Many of you recognized a candlestick, a piece of hardware used to hold the lines along the deck of the boat to prevent falls into the sea.
The stanchions are metal rods made of steel or stainless steel with 1 or 2 holes. They are installed vertically around the deck of the boat and are fixed on bases. The holes in the stanchions allow the cables that will make up the lines to be passed through. These flexible lines along the deck can be made of stainless steel or Dyneema type textile.
Specific standards according to the category of the boat
There are standards for the channels according to the design category of the boat. These standards affect the height of stanchions, openings and tension of the lines.
The height of the lines according to the length of the boat
- For a vessel of 8.50 metres or more in length, the height of these protections above the deck must not be less than 600 mm (450 mm for other vessels).
- When the height of the protections exceeds 450mm, the height between the bridge and the first die must not exceed 300mm.
A different voltage depending on the category
- For category A vessels, the lines must withstand a longitudinal traction of 1300 daN (decanewton) or 1325 kiloforces.
- For category B and C vessels, this traction is 900 daN or 917 kiloforces.
Spacing
- The stanchions shall not be spaced more than 2200 mm (2.20 m) apart.
The stanchions and lines are therefore essential for the safety of the people on board. It is advisable to respect these standards, and in case of damage, replace the stanchions with models having the same height as the original ones.
