Making Dyneema Sailboat Lifelines

We assemble dyneema lifelines on this Cape Dory 26 and demonstrate making the locked Brummel splice and Estar hitch.
Knots and splicing video links:
Buntline and Estar Hitch
• Buntline and EStar Hit...
If you don't have clearance on the lifeline stanchion holes to pass through a spliced eye as shown in my video, you should use a modified brummel splice as shown here:
Modified Brummel Splice, Part 1
• Modified Brummel Splic...
Summary of best knots for dyneema:
igkt.net/sm/in...
Parts and Sources:
For this boat we used 36 feet 1/8" or 3mm Dyneema SK-78 lashing rope and 120 feet of New England Ropes 1/4” or 6mm HTS 75 - West Marine.
To save some money I later bought the equivalent 1/4" DSM SK78 rope at USA Rope and Recovery but they have a 150' minimum order
and I experienced long delays getting my order filled. I had better luck and cheapest price of $0.80 per foot on bulk orders from
Casto Trading Company at: castotrade.com
Or try this supplier currently listing 1/4" Amsteel Dyneema at $0.90/ft: dutchwaregear....
It's important to use a trusted supplier that won't sell you Chinese knock-off rope that has much lower breaking strength.
Two C. Sherman Johnson Splice Eyes with Threaded Stud 5/16" -24 x 2-1/2" RH (reuse your pelican hook body)
www.anchorexpr...
Davis Instruments 5/16” snap-on cable cover - West Marine.
Hollow end Selma splicing fid:
duckworks.com/...
We can be reached at atomvoyages.com where you can find articles on cruising and fitting out sailboats. If you have a classic sailboat and want to share your experiences or have questions on fitting out, consider joining the Plastic Classic Forum where I'm a forum moderator and answer questions: plasticclassic...

[@jeffadams7134]

This is the BEST tutorial for Dyneema lifelines!!!! Thank you very much!

[@usablellc6735]

Best video on dynema life lines I have seen.

[@marlings]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. This is an upcoming project on my boat and I can’t wait to start. I’d never seriously thought about dyneema but it’s clearly the right way forward for my boat. You’ve made this really easy to follow. 🙌🏻

[@superformOG]

The only thing i would add is how you did the half hitches on your lashing, to make it stronger its advised to only do the half hitch on the last lashing line, not the bundle, that allows the lashing to settle correctly and put the tension across all the strands. Binding all the strands can put more load on a single strand if the lashing cannot settle out. Also its advised to use a max of 8 lashing strands. Great video as always.

[@edwardfinn4141]

Another excellent video.

[@MrLeventdelamort]

Outstanding tutorial, clear, concise, and well-executed..Much appreciated, Thanks!

[@gordonreeder9045]

Very good instructions. I have watched several demonstrations and this is the BEST

[@thosoz3431]

I do love how easy it is to splice.

[@Sailspirit99]

Just about to replace my lifelines, very timely. Thank you. Love your work and videos.

[@Paul_Crosbie]

Thanks for putting together a great step by step video, much appreciated.

[@AndyUK-Corrival]

I replaced my stainless with Dyneema two years ago and all looking good. I spliced an eye at the bow end and used a cow hitch to attach. At the stern I spliced a low friction ring and then used Dyneema lashing, doing away with the turnbuckles. Andy UK

[@TheLivingSea-com]

Thank you for another great video, James. You are a treasure trove of knowledge. I really enjoy re-reading your books or listening to them on long car rides.

[@atomvoyager]

Thanks for checking in and good to hear you enjoyed the books. I had a look at TheLivingSea.com and found the photographs and captions were amazing.

[@TheLivingSea-com]

@@atomvoyager Thank you for the nice compliments on my photography, James. I'm glad you enjoyed learning about the sea creatures, too. You've definitely been a great inspiration for me to launch my sailing dream to explore what's under the sea in far off places and share its wonders with others. Thanks!

[@justinkeen5614]

These videos are incredibly helpful thanks a lot

[@jayknight850]

Thanks for the tutorial on dyneema, I am preparing to install some quite soon. Just finished “The Next Distant Sea”. Your best yet!

[@jhuddy45]

I put Amsteel 1/4” on our Valiant 40 back in 1999. Worked great. Used Johnson fittings.

[@CBDav]

You always make it look so easy... nice work!

[@esling77]

Ty. I now understand the Process and how to apply it to my Freedom 30.

[@_r_ma_]

Thanks, James! Great video as always.

[@ushi120]

As you mentioned at the beginning, use the SELMA Fids to improve your splicing skills a lot. In my opinion the SELMA Fids in combination with D-Splicer needles are the best tools you can get for this kind of work.

[@atomvoyager]

Thanks for the recommendation. Folks can see the D-splicer in use here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6HLkGajprWYlaM

[@ushi120]

@@atomvoyager Exactly, that's it! In this video you can see the SELMA Fids (3+4) and at the end the D-Splicer (1.5). The best professional splicing tools you can get for your money. And last but not least, the D-Splicer scissors are great too.

[@mkaplan99]

Looks good, James.

[@stewarthenderson8027]

Fantastic information here. THANK YOU!

[@SuperBullyone]

outstanding. beautiful work

[@mobilixone1575]

Excellent! A big help for a beginner like me🤪

[@juan6168]

Wonderfull job. Congratulations.

[@bfett68]

Great video! The only thing that lifeline supposed to transfer load (a sailor going overboard) to strongest end-points (pushpit/pullpit). A knot in the middle will prevent it and deposit half of the load onto the stanchion.

