MacGregorSailors.com

BOAT wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 10:03 am Extra bracket is for the sail tack - you would not have that Jimmy because your sail is attached to a furler - not to the mast.

Got it. Thanks for clearing that up!

Are you talking about the "hook" that your main halyard is hooked to?

I thought that was used for reefing. My tack is connected to a connector attached to the bolt. (don't have a photo).
As BOAT mentioned, yours is attached to the furler.

It will be so obvious to you that you'll think I'm a knit wit (which will be true).

The tack connection at top of gooseneck pin, next to reefing hook. I don't have one as BOAT pointed out, so I didn't even think about where you guys connect the tack.

. . .



Why is there a Reefing Cringle Hook built into jimmy's gooseneck ????

BOAT wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 12:35 pm Why is there a Reefing Cringle Hook built into jimmy's gooseneck ????

My theory is Inmon took standard Mac and modified the boom. Didn't bother to cut that off in case the owner chooses to restore to OEM style main.

If it doesn't get in Jimmy's way, I'd just leave it.
Mine DOES get tangled often.

Are you guys referring to my main halyard head connection storage hook?

Believe it or not, that's the only thing on the mast I haven't tangled up.

Jimmyt wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 2:17 pm Are you guys referring to my main halyard head connection storage hook?

Believe it or not, that's the only thing on the mast I haven't tangled up.

"main halyard head connection storage hook"
I never thought to use it for that. I have always used the mast raising vang for the main halyard. I like your idea.

My main seems to constantly get tangled. I've been saying I need to put something over the "hook" to keep the main from tangling. Maybe with all this time at home I can engineer something. Wish I had some of those welding skilz like you.

Thanks Boat, that gives me a whole new way of looking at the traveller problem. Maybe put track on the floor and both gunnels and just move the sheet attachment as needed? Might be interesting!

As for the rivets in the gooseneck fitting, I installed what were supposed to be high-strength Aluminum in mine and they only lasted one sailing season. The holes in the mast were wallowed out so these were #5 AL rivets with steel centers. The second time around I had to go up to #6 rivets and I used Stainless Steel. 5 years now and no sign of looseness. But boy do those puppies take a massive "armstrong" puller to get them set!

The bracket appears bent, because its so loose.

Also were the stainless steel rivets of POP type.. did you need a special pop rivet tool?

Yes. Stainless pop rivets. Mine are still factory. I don't know if I can do one by hand. I'll go try. Or not... out of steel pop rivets - sorry. Doubt you can do it with the standard tool though. A heavy duty type or pneumatic may be required.

I'll bet someone on here has done it. But, I wouldn't use aluminum rivets on the boom. Factory rivets are stainless, I'm virtually positive. Very hard to scratch with a sharp center punch...

Your gooseneck bracket is bent and your mast connection is loose. Somehow, that appears to have been mishandled. Is this previous owner damage, or are you using your boom for a jungle-gym?

Maraquita wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 4:26 pm Thanks Boat, that gives me a whole new way of looking at the traveller problem. Maybe put track on the floor and both gunnels and just move the sheet attachment as needed? Might be interesting!

As for the rivets in the gooseneck fitting, I installed what were supposed to be high-strength Aluminum in mine and they only lasted one sailing season. The holes in the mast were wallowed out so these were #5 AL rivets with steel centers. The second time around I had to go up to #6 rivets and I used Stainless Steel. 5 years now and no sign of looseness. But boy do those puppies take a massive "armstrong" puller to get them set!

Sure thing Maraquita and that's exactly what I do when I want to point really high so the boat weighs about 2500 pounds so I have a Ronstan 2420 snap shackle on top of the traveler so i can move the mainsheet but in the case of your wife not wanting the sheet block in her way you might consider a trapeze mainsheet - they were VERY popular back in the day before travelers caught on:

The trapeze mainsheet would go from one edge of the cabintop to the other and preserve a little 'teepee' opening over the companionway for your wife. That's not really the best way to deploy a trapeze - these were VERY VERY common in the old days and the real advantage is they work well to flatten the main when beating hard into the wind when they are deployed from the end of the boom:

The boat is pulled through the water at the points where the sail attaches to the boat - so most of the pull is exerted through the mast and shrouds but a huge percentage is from the mainsheet block and the gooseneck. Really important to make sure those two things are well secured.

This one will do stainless rivets according to reviews. Pretty cheap. I may need one of these. I wish I felt safe going to HF now. Wife wouldn't let me go anyway, though so I'll have to wait... never met a tool I didn't need.

https://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-dut ... gL5L_D_BwE

That looks like the type you should be using for SS pop rivets - compound action, two hands required.

Or a pneumatic/hydraulic type.