Synthetic Cable Standing Rigging for Catamarans ?

[alexbell.33]

Would anyone have any info concerning the possibility of using synthetic cable (such as PBO Powerlite) standing rigging on a 431 Catana catamaran?
a) Is it possible yet?
b)Pros and cons of using such a system.

Many thanks,
Alex

[goboatingnow]

Is it possible , yes of course

Pros strength and low weight

Cons : no user serviceable parts , cost, cost and more cost

If you're really serious talk to one of the several suppliers in that field.

Dave.

[Pblais]

Technically the synthetic cables are easily more than strong enough and then some. The strength issue is not a factor as the stuff is amazingly strong.

Expected lifespan is similar. Both use costly fittings but synthetic will require a lot more hand labor to splice the rope. With a really tall spar the weight factor could be leading to a synthetic but on a cat I don't see weight as a factor at all. If you do all the work yourself then it could be a good way to go but to hire it done you'll pay a lot more.

[bewitched]

PBO is becoming more and more popular on the race boat scene. The boat I race on has a carbon rig and a PBO backstay. Weight aloft is an important consideration for race monos, less so for cruising mono's and for cruising cats I don't see much benefit at all.

[Zanshin]

Colligo Marine uses Dynex Dux and has converted several boats from wire to synthetic standing rigging, including a big Catana 57 that really looked nice after the conversion.

The extra cost involved with the high-tech synthetics are offset by no longer requiring expensive metal fittings and the quote I got for converting my 49' from them was comparable to re-rigging with stranded wire.

Synthetic lines have potential issues with UV degradation and suffer from "creep" where ropes under load permanently stretch over time - this is avoided by either going bigger on the rope size or using lashings to occasionally retension the line.

[seacap]

Would not go with PBO but would look into the dynex dux. Do a search for synthetic rigging and you will find quit a bit of info. I have information on my blog as I just rerigged my boat with it.
Cheers, Gary

[boatman61]

Look up the way Wharrams are set up... all the stays are secured/adjusted by lashings... no bottle screws etc... easy setup and maintainance

[SailFastTri]

Weight aloft is never a good thing on any boat.

There are trade-offs. I've been looking at Dynex Dux (used it on my last boat) and even though the cost is about the same as steel, the lifespan is about half due to UV.

Don't be put off by lashings. Easily adjusted, lighter weight than metal hardware and proven reliable for hundreds (maybe thousands) of years. They work and don't cost anymore than the extra line they're tied from.

[shipofools]

http://www.gunboat.com/images/48_large_13.jpg

http://www.gunboat.com/images/48_large_4.jpg

another vote for colligo marine. have seen their work, it is solid.

[SoItGoes]

After being dismasted last year and losing our entire rig (a chainplate failure) we decided on going synthetic.

Now that the dust has settled the cost of going synthetic with Dynex came out to less than doing it in stainless.

The splice is fairly easy and once you have done a couple it only takes about five minutes per splice. The needful hardware is both simple, bombproof and if you need to save some money easily made as deadeyes and thimbles are hardly rocket science.

If you don't feel like doing the hardware DIY both Colligo and Precourt are pretty reasonable and both have excellent gear.

[Ben M-P]

Is there a good book on rigging a boat this way? It looks very similar to the rigging techniques in "Ashley's Book of Knots" only with synthetic line.