Lifelines

I posted a question concerning my lifelines on a couple boat sites yesterday, and one of the responses referred me to the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations. I read through them today and plan to incorporate several of their requirements and recommendations -- even though I have no intention of racing, and couldn't afford to implement all of them even if I did.

As pertains to my lifelines, I'm planning to replace them, but don't like my current arrangement much. The problem is that I only have 3 stanchions on each side and the spacing between the two fore and aft of the shrouds is about 14' -- 7' each way -- and according to the OSR, they shouldn't be any more than 86" apart. If I run them outside the shrouds, it gives me more space along the deck, but they press against the uppers and ride up a few inches. However, If I run them inside, they cut off about 8-10 inches of the side decks, making it more difficult to pass.

By adding another stanchion at or around the shrouds, I can comply with the OSR requirements and should be about to run them outside without touching the shrouds and still have plenty of room to pass along the deck. This will make it easier on Zoe as well, especially with the netting attached to the lifelines.

Hopefully it won't be too expensive, but will involve buying 2 new stanchions and bases -- and nothing's cheap on a boat. Anyway, I'll add this to my list, along with several other things I found in the OSR.

Oh, and they recommend toe rails at least 1" high, so as of right now, I'm planning on molding my new ones in fiberglass as part of the hull-to-deck joint. I'm also thinking of making the look more or less like the teak ones and even painting them a darker color to help keep the look. However, I'm not exactly sure when I'll do them, since it's a lot of work and may take a while.

Radio watch:

I finally got a decent antenna setup and made my first contact today. I checked in with the Maritime Mobile Service Network at a little before 1900 UTC with W4YKY, Carl Thomas, out of Warm Springs, Georgia, about 75 miles south of Atlanta. Not sure how far that it, but I'd imagine it's close to 500nm -- I'll have to brush up on my navigation skills this evening and see if I can work it out exactly, i.e., using a great circle, not a rhumb line.

I just wish I'd told him he was my first contact. He's net control a couple times a week, so I'll try again with him next week and let him know then.