OK, here is the deal, about a year ago I had the chainplates replaced and all the standing rigging replaced, as well as the lifelines. I left the lifelines bare. The connections are swedged onto the ends of the cable. But where the gates exist, the loops that form the one end of the gates at the stanchions are screwed onto the swedged fitting. Yesterday, as I was hanging my fender on one of the lifelines, that latch loop fell off. Now now big deal, we were coming into port. But what if that had happened in a rough sea as one of us fell against the lifeline? Lifeline failure!!

The wife wants me to complain to the yard. Frankly, I feel that perhaps the yard should have done a better job, but ultimately it is upon me, as the boat owner, to ensure that everything is right on the boat. I have the final word and should ensure that rings are in place, cotter pins are bent, hardware is secure, etc.

Now the real question is how to make it right... I am thinking these eyes at the gate (much like the eyes shown in the image below) should be loktited on, at a minimum, to the swedged threaded piece... and I should locktite all the other connections for the lifelines. I should also add rings where rings are due. (I failed to do that, and now I am kicking my own butt for the potential issue that could have been). Bear in mind, I am not using Dyneema Line, I am using SS cable, but the arrangement of the Pelican Hook and Eye is very much like that shown in the image.

So the questions... is any blame due the yard? I really don't think so... But I am somewhat wondering about the work done aloft... sigh.

What kind of locktite would you use for this... is blue good enough... is there something better? Beyond "no gates" is there a better arrangement for gates?

Any other comments?