LifeLine Size/Port Side Boarding Gate

[egoodhue]

Has anyone installed a boarding gate on the port side. I am looking to modify my Ketch #120 and wondered what the upper life line size wire is? My upper lifeline is plastic coated and appears original

The lower line already has a pelican gate.

Ted
SV Fantasia

[PeteW]

My 365 Ketch does not have life lines at all.  I have 1/2" SS  tubing handrails port and starboard with boarding gates on each side. However there is a 21' length of lifeline on each side that passes through the vertical stanchions  half way up that when tightened up holds the the system together. Those pieces of lifeline are missing so the system is not safe at all. You grab a rail and then you swimming with it in your hand.  Not sure what  diameter lifeline was in there either.

Pete 365 Ketch Hull # 6

[Dale Tanski]

Ted,
My boat is once again home as of Wednesday, so these kinds of answers are easy to obtain.  The upper lifeline wire is 3/16" diameter.  With the outer jacket the lifeline measures 5/16" diameter.
The hard part about adding a port boarding gate is getting your hands on the angled strut that is on the lifeline stanchion going forward.  That strut keeps the stanchion form bending under the force of the lifeline when the gate is open.
Dale

[egoodhue]

Thanks for the 3/16" life line size. that was my guess but was not sure and did not want to order the wrong size. With the new boat I tend to be the center boat at times in the local club raftups instead on the far end with my old San Juan 26 so having gates on both sides is better for traffic flow especially with the connector in place between the bimini and dodger.

Ted