What's the best wire to use for the forestay?

mike uk · Post by **mike uk** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:09 am

I recently asked a question in another thread about the use of flexible stainless steel wire but there were no takers.

Given the continuing stories of forestay failure, it seems to me to be a really important idea, so I thought I'd ask again in a new topic.

I'm talking about 7:19 s.s. wire which is made up of 7 groups of 19 small strands. I was told it is much the same strength as the usual 1:19 but is much more flexible - it is designed to be used in machinery pulleys etc - so it can go round corners and bends and can presumably withstand side stresses much better than the regular stuff.

Wouldn't this be ideal for use as a forestay on a Mac? Are there any downsides to its use?

If it is as good as it seems, then surely it is a MUST have?

Look forward to hearing any thoughts on this.

Regards
Mike

Catigale · Post by **Catigale** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:22 am

The issues to be understood are:

Tensile strength...easily documented, probably not a problem

Corrosion resistance to salt water environment

Swage strength and method

Fatigue resistance...the big one IMHO

Cost and availability

mike uk · Post by **mike uk** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:06 am

Tensile strength: As I understand it, the strength is much the same as the ordinary stuff. Maybe a little less, in which case go up a size?

Swage strength: Agreed - make sure your rigger does a good job of swaging.

Cost and availability: The flexible stuff seems to be generally available from chandleries - their advertising suggests they expect it would be used for running rigging on boats but that's not to say it can't be used for standing rigging. Cost is a bit more than the ordinary wire but not much more.

Corrosion resistance: Good point! Is it better or worse or the same? (If it is used in running rigging on boats then presumably it is OK?)

Fatigue resistance: Yes this is the "big one". Could this be an important improvement? Or not??

Cheers
Mike

Sumner · Post by **Sumner** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:21 am

I did a couple google searches on it the other day when you posted and it seems to now mostly be used for people rigging older boats that want them restored more original if I remember right, or a new boat that they want to appear to be older.

There must be a reason now why 1X19 is almost universally the standard to use vs. the older standard of the 7X19.

If you read this thread and the guy is right....

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com ... hp?t=76518

....the 7X19 stretches more and that could result in problems. I wouldn't use it myself. The 1X19 is probably on hundreds of thousands of boats for a reason. Good luck,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

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Catigale · Post by **Catigale** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:07 am

If you read this thread and the guy is right....

....ahhhhhh, the perils of the Internet........

Sumner · Post by **Sumner** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:21 am

Catigale wrote:
If you read this thread and the guy is right....
....ahhhhhh, the perils of the Internet........

Exactly

, but I did read some similar "opinions/facts

" on a couple other threads, but even there once a story/rumor/possible fact gets written down it seems to become the 'truth'

,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

MacGregorSailors.com

MacGregorSailors.com

What's the best wire to use for the forestay?

What's the best wire to use for the forestay?

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Re: What's the best wire to use for the forestay?

Re: What's the best wire to use for the forestay?

Re: What's the best wire to use for the forestay?

Re: What's the best wire to use for the forestay?