[@atomvoyager]

Thanks for the comment. My idea is the knot is acting as a gate eye and in this case is no different than how standard lifelines work. Normal gates are just stanchions that are reinforced with a strut to be better able to handle the load so it's true that is a potential weakness since the stanchion is easier to bend without a strut. The only thing that will happen in this case is the stanchion initially takes some of the load and it bends very slightly until the load transfers to the pushpit. That won't be a problem or change the outcome of a sailor going overboard. The lifeline will still hold and do its job as far as I can tell. Small boats can't afford the space or justify bulky lifeline gates. Some owners forego the gate and have to clamber over the lifelines but I prefer having this poor mans gate to make boarding easier.

[@chriswatts1412]

Hey James! Good to hear your voice I'm back to working hard on my boat, should splash in a month. Is that mae sanding in the background? Tell her hi please.

[@atomvoyager]

Yes Mei is right here alongside making it all happen. Send me an email sometime with your latest plans and let me know if there's anything I can help with.

[@SuperBullyone]

I would like to have standing rigging like that made for my C22 as backup rigging.

[@Mechone11]

The coated ones are only unsafe if you do not do proper maintenance and inspection . mine are from 1994 and no rust I clean inspect and remove them during the winter Thou i do like your dyneema lines and if I ever replace will go that route

[@atomvoyager]

Thanks for mentioning that. I had a poor choice of words. What I should have said was that since many coated wires were made with 304 wire and that you can't see through the plastic to see if the wire is cracked that they are a less safe choice than 316 grade bare 1x19. If yours have seen a lot of saltwater over the years and are not weeping rust then yours are probably made of a good grade of wire.

[@jeffsevier8534]

Thank you! Wonderful tutorial! Would adding another pelican hook or small shackle to the pulpit be an option instead of the lashing? Guess the question should be...Why use lashing on the pulpit? Thank you!

[@atomvoyager]

Two more pelican hooks adds considerable cost and reduces the allowance for adjustment. If you need a quick release forward, for example because it would be easier to pull up a dinghy, then yes you could use the pelican hooks. The shackle is cheaper but won't work as well because you can't reattach it under tension and you have no adjustment. If you hoist the dinghy on a halyard then you don't really need to release the lifelines anyway. Just hoist it a little higher. It's not easy to measure and splice an exact length so the lashing guarantees the fit even if you miscalculate and it comes out an inch or two too short or long..

[@jeffsevier8534]

@@atomvoyager Thank you for the explanation!

[@kkots]

@@atomvoyager This was my problem with my first attempt when replacing my lifelines. I tried to measure and spice exact length and then take up the slack with the set screw adjustment. But over time the lines sagged as I didn't pre stretch the line under load. Had to redo. Great video!

[@headsail]

Why the knots at the stanchions? I was under the impression we want the line to run through them to distribute the load across the stanchions. Am I wrong?

[@atomvoyager]

The knot is acting as a gate eye and in this case is no different than how standard lifelines work. Normal gates are just stanchions that are reinforced with a strut to be better able to handle the load. It's true that is a theoretical weakness since the stanchion is easier to bend without a strut but in practice it should not be an issue. The only thing that will happen in this case is the stanchion initially takes some of the load and under high shock load bends very slightly until the load transfers to the pushpit. That won't be a problem or change the outcome of a sailor going overboard. You can keep the knot about an inch aft of the stanchion if you want to ensure the load is transferred to the pushpit and does not first load the stanchion. Small boats can't afford the space or justify bulky lifeline gates.

[@donjvalley]

Interesting to see you change from 316SS/1x19 wire lifelines to dyneema. Will you also be a convert to dyneema standing rigging with other parts from Colligo? Cutting the dyneema with Titanium shears is also very easy, as shown by YT Sailing Zingaro...Always appreciate your videos. Thought I'd have an A30 by now, but colon/liver cancer has slowed me, temporarily...

[@atomvoyager]

I do plan on using dyneema for replacing my intermediate aft shrouds on Atom soon but probably will stick with stainless 1x19 for the other standing rigging for now since I like my rigging to be set it and forget it rather than tensioning frequently for stretch and the other issues of changing to dyneema such as initial cost, bulky splices and fittings I don't care for the look of, UV degradation, etc. But I may come around to it one day as I get more familiar working with it. Sorry to hear about your health issues and I hope you find your boat soon.

[@brimstone33]

Hikers often use the $5 ceramic knife from Harbor Freight on Dyneema hammock rigging. Works well for cutting fiberglass cloth too.

[@williamreymond2669]

25:20] Question, why do you never see a thimble used in the eye spliced at the end for all of the lashings to pass through? Granted dyneema is very slick stuff, and strong, this just seems like a situation where one might ordinarily think to use a thimble in an eye.

[@atomvoyager]

Some people use thimbles. I didn't because they are bulky and ugly and the low friction ones are pricey and not required for the light load relative to rope diameter even with occasional heavy loads from a fall. I only use thimbles for very high load areas like standing rigging and I might use the expensive ones that separate the lashings if I need less friction.

[@williamreymond2669]

@@atomvoyager Thanks for the reply. I was just discovering the existence of low friction rings, which I guess fills some of the same functions.

[@welshbass7]

Hi what is the purpose of the overhand knot please?

[@atomvoyager]

The knot allows you to unclip the pelican hook for boarding without letting the forward part of the lifelines go slack.

[@welshbass7]

@@atomvoyager Ah Of course many thanks.