delevi wrote:[Terry,
My 5/32 forestay uses a 1/4" swage bolt. I think the rig shop did that so I could re-use the stock turnbuckle. I was concerned that a larger one may not fit inside the CDI FF2 drum. The new one looks just like the old one Highlander's cutter rig is starting to look more and more attractive.
Be safe,
L.
Yea, I was worried about the same thing but did not have the furler with me so I gambled it would fit. I did have the entire oem forestay & turnbuckle with me though. Got home and first thing I did was check for the fit both in the drum and on the foretang and won the gamble. The drum is quite large but it will be a pain to adjust the turnbuckle once the furler is pinned in place and the mast up.
How's that base plate look? Did you twist it?
G,
What would they charge if you brought your mast on the plane? Hey, always good to have a spare, eh? I have a nasty habbit of breaking stuff on my boat... but hey, I've pretty much replaced everything by now, so I should be good to go for a while. Just hope those IDA rudders hold up.
Terry,
Mast plate is just fine. I had a bit of bend in it from a while ago when I shackled blocks to the holes. No more. I have deck mounted padeyes for all the blocks and bent the plate back with a big monkey wrench.. almost good as new. The latest incident didn't cause any damage, thank God. I really think this was a blessing in disguise. If this happened on the water, someone could have been seriously hurt or worse.
Now for some rigging updates... see Baldbaby's thread on mast rake.
Off to Lake Sonoma for Easter weekend. Looking forward to sailing Rusalka vs. just working on her.
Install a bail and block above the forestay attachment for
your future spinnaker , if you don't already have one,and make the halyard long enough to tie to the bow pulpit, the halyard can also
be used to help lift the dinghy out of the water to store on deck.
Leon, glad you safely avoided what could have been a catastrophe!
BTW I am curious just how many threads were engaged at the time, also which threads stripped. ie the internal nut threads or external bolt threads, or both.
Is it possible somehow some PO may have installed one of those "Off Shore" less an adequate! poor quality components
Can't imagine MacRoger employing those cheap lookalikes
Especially at the shroud tensions Leon uses, I wouldn't adjust the forestay turnbuckle under tension. It's easy to gall the threads. Use the mast raising kit to take the tension off the forestay before doing the adjustment. This CAN be done on the water.
I'd advise having a spare furler drum pin (the one that holds the weight of the foil you have to remove to slide the drum up). I didn't lose it, but was sure nervous about doing that.
I also use new cotter pins every time I adjust a turnbuckle, buying dozens at a time. Some use ring dings in turnbuckles.
You might get jam nuts on the outside of the turnbuckle body, but I doubt you'd get them on inside it to act as a backup should the threads fail. I personally wouldn't trust jam nuts to keep the body from rotating with a furler on the forestay. Use the pin holes.
Moe wrote:Especially at the shroud tensions Leon uses, I wouldn't adjust the forestay turnbuckle under tension. It's easy to gall the threads. Use the mast raising kit to take the tension off the forestay before doing the adjustment. This CAN be done on the water. ...
What he said ... precisely!
The turnbuckle was never designed to adjust the rig "under tension," regardless the choice of tautness, though I'm pretty sure Leon has prolly done so before. Considering the thread-size, both internal and external, it was just a matter of time (sorry, Leon).
The threads on stainless Sta-Master adjusters are easily 4 times as beefy as an average turnbuckle, but they advise against adjusting them under tension, due to the risk of galling. This is a common problem with stainless steel fasteners. The only Sta-Masters that are appropriate to this application are specially bushed with dissimlar metals. They sell for ~ $75 each.
The turnbuckle was never designed to adjust the rig "under tension," regardless the choice of tautness, though I'm pretty sure Leon has prolly done so before. Considering the thread-size, both internal and external, it was just a matter of time (sorry, Leon).
Ummm, yeah. I did adjust it under load, and have done so before. I figured that since most sail boats use turnbuckles on shrouds as well as the headstay, and adjust their rigs on the water, this was ok. Apparently not.
R Rae,
All therads were engaged. The thread ripped out of the turbuckle, not the bolt, though I also replaced the bolt just to be on the safe side. The inside of the failed end of the turnbuckle was fairly smooth after the thread pulled out and there was plenty of rust. I was a bit surprised at how small the threading is, even on the replacement turnbuckle.
delevi wrote:
R Rae,
All therads were engaged. The thread ripped out of the turbuckle, not the bolt, though I also replaced the bolt just to be on the safe side. The inside of the failed end of the turnbuckle was fairly smooth after the thread pulled out and there was plenty of rust. I was a bit surprised at how small the threading is, even on the replacement turnbuckle.
Leon
This was yor prime opportunity to upgrade to a 3/16 turnbuckle, you replaced it all anyway, so why not go bigger? I also noticed there are little holes in the bolts for cotter pins in case of failure. I won't be adjusting mine under load.
To go to a larger turnbuckle, I would probably need to replace the forestay, since it has a 1/4" bolt swaged onto it..... unless they make larger ones which fit 1/4".
The cotter pin holes are not "in case of failure." The pins keep the turnbuckle from unwinding. Make sure you put them in.
BTW, since you got your forestay 2" shorter like mine, I want to share my latest rigging issues. Cranking the turnbuckle all the way down will produce negative rake. I thought I could correcit it w/ shrouds but that is not the case. You may want to keep the turnbuckle at its minimum setting, just enough for the pin holes to clear. I just released mine last weekend.
We now use the original Jib halyard as a safety for the forestay when it is not being used for the spinnaker and while it's probably not strong it is better than nothing and as easy to clip there as back on the mast.
Gives a little comfort when you hear these stories of failures which mean the mast is guaranteed on the deck with possibly someone under it.
Boblee wrote:We now use the original Jib halyard as a safety for the forestay when it is not being used for the spinnaker and while it's probably not strong it is better than nothing and as easy to clip there as back on the mast.
Gives a little comfort when you hear these stories of failures which mean the mast is guaranteed on the deck with possibly someone under it.
Bob,
I use my jib halyard to raise the mast and it seems plenty strong enough, I also use it clipped like you while motoring as a safety line. Not sure now that I have a furler though as it will always be attached to the sail head.
Terry we have the spinnaker block mounted 18" above the jib on the mast and a longer bow roller which passes as a short bowsprit so the halyard is well out front ready to attach the chute scoop.
If the chute scoop wasn't so noisy and creating drag when pointing to the wind it could stay there.
Highlander's cutter rig is starting to look more and more attractive.
