Lifeline Netting

[DDabs]

I'm installing some lifeline netting that I bought from West Marine, which seems to be a little bit on the flimsy side... I pretty much got one side of the boat done but then went to trim a bit of it and it started unraveling...

Now I think I'm going to have to start over. What a pain in the ass. I have a perforated toerail so it should be easy but I'm just having a hard time getting it to look decent. Using a leech line to run through the netting. I think my problem was that I didn't use a hot knife to cut the line, so that's why it unraveled. I just wish it was a little bit thicker.

Does anyone have any solid advice? I am kind of just ranting, but if anyone has any close up photos of how they have it tied to their toerails and/or stanchions, that would be much appreciated.

David

[sv-Mystique]

Take your time, use the actual lifeline to weave through the netting and space appropriately between the stations.


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[DDabs]

I cannot use the actual lifeline to weave through since I can't take off the lifelines. But I had the leech line weaved around the top lifeline and through every diamond on the top. I'm just frustrated because I thought I would be able to cut it easily to trim, but I guess not.

[sv-Mystique]

Yeah - you should always use a hot knife.


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[Panope]

Ddabs,

I used the same netting from West Marine. Yes, it is a bit flimsy but the trade of is that it is less of a visual distraction when trying to see through it. Also, the small diameter material will produce less windage.

I'd guess I spent 20 hours lacing Panope's perimeter (34 feet L.O.D.) so ya, it is a tedious job getting all the little diamonds and diagonal lines nice and strait. The top lacing is a continuous 1/8" dia. line wrapped through each diamond. The bottom lacing is also a continuous line but wrapped through every other diamond. I drilled holes about every 6 inches in the bulwark.

This picture was taken a couple days after I drove the boat through some trees (I was on a road). The two holes were torn into the netting by branches. I later made a very nice repair of the area by weaving a patch of same material over the damaged area.

I use an "instant on - instant off" blow torch to trim.

Steve

[Tayana42]

I used West Marine lifeline netting when our grandchildren were born. It lasted only one year in Southern California and was shot by time the kids were old enough to toddle around the deck. If I ever do it again I'll use black commercial fishing net.


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[Zach]

I worked on a charter boat that used Tennis court netting.

It held up fine, and was much much cheaper than purchasing the marine oriented nets.

Zach

[mfeene01]

We used netting from this outfit on our boat. It has been on since summer of 2007 and is no worse for wear. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper than "marine" netting.

Sports Netting


MikeF.

[Steadman Uhlich]

I actually like life line netting and will have it on my boat. I also like the idea of using darker netting.

While some sailors don't like the look of the netting, I have always considered it "salty" looking and indicative of a "cruiser" who is practical and not so much concerned with appearances. I suppose this indicates that I am more of a cruiser at heart than a racer, despite my experience being the opposite.

My Reasons for wanting netting on my boat?

1. If I had kids or animals aboard. Safety first for the little ones!

2. If singlehanding or doublehanding or if on offshore or long passages with short/few crew.

3. I have been thrown overboard while working on the foredeck, due to a boat broaching, and lifeline netting would have kept me aboard (to my surprise and despite my attempts to get a grip on the slippery deck, I went right under the single lifeline and overboard). Live and learn. One trip into the water and the moments watching the boat sail on without one leads to some very quick decisions to make sure THAT "never happens again."

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

I used West Marine lifeline netting when our grandchildren were born. It lasted only one year in Southern California and was shot by time the kids were old enough to toddle around the deck. If I ever do it again I'll use black commercial fishing net.


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Ditto...just made a nice bow sprit safety net using very tuff black fish net. Fraying is a major issue when trimming. Didn't have a torch but captured all the ends with lashing. May ultimately buy a torch. The net will last years. Took me 2 days to do the job.

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by mfeene01

We used netting from this outfit on our boat. It has been on since summer of 2007 and is no worse for wear. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper than "marine" netting.

Sports Netting


MikeF.

Hi Mike,

Did you use their marine netting?

Maje

[mfeene01]

No, we used the baseball/softball netting if I remember correctly. They did not have marine netting in 2007. I guess they realized the sales potential for marine netting.

MikeF.

[roverhi]

If the reason for the netting is to keep the sails and adults on board, making your own netting makes sense especially with an aluminum toe rail. Lace 1/8" or smaller line in a triangle pattern spacing the attachment points about a foot apart. Use clove hitches to attach to the top and middle life line. Won't be as obtrusive as the small opening commercial stuff and you can use black dacron line which is very UV resistant. This will work to keep most stuff on board, minimal windage and minimal amount of labor. If you want to keep smaller objects like children or pets safe, you can still do it but would have to have smaller spacing which would require more work to make the netting. In any case, the small spacing of the commercial netting isn't really necessary.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Sailrite has a video on lacing netting, it's worth watching.

Hannah

[sy_gilana]

We used fishing netting. It lasts for a long time. The arrangement must be as diamonds, not squares, ie x not +. This way you can use the poisson's ratio to stretch it to the right height. We ran a thicker line along the base of the net, and fixed it with plastic cable ties through the toerail holes. At the top, we threaded an equivalent line to the net in a spiral round and round the top lifeline, creating another half-diamond. You lash the top and bottom for a couple of feet, then pull horizontally to tension it, clamp and catch up, repeat.