West Marine (and others) sells rail padeyes, called a "Pulpit Anchor, Stanchion Eye", which can be put on the pulpit to attach the lifelines at the top .... as in the photo below.
By installing a snap shackle or pelican hook at the cockpit end of the front lifelines, you can undo the lifeline there and accomodate the mast spreaders when lowered, as well as it gives you more length to pull forward for attaching the front to the pulpit near the top.
Last edited by ALX357 on Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
ALX357, thanks. I have a quick release fitting on the cockpit end already for lowering the mast and getting on board from a high dock. I will look into moving the forward lifelines higher though, if it really doesn't rub the genoa too much. I have the 150% genoa on a furler.
I noticed in the photo an anchor roller and plate that seems on the centerline. Is that custom made or available off the shelf somewhere?
I think I bought the anchor roller plate from Blue Water Yachts. It has a notch for the chainplate tang, but you have to move the light to one side on the roller, which has a small shelf for it. The wire inside the Mac was just barely long enough to reach the new location without disconnecting anything. One other consideration is that the wire is now exposed for a few inches. That's not the light's wire you see in the pic. - it's a retainer wire attached to the quick-pin for the top of the anchor roller, which pin traps the anchor rode or chain.
The MacFactory placed the lifelines low to clear the Genoa, because it is necessary. I believe you will find the Genny will have too much interference with the raised lifelines, unless you raise the Genny too. That's what I did, mainly for visibility, but also to accomodate the tightening lever rigged up by using the stock adjusters, slightly modified.
Being able to raise the lifelines was a bonus.
Night Sailor - you can sneak one of the URM rollers inbetween the forestay tang and the cleat - look for my Mod 'Bullwagga on roller in the Mac Mods Bubble at left Pix here
ALX357: Thanks for the picture. To make it clear for others, I suggest you edit your post to rename the fitting you called a rail padeye to the only name I found it under, which was "pulpit/stanchion sleeve".
Thanks for the replies everyone. WM was offline for the entire night so I couldn't see for my self, and somehow missed it in the old print catalog. Coupon good for discount though because they were offline... but even with that it's cheaper to buy elsewhere.
They're quality pieces.