Hello--

RE: use of kevlar for keel strop wire would probably break because of the brittle of the carbon fiber. These strands can't fold back on themselves as a wire will. Nice thought!

I am looking for someone to measure the keel strop wire from the top of the keel box to the washer stop. Please stretch the wire before you measure.
Thanks Marv

Marvin Kowalewski, Ph.D

---

Thanks Marv. I am interested in the newer rope products like Vectra which is flexible and goes around a winch or pulley. I'm researching but meanwhile have gone back to stainless wire as Bill Parker recommends. The issue about the keel strop is interesting. If your boat is like mine there are two wires attached. One is the lifting wire which is 4m long and goes around the turning block and onto the winch which in my boat is electric and placed in the forward cabin. The second is a short (0.5m) wire strop which is attached to a 2m approx wire with ribbons at top and bottom. This leads out of the casing through a hoop on the mast base and is attached to shockcord which runs up the mast to a point just below the spreaders. When the keel is down the whole wire part disappears into the casing and only the top ribbon is visible on deck. As the keel rises the shockcord takes up the wire which rises up the mast indicating how much plate has lifted. When fully raised the top ribbon is level with the gooseneck and the bottom ribbon and lower strop appear on deck allowing a 30cm metal pin to be inserted through the wire strop to take the weight of the plate in the full up position and provide backup to the lifting wire. Hope this helps a bit! Kate

---