GLEN JUSTICE
Notice anything about the sailboat above, beyond the fact that it is a very pretty Westsail 32? Look at the standing rigging — you won't see any steel.
The boat has been outfitted with Colligo Marine's synthetic rigging, which replaces traditional stainless wire with Colligo's Dynex Dux fiber rigging fed through aluminum fittings. Dynex Dux is made of UHMWPE fiber, which, for the uninitiated, is Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. It is stronger than steel, and often used by climbers, parachutists, astronauts — and now sailors.
Synthetic rigging — there are several types and brands — is cutting-edge stuff, designed to increase strength, reduce creep or stretching, lower weight and minimize maintenance. Many of these systems are still being developed, tested and improved, and there are still drawbacks like vulnerability to UV rays. But it's a potential game changer.
BY THE NUMBERS
The owner of the Westsail, who asked that his name not be used, chose the system to minimize corrosion. If it wears out, he says, "all I need is one of these lines." His refit cost about $3,000 and was relatively new, but he was quick to pull out the statistics.
His 3/8-inch stainless line had a breaking strength of 14,800 pounds and weighed about 30 pounds per 100 feet. The Dynex Dux had a breaking strength of 26,500 pounds and weighed about 3.7 pounds per 100 feet. The coil you see on the dock below was amazingly light.
Synthetic rigging is in its infancy, and there is much to learn (Mad Mariner's DIY Boat Owner magazine has an article on synthetics in the November issue). But it has massive potential as it matures — and not just for racers.
For example, Colligo's Emergency Shround Kit, which allows a shroud or stay up to 65 feet to be with Dynex Dux, won a Sail Magazine Innovation Award this year. We expect the applications will just keep coming.
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