Radio
Standard Horizon Matrix AIS/GPS GX2200. The built in GPS/AIS with display screen were the major selling points. August in the US Pacific Northwest is called fogust due to the prevalent fog and the major waterways have a lot of shipping traffic. Since Strider does not have a radar, the AIS could be viewed as a poor man's radar. The unit also features a fog horn and public broadcast system.Antenna and Wire: Need to maximize the power out to the antenna. While the radio is capable of transmitting 25 watts, the old, small gauge antenna wire drastically reduces the output, by as much as 15 watts. So, ShowMeCables brand 50 ohm 1/2in UltraFlex low loss coaxial cable was installed.
Nets
The nets were OEM and needed repairing every year, usually the edge tape. However, the vinyl coated nets themselves were starting to come apart. Time for new nets.I looked at several materials/designs: Bainbridge, Sunrise Yachts and ATN. I liked the ATN 13mm polyamide, but ATN would not sell the raw material, only a finished product. Further, ATN wanted to adapt the Strider to the net vice the net to Strider. It became too difficult.
Stumbled across a half remembered entry in the Dragonfly Forum referencing another netting supplier. Ultra Cross (UC) Silver 42mm BK 20ply Netting by Net Systems Inc, a local company. The rep was easy to work with I had new, unfinished netting within a week! This appears to be a DIY project. The edges will be integrated with dyneema and lashed/sewn where required.
I was concerned how our dogs would react to the new nets. Though not completely set/tensioned, the nets have received the Little Brown Dog Seal of Approval.
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| One of the Irish Terriers lounging |
Standing Rigging
I got on a roll with the dyneema and thought since it was working so well with the nets and ama cables, why not go for broke and replace some of the standing rigging? It is lighter, stronger, new and best of all, I could do it all myself (and take the blame). Replacing the stainless cable aboard has been not all-at-once project, but a step by step process. Install something new and thoroughly check it out prior to moving onto the next part. Switching to dyneema is radical enough. I didn't want to have to test too many things at once. This is a major reason there are multiple overhaul entries.Backstays
The running backstays have 3 components, upper, lower and the nearly horizontal tensioner. While 1/4in AmSteel Blue had a better breaking strength than the original stainless steel wire, I went with the 5/16in for the greater stretch (therefore creep) resistance.42ft for the upper section, Suncor Extra Heavy thimbles were used at the mast attach point. Colligo Marine CSS 242 Double Lashing Block, spliced through the big eye, was used at the bottom.
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| CSS 242 |
The lower section of the backstay was also spliced through the Colligo CSS 242 with a standard stainless steel thimble pushed through the OEM Dragonfly stainless fitting on the ama. The splice was not buried. A tell tail has been left hanging out of the splice to facilitate tensioning/slack removal as the lines stretch and settle in.
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| Stainless Thimble |
The tensioner. A 2.5ft pigtail was made with 5/16in AmSteel. The lower end of the pigtail is spliced through the big eye of a Colligo Fork Distributor attached to the OEM aft ama fitting. The upper end of the pigtail is spliced through the eye of a low friction ring. The adjustable/running part of the tensioner was made with 1/4in AmSteel. This is spliced through the eye of the pigtail's low friction ring then runs up to the CSS 242, back down to the outer part of the low friction ring, back up to the CSS 242 then down, through the fork of the Fork Distributor then follows the normal Dragonfly pathway to the cockpit.
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| Bitter End Pigtails Seen Hanging |
The guide block at the end of the ama has been replaced with a low friction ring. The outer layer of some old double braid has been added over the bitter end of the 1/4in line to help with winch/clutch grip and prevent fraying.
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