Lightning strike?

[ithet]

Sorting through old gear found this bail for spinnaker halyard block that I replaced on my previous boat. Looking at it now I wonder if it's lightning damage? There was no other indication.

 

[penfold]

That's just wear at the bottom of the "U".

 

[ithet]

Definitely looks melted.

 

[penfold]

Approaching it from your hypothesis; why has it only melted at the interface between the pulley becket and the U bolt? What phenomena would cause this? I know of none, whereas mechanical wear can raise marks like that.

 

[ithet]

Ok

 

[Rhylsailer99]

I haveone of them somewhere on my boat in a box not needed.

 

[BobnLesley]

Or has been connected directly to another metal shackle, that's subject to snatch loads. The coupling between our mainsheet and track car wore exactly like that, we renewed it about every three or four years.

 

[Rhylsailer99]

Probably not a good idea at the top of the mast, but I now use soft shackles to eliminate wear on the likes of the boom etc.

 

[Refueler]

Honest - if that had been on mast and struck ny lightning - it would not be only item showing massive signs of strike ... I have been on a vessel that took strike to a VHF antenna ... the amount of damage to so many other items was gobsmacking !

I was also sitting in my office years ago talking with one of my inspectors. We had a VHf antenna on the roof of the building for monitoring ships traffic in the port.
Lightning struck the antenna ... spike travelled frying the cable ... the strike was like a bomb going off .. inspector and myself literally blown out of our chairs. The cable came in right next to us and close to the office network cable. The hard drives of the office computers were fried ... network cable fried ... the antenna was a smoking stub ...

Seriously - if it was a strike - that shackle is in remarkably good condition .....

If you have a strike - you will most certainly be totally sure and aware of it !!

 

[ithet]

Ok, so not lighting and just normal SS wear! I just posted this as a point of interest and for my education. Cheers.

 

[Daydream believer]

Are you sure it was not connected to an anchor in some way. Then it could be deformation under load. Depending on the type of anchor, of course

 

[ithet]

Are you sure it was not connected to an anchor in some way. Then it could be deformation under load. Depending on the type of anchor, of course

No, bolted to top of mast, holding spinnaker halyard block on boat that only had an asymmetric. I replaced when mast was off soon after I bought her.

 

[Daydream believer]

I haveone of them somewhere on my boat in a box not needed.

In that case keep it safe

 

[Refueler]

No, bolted to top of mast, holding spinnaker halyard block on boat that only had an asymmetric. I replaced when mast was off soon after I boughtt had a BLOCK attached to it ...

It had a block attached - that is what has caused it - the two metal parts grinding away at each other