyards… they are fancy UCR’s

When I do lifeline gates in dyneema I use whoopie slings spliced to a Pelican hook. Occasionally adjust for tension but in general it acts like a "normal" gate.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by The Yacht Rigger

When I do lifeline gates in dyneema I use whoopie slings spliced to a Pelican hook. Occasionally adjust for tension but in general it acts like a "normal" gate.

Yes well the whole idea for me is to avoid pelican hooks at all cost. A cruiser we know went overboard mid Atlantic because of a pelican hook while along on deck. His 5-year old son heard him yell or he would have died.

I have heard about many incidents around pelican hooks as well as inadequate lifeline attachments.

[Bruce K]

Originally Posted by Lee Jerry

Chotu, don't do this. It would do little to help your situation. Your goal is to add some load (pre-load) to the front of the mast (ideally equal loading around the base) and this wouldn't do that at all. (You could help it a little with various pre-casting shenanigans, but not enough). The shim is a better option at this point (even though not ideal, IMHO).

The reason I mentioned Chockfast is that I am Aware of a number of large steel fishing boats, mostly longliners; who all use Chockfast Orange to bed their engine mounts, being fixed hard mounts. These are mostly V12 diesels. They align the engine, then pour the Chockfast into prepared dams around the mounts; there is no adjustment, so I figured the beding to be pretty permanent.

[The Yacht Rigger]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Yes well the whole idea for me is to avoid pelican hooks at all cost. A cruiser we know went overboard mid Atlantic because of a pelican hook while along on deck. His 5-year old son heard him yell or he would have died.

I have heard about many incidents around pelican hooks as well as inadequate lifeline attachments.

Interesting. Wow. Any idea what the failure point was on the Pelican? I've actually never seen one fail, except for in cases of very severe corrosion - aka ignoring preventative maintenance.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by The Yacht Rigger

Interesting. Wow. Any idea what the failure point was on the Pelican? I've actually never seen one fail, except for in cases of very severe corrosion - aka ignoring preventative maintenance.

They open unexpectedly, probably because they are not closed securely even though they appear to be.

Many recommend to prevent this by adding an additional lashing or zip tie etc. bet that of course only illustrates the flawed design and doesn’t happen in real life when the gate is closed.

For now we tie the gates closed. Doesn’t look as neat but you can depend your life on it

[rslifkin]

My stanchions and lifelines are designed such that the gates aren't important for lifeline tension (that's handled on either side of the gates with 2 legged stanchions on either side to take the load). So the gates close with a snap hook. Very easy to close and there's not really a way to get it wrong. It's either closed or not closed.



Pelican hooks have always felt a little bit janky to me and not practical for frequent opening and closing.

[Lee Jerry]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

The reason I mentioned Chockfast is that I am Aware of a number of large steel fishing boats, mostly longliners; who all use Chockfast Orange to bed their engine mounts, being fixed hard mounts. These are mostly V12 diesels. They align the engine, then pour the Chockfast into prepared dams around the mounts; there is no adjustment, so I figured the beding to be pretty permanent.

Well, yeah, that's what Chockfast is, cast material for machinery chocking (it's in the name), so of course they use it for that.

Maybe it would help if you: (a) explained the issue (with Chotu's mast base), and (b) explained how your proposed use of Chockfast would solve it.

[The Yacht Rigger]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

They open unexpectedly, probably because they are not closed securely even though they appear to be.

Many recommend to prevent this by adding an additional lashing or zip tie etc. bet that of course only illustrates the flawed design and doesn’t happen in real life when the gate is closed.

For now we tie the gates closed. Doesn’t look as neat but you can depend your life on it

Interesting. Yeah i guess as long as your knot tying skills are solid, you're good.

So both CSJ and Blue Wave make pelican hooks with an "over center" design that makes them VERY difficult to open under load.