Replacing wire lifeline with tubing

[gulfstar37]

I'm sure this one has been talked about in previous post but I am toying with the idea of replacing my wire life lines between my side gates to the stern pulput with tubing in the cockpit area.

Any thoughts on how to connect this to the gate stanchions? Ours is tappered, and to the stern pulput? Brackets maybe? Would like to have them removable.

No since in reinventing your good ideas. Photos if any would be appreciated.

Thanks in advace for your responses.

[David_Old_Jersey]

22MM STAINLESS TUBE FITTINGS. MARINE GRADE

It's on my list as well.

[gulfstar37]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Anyone out there changed from wire to tubing? Did you like it or was it something you think you may not have done?

[barnakiel]

I like this idea. Actually thought about doing the same for our ship. At times I grab them when she rolls too much, then a pipe would be much nicer than a hand-cutting wire.

b.

[joemac4sail]

Our club boat is an Amel Santorin 46ft. It has a SS tube top rail as standard. It provides great security when working on deck as it does not have the movement of wire. I would highly recommend the move to a tube rail.
Regards Joe

[Eleven]

All for it, but take the opportunity to raise it too if thats not too much of a job.
Most safety rails will only stop a rolling person, not a semi erect one staggering for balance.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Eleven

All for it, but take the opportunity to raise it too if thats not too much of a job.
Most safety rails will only stop a rolling person, not a semi erect one staggering for balance.

Raising the stanchions an inch or 2 would make a (useful) difference - although for me that is very much part of the future, but s/s rail certainly part of the 2012 plan (albeit will probably only do stern to gate initially)...........have used(?) them before on other boats and the additional security from wire not flexing and giving another handrail (at the right height) is IMO well worth the effort / cost, indeed am kinda surprised that the wire solution is still the norm (cost?) - plus makes hauling an inflatable dink onboard a lot easier .

[Anzo]

Also coming up fast on my list of projects. I don't want to use the shiny, expensive stainless though. My plan is to go slightly larger diameter than what's typical, and raise it by 6-8 inches, so I'll be replacing the stanchions too with something heftier. Aluminum tubing (or piping) is cheap enough thru an outfit like Online Metals, and so are the fittings. I'll end up purchasing a mandrel bender, and I'll farm out the long, horizontal pieces to someplace that will roller-bend them to spec. Gots big plans for my stern area.

[SabreKai]

The idea of doing the same crossed my mind several times. I have to replace the pulpit, sternrail and the stanchion bases. I have 30 inch high stanchions and railings but the fellow fabbed them up out of 1" 0.035 tubing and welded a stub of 7/8 tube into the bottom so that he could use 7/8 bases. Every single stanchion is bent at that weld. So I can either replace the bases, or remove the tubing and put in a solid 7/8th base plug. So far Im inclined to make up new bases, from SS pipe. The pulpit is already gone, first time I stepped on it, the darn thing started to twist from side to side. Too thin. So I hacked it off and will replace it. The stern rail is not too bad but could be beefier.

I like the idea of a solid railing system from the stern to the gateway. I'll have to check out what it would cost to have it made up.

[msponer]

I was very happy with this on Boat #1:
- It feels more secure to hold onto while walking forward from the cockpit, especially since the side decks on this boat tapered back towards the cockpit and were quite narrow when you first step over the coaming.
- When sitting on the cockpit coaming, it's a lot more comfortable to lean up against tubing than wiring, or to hold onto it while the boat rolls.
- It felt safer with the kids
- For a couple years we had solar panels mounted to these rails

This is a lower priority on boat #2, since there are already good grab rails when your walking forward from the cockpit.

Photos:




What diameter and wall thickness of aluminum tubing have people had success with for stanchions and pulpits?

Originally Posted by Anzo

Aluminum tubing (or piping) is cheap enough thru an outfit like Online Metals, and so are the fittings.

Just a heads up, but you may also want to check with a local metal supplier. In my area they are substantially less expensive than Online Metals.

[SunDevil]

That looks a lot nicer than I had imagined.

[joemac4sail]

I think that stainless steel tube from your local stockist would be the better option over aluminium. There will be flexing, you will lean against the rail and aluminium is at it's most vulnerable at the weld. Also the diameter of the aluminium tube you will require will be that much greater than steel. Compare a steel bike frame to an aluminium frame.

[Marksman]

Unless the Al tube is anodized, it will turn your hands black. Or anything else that rubs against it.

[gulfstar37]

These replys are great. Sounds like this is a mod that many have either done or have thought about. Thanks for the photos msponer. You wouldn't happen to have a photo of the arangement at the gate? Pictures say a thousand words. Looks great.

FWIW I have not had good luck with aluminum tubing. I have this on a dodger frame that is very flimsy and can't wait to replace with stainless. I've also would recommend 1.0" 0.049 wall. It cost a little more but for as long as it should last it is only a few dollars a year over time.

[msponer]

Originally Posted by gulfstar37

FWIW I have not had good luck with aluminum tubing. I have this on a dodger frame that is very flimsy and can't wait to replace with stainless. I've also would recommend 1.0" 0.049 wall. It cost a little more but for as long as it should last it is only a few dollars a year over time.

Ok, thanks. I thought aluminum tubing would be a bit iffy, but figured that I could just go up to something like 1.5" tubing with 0.25" wall, though that could look funny.

We did not extend the tubing past the gate. The thought was to make going forward safer, and by the time we got to the gate it felt less awkward, and the handrail on the coach roof was not far away.

Ok, more photos. Here you can see how narrow the side decks are when you first leave the cockpit, and how the extra tubing was used to mount solar panels: