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The unquestionable safe life of vinyl coated SS lifelines expired on many SJ23s some 30 years after manufacture. Surprised? Read on. CORROSION - The problem with vinyl coated SS wire is that the vinyl will develop UV cracks that lead to water intrusion and then corrosion. There is no way to gauge the quality or strength of the SS once the old vinyl coating has cracked. Keep in mind that it took 30-40 years for industry and race committees to come to this conclusion. Their realization and guidance happened when several crew broke through a life line during various ocean races, with accompanying loss of life. As a result many ocean race committees now consider vinyl coated SS wire unsafe and no longer allow it.
At a glance a person might judge the wire to be safe to keep them on deck, but a closer inspection will likely reveal many flaws. Granted a crew on a fresh water SJ23 is more likely to trip over a low lifeline than to break it but you should heed the advice of these committees. Just like the
service life of standing rigging in the southern US is ~10 years, so should a life line there have a shorter life. Panache's 40 year old life lines in Canada have many cracks and are due for replacement. Corrosion just takes longer in the north. Ah the impressions of guestimating (SWAG). WEAR - Then there is the wear with vinyl coated SS
wire passing through the 3/8" hole in each stanchion. The vinyl and wire will wear at each post, especially if the line is left drooping so it can swing sideways with the hull.
A lifeline should be tensioned to just snug, no more and no less.
AVAILABILITY - Not many companies manufacture vinyl coated SS wire anymore due to the liability issues and risks of long term exposure to the sun. Today there is a solution in the form of soft Dyneema line. It comes in 7MM (1/4") which is approximately the same size and far exceeding the strength of the factory SS wire. It is quite OK to install thicker Dyneema as it is easier to rest against. .
SAFETY - One safety consideration for Dyneema lifeline is the ability to cut it with a knife to more easily pull a person onboard since it is almost always in the way of reaching the casualty. It is next to impossible to pull a casualty through the 16" tall gap below the line. Go ahead, try cutting SS wire!
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The factory SJ23 life line must be released with the single pelican hook at the transom. But this is handy only if there is a crew in the cockpit. Both lines should basically go slack or certainly droop lower. So an instant justification to install Dyneema life lines that can be cut.
- On Panache the forward 2/3s of the SS life lines are locked permanently while on the water. In addition, the bow section has a net of criss-cross lines to keep a jib on deck. There is no way I can lower the forward line nor could I lift a person onboard below it. That leaves the gates at side of the cockpit as the only place to pull a casualty onboard. So an instant justification to install Dyneema life lines that can be cut.
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1/4" SS lifeline is painful to lean against for any length of time, less so with thicker Dyneema that flattens with body weight. However, even with Dyneema I still wouldn't go without my cushions over the cockpit life lines.
- Dyneema is easier on the foot of the jib when sailing close hauled.
- The Dyneema line will never break if you are flung against it, even with full body weight. It is far more likely that the stanchions will give.
- You are going to have to use this splice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0B6tYTVHVM for the easy end and this splice for the difficult end https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WW7Qvg3VjI after you guide the line through the mid stanchions.
- And lastly, make it a practice to not rely on a life line to keep yourself on board. So far this author has managed to stay dry, but I've come close!
I have just started to convert the lifelines on Panache but in the mean time I show my ideas applied on a friend's Catalina 27. He was concerned enough to replace it this summer after our discussion.
CONVERSION TO DYNEEMA ON A CATALINA 27.
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Fig 1 - The lifeline gate stanchion at the front of the cockpit. This stanchion is equipped with the all important SS tube through which the life line passes. It protects the lifeline from chafe. To add further protection we opted to add whipping line over the Dyneema. That is a SS thimble to prevent the line from slipping through the stanchion and to attach the gate line to. The gate will be converted to Dyneema before the sailing season ends.
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Fig 2 - This middle post is also equipped with the all important SS tubing to minimize chafe. The Dyneema is double protected with none waxed whipping line. None waxed slides easier leading to less chafe. |
Fig 3 - At the bow the owner opted to terminate the line with a spliced SS thimble and a frapping knot in place of the previous turnbuckle at the bow. For comparison you can see the previous SS line on the port side. The lifeline of this Catalina doesn't come down for winter storage. On Panache I will retain the turnbuckle since the lifeline must come down for the winter storage cover. |
DYNEEMA CONVERSION ON PANACHE.
(before and after)
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| Transom Gate SS - I have only twice closed this gate while sailing and used the ladder only once. There is "no need" to fall backwards! I was pretty glad to have the ladder during our club overboard trials.
 
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Transom Gate Dyneema - Its going to be a tad difficult to connect this pelican hook as elegant as the swaged fitting does. Screwing a toggle into the back of the hook will allow an eye to connect. So this will require an eye with thimble. |
| Cockpit Gate SS - These gates are closed when sailing. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know I'm not going overboard.
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Cockpit Gate Dyneema - ts going to be a tad difficult to connect this pelican hook as elegant as the swaged fitting does. Screwing a toggle into the back of the hook will allow an eye to connect. So this will require an eye with thimble. |
Mid Post - These stanchions are hollow with a tube welded inside the hole where the life line goes through. Problem is, the edge of the hole is sharp and cuts through vinyl, making this design a problem. This is why I inserted vinyl sleeves to protect the life lines. Problem is, I have no idea what happened to the sleeves I put inside those holes!
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| Mid Post SS - The forward portion of the life line is permanently tensioned to be released only when on the hard. 
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Mid Post Dyneema - The forward portion of the life line, from the cockpit stanchion to the bow, will be converted first. This requires about ~16' of line per side, which includes the two end splices. The mid post will receive a vinyl insert to minimize abrasion. The Dyneema will be attached to this stanchion fitting with a cow knot. |
| Bow Pulpit SS - These turnbuckles tension the SS life lines. I have always installed them with the circlip pointed outwards.
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Bow Pulpit Dyneema - I will retain these turnbuckles with the circlip pointed outward to ease the abrasion against the foot of the jib. Slipping and eye with thimble into the end of the turnbuckle will make a neat connection. So this will require an eye with thimble. |
And if Dyneema isn't good enough you could install stainless steel railing. Now that is something to experience. |