[Alberg30] lifelines, shrouds, and ballast

[George Dinwiddie]

> J Bergquist said:
> 
> When I had my boat surveyed before purchase, the surveyor (Fred 
> Hecklinger) told me it was a problem that my lifelines are not secured 
> to the upper shrouds. He said that the unsupported span of the lifelines 
> was too great between the stanchions forward and aft of the shrouds and 
> that they should be secured to the uppers. I have no stanchions in way 
> of the shrouds, and I assume the rest of you also have none. I (not 
> really knowing anything about this particular nuance) simply assumed he 
> knew what he was talking about.

Probably the span doesn't meet current ABYC recommendations.  Certainly
the height of the lifelines doesn't.  Didn't he mention that?  Maybe
you can sue the surveyor if you fall overboard.

Rest assured that it is not normal to have the lifelines secured to the
shrouds.  Nor is it normal to have a stanchion at the chainplates.
I don't know of any case where this has proven to be a problem, but
you really shouldn't depend on the lifelines to keep you on board,
anyway.  If your insurance company is insisting on a redesign of the
boat, maybe it's time for a different insurance company.

> The surveyor said that this failure was a big problem and that I would 
> have to grind it out, down to bare metal, rebed with polysulfide, and 
> then re-seal the top of the ballast with fiberglass. 

I'm not as familiar with the older boats, so I don't know if such a
crack is common or not.  If you're worried about it, I'd fill the crack
with some thickened epoxy (mayonnaise consistence, I'd think) poured
into it.  This will seal it.  The ballast is one piece, and will not
bounce out of the crack when you fall off a wave.

 - George


-- 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  George Dinwiddie                             gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
  The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span those hours spent in
  sailing.                                    http://www.Alberg30.org/
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

 //===============================================================//
         Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholer's Guide

  My favorite Chesapeake Bay guidebook. While it mentions marinas,
  it concentrates on anchorages--the kind of places I prefer to spend
  my time. And in addition to listing shore facilities, it rates each
  location for Beauty/Interest and Protection. This is the guide you
  need to really cruise the Chesapeake Bay--a smorgasbord of small
  creeks and coves.

   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071363718/alberg30-20
 //===============================================================//

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