Sun Love Sailing · video

What this video covers

The owner of a cruising yacht in La Paz, Mexico, is replacing coated cable lifelines with solid stainless steel tubing from the gate aft to the aft pulpit.▶ 0:53 Coated cables hide internal corrosion, prompting the switch to solid tubing for increased reliability and safety.▶ 0:55 The boat features robust, through-bolted aluminum stanchion bases secured with four bolts into the bulwarks, which will be retained and rebuilt by a local welder.▶ 1:56 The project emphasizes the philosophy that lifelines must be dependable, rather than merely decorative.▶ 3:11 Additionally, the owner compares bulwarks to aluminum toerails, noting that while bulwarks provide a superior foot brace for safety, they require scuppers for deck drainage and often feature high-maintenance wooden cap rails.▶ 5:03 Aluminum toerails offer lower maintenance and integrated tie-down points but lack the physical barrier height of a bulwark.▶ 6:13 The owner concludes that the safety benefits of bulwarks outweigh the convenience of aluminum toerails for ocean voyaging.▶ 6:15

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