I have seen several of you installed turnbuckle boots. The big benefit for me is saving some time / pain in the rigging process by keeping everything aligned.
I bought the West Marine ones and now am trying to figure out install. Are you able to remove the oval sleeves on the shrouds (my has a pair of sleeves that secure the rigging around the thimble) and then install new ones? Or do you have to install a completely new shroud (I.e. sleeves are only good once on standing rigging)?
I too would like some advice on these guys - I often need to walk over to the side stays while raising the mast because the stays are crooked on those thingys (not a turnbuckle but a french word - what is it? I forget).
I'm trying to get you a little help here hschumac but I think everyone is sleeping in today. If you can't get any response I could flush out some folks with some right good troll methods but I think we shall wait a little longer to see the guys wake up today.
I just used some 1 inch i-d clear plastic tubing from Home Depot (or where ever). Cut it about 18 inches long and slipped over the bottom of the shrouds. It slips back down over the shroud adjusters. The advantages are: 1) cheap yet rugged, 2) transparent so you can see through and inspect for alignment or fraying, 3) gently keeps things aligned to prevent kinking of shrouds while raising and lowering the mast. I rarely (ne:never) unhook the shrouds for travel - just bungie them in place so they won't chafe the hull or mast.
The adjusters on an are vernier plates. You can remove the bottom plate and feed the tube up over the plate and rigging, the cap is notched and slips over the shroud of course.
Ringding goes on the inside of the shroud if you sail genny, outside if you sail jib. You can also tape them to prevent snags if you sail both
You do not need to readjust the rigging after this unless you are a racer like Newell.
And thanks Catigale. I never really looked at the boots to see the notch in the cap. Doh! Way easier than ever imagined. Spent a lot of time learning all about staging tools though before that epiphany.
has a pair of sleeves that secure the rigging around the thimble) and then install new ones? Or do you have to install a completely new shroud (I.e. sleeves are only good once on standing rigging)?
