I wonder if any one on TT has experience using Kevlar line as mast or tower
guys?
Phillystran (which I believe to be kevlar in some sort of a matrix) is not
available out here and would be very expensive to import.
On the other hand Kevlar line is abundant in many forms and not too
expensive.
Am impressed by Kevlar as I have seen skinny little kevlar spinnaker guys
take loads that put yacht masts into S bends and buckle fat aluminium
spinnaker poles.
Opinion out here is that Kevlar is likely to lose strength with exposure to
UV. We enjoy lots of UV here under the hole in the ozone layer (melanoma,
anyone?) but I gather that kevlar with a good jacket should be good for
quite a few years. There is also reputed to be a tendency to failure at
terminations because the stuff is intrinsically brittle.
Am thinking of having top guys for my tower made up out of kevlar with
thimble terminations made by a professional rigger.
Any opinons, observations, experiences will be read with interest.
tnx es 73
Barry
end
Barry Kirkwood PhD ZL1DD
Signal Hill Homestay
66 Cory Road
Palm Beach
Waiheke Island 1240
NEW ZEALAND
phone/fax 64-9-372-5161
www.waiheke.co.nz/signal.htm
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