Anyone know a good source for Vectran?

[Weyalan]

I am tryng to find a source for reasonably priced 3/8" Vectran. So far I have either found very expensive per foot prices, or cheap price but have to buy 1000' minimum! Anyone able to give me a pointer?

N.B. at a pinch I would consider Technora, but Vectran is preferred...

[Weyalan]

Well, seems like nobody has a cheap supplier for Vectran/Technora...or if they have, is choosing to keep it quiet Not to worry. I just bought some kevlar (1/4" x 500') and some spectra (3/8" x 600') dirt cheap on ebay... so it is all good...

[hellosailor]

1100 feet...Replacing the standing rigging as well as the lines?

[Gator81]

Layline.com?

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

1100 feet...Replacing the standing rigging as well as the lines?

Nah, thats just how much was for sale... it was an ebay purchase, so it wasn't like I had a choice. Having said that, I have a few freinds with yachts, so I will probably be able to get rid of what I don't need. I plan on replacing both my headsail halyards with the 3/8" spectra (currently steel wire spliced to double braid) and probably the spinnaker pole topping lift as well. Apart from that, I think new spectra for the running sheets on the runners would be good too.

I'm not very sure what the kevlar will be used for (kevlar isn't exactly ideal for much), but since it only cost me $US 51 for 500' (plus postage), I'm sure I will find some uses - maybe outhaul, tweakers, lightweight kite sheets, who knows.

Originally Posted by Gator81

Layline.com?

Nope, ebay

[Pblais]

I've bought a lot of running rigging from Layline. They ship UPS 3 day and it gets to me in 2 days. They have a decent rigging shop and the prices are good but if you really know what you want you may do better some place else. If you want the high tech splices done for you I would suggest them. They carry a full line of rope.

[hellosailor]

Paul-
You are wasting your money if you pay for 3-day UPS from Layline. UPS guarantees that plain "ground" shipping from them to you will be delivered in TWO DAYS. The same service you are getting now.
UPS has gotten their act back together again. For a while they were slowing down badly (post-9/11 package inspections) but if you check their web site, they will give you a free "Time in Transit" list for any two zip codes, with details of the transit time for all rates. For much of the US, you can get a surprising range (300? miles) guaranteed overnight delivery--on plain ground service.
And they're pretty good about actually doing it, barring extreme wx and other complications.<G>

For me, it has meant that I can have things shipped tax-free from out-of-state merchants, and have them "guaranteed" to arrive overnight, just as fast as someplace cross-town.

[Pblais]

You don't pay extra for 3 day as it's what the normal is but is what they call it. We get 2 day from NC and NJ for most stuff but from CA it's 3 days. I bought a PDA from Hong Kong last month. They shipped registred postal mail. It came in 2 days based on my calendar however it does lose a day over the date line. It's one of those deals where it leaves a day before you place the order.

I buy as much boating stuff on line as I can for the reasons of tax and shipping. NJ and NC are the quickest to ship via UPS though FedEx ground too.

[GMac]

Spectra/Dyneema and Vectran should be as close as the same price. Here a 10mm Vectran cored double braid will set you back around US$1.22 per foot. A smidgen more for Dyneema.

Loaded halyards ie. main and headsail go Vectran over Spectra/Dyneema purely for the no creep properties.

[Weyalan]

G'Mac

I would use vectran for my halyards if I could find it at a halfway reasonable price. The local chandleries charge the equivalent of about $US 2.50 per foot. I have found it for as low as $US 1.60 per foot, but I would have had to have purchased 1000' minimum order!

So, having got cheap spectra on ebay, I will use that for my halyards, creep or no creep. Its not like I'm trying to win the Admirals Cup here

[GMac]

Is that Tasmania in Aussie or another one? :-) If it's the Aussie one (or the one next to Aussie if you're talking to anyone from the real big Island a few miles north ) I'd suggest you are being shafted by one kiwi company (Donaghys/ Southern Ocean) and/or one Aussie company (BLA), or as they are known here 'The Master Shafters".

There is many who run a 'premium' on Vectrans but as I've paid the bill many times I can assure you the price differance between Dyneema and Vectran is only a few %.

If you in the US you do pay more than most, it just seems to be the way. Mind you it will all probably be made there and fantastic stuff.

I know we have the most compeditive marine market in the world but one would expect that if little old NZ can make Vectrans for that price the bigger markets should be able to match it, at least. It's not dodgy rope either, as used in 3 Americas Cup teams, 1 Swiss, 1 US and the Middle eastern one.

Damn it I'm putting all my prices up and just sell it all offshore. My 50ft Cat may arrive a bit sooner

[Weyalan]

Tasmania - the Island between Australia & Antarctica - thats the one!

The chief "shafters" are the individual chandleries. The only "competetive price I have been quoted is (Aussie dollars) $6.50 per metre, but minimum order 300m. I have no idea if this is cometetive or not, but it was from a respected rope manufacturer in Australia (although I'm fairly sure that they would not manufacture the vectran themselves). The reason I got the Spectra cheap was because it was an ebay purchase, I suspect from a private individual.

If you would like to give me a quote on 100m of 10mm vectran, I would be more than happy to hear from you!