Rhylsailer99
Well-Known Member
Are the R clips ok on the pins on the forestay or should I stick to split pins
R clips or split pins
- Thread starter Rhylsailer99
- Start date
sarabande
Well-Known Member
There are always sharp, pointed "legs" with R clips. Unless you tape them carefully you could end up with torn sails or hands.
PabloPicasso
Well-Known Member
Use split pins on rigging. R clips are for something else
PabloPicasso
Well-Known Member
What's the opinion of folks on split pins on bottle screws. Open to 15 degrees or wrap them around?
fisherman
Well-Known Member
I make nappy pins
S/S wire: today I have been mostly making
out of old morse cable. Some don't like them, they can snag, but pretty secure. yes, as above, sharp. They are for removable items, split pins aren't.
S/S wire: today I have been mostly making
out of old morse cable. Some don't like them, they can snag, but pretty secure. yes, as above, sharp. They are for removable items, split pins aren't.
Black Sheep
Well-Known Member
I like R clips - they're easy to clip, and easy to unclip. Split rings too - no nasty sharp bits.
I hate split pins - nasty sharp things that are a pain to remove when you need to.
But for a forestay - split pin every time. That's something that you really don't want coming undone in an unplanned manner.
I hate split pins - nasty sharp things that are a pain to remove when you need to.
But for a forestay - split pin every time. That's something that you really don't want coming undone in an unplanned manner.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Both Nappy Pins and R Clips are designed for frequent removal and can be accidentally released relatively easily when snagged by something else. Spilt pins should be used where the fitting is not adjusted regularly. Use a split pin and fold the legs back. not just prise apart slightly.
fisherman
Well-Known Member
Where are they? Clevis pins?
AngusMcDoon
Well-Known Member
The official engineering advice is to open the legs 15 degrees only. In safety critical situations this is enforced. At a nuclear power station I used to work at there was an opening angle measuring device. For boat rigging, if replaced every time and not reused, I doubt it matters much. I don't suppose there are any reported examples of masts falling down because a split pin was opened beyond the manufacturer's specification.
Rhylsailer99
Well-Known Member
T
that's what I thought I bought some 3.2mm 20mm a4 split pins on eBay last night for 10mm pins , I'm hoping I bought the correct size.
fisherman
Well-Known Member
I still don't know why, but remember sitting outboard on the sliding seat of a Hornet and seeing the leeside stay drop off the eye, the clevis pin just hung in the shackle. We managed to luff up sufficiently for me to creep across and retrieve it. I suppose the split pin was left out.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Not in my industry it is not, fold back is the recommendation, so I guess it depends. The type of hoisting and lifting performed on rigs, tends to have lifting equipment running over bumper bars and deflection bars, so contact with fixed structures is likely. hence the added security of bending back.
See page 17 https://www.dropsonline.org/assets/documents/ReliableSecuringREV04.pdf
AngusMcDoon
Well-Known Member
I expect human error leading to a pin being forgotten to be installed in the first place (like Fisherman's example) is a much more likely failure mode than the pin failing because it's been bent too far or accidently straightened by bumping something and then falling out because it wasn't bent far enough.
On that assumption, I would suggest the following advice: open the pin to 15 degrees or bent fully back, or any angle between; it doesn't really matter. What matters is that it's installed in the first place and not forgotten. Check all clevis pins. Then check again. Then get someone else to confirm.
RJJ
Well-Known Member
Or use seizing wire
PetiteFleur
Well-Known Member
I had a few days on a friends boat last year, walked around the deck checking things and noticed a missing split pin on the after lower shroud. Fortunately the nearby chandlery had some split pins. No idea how long it had been missing but he had just come round from the East Coast to Dartmouth! Split pin fully wrapped around and taped up with amalgamating tape.
penberth3
Well-Known Member
I have seen R-clips fail by fracturing at the top loop of the "R". I put that down to poor manufacturing and haven't seen it again. Whatever, it's something that can't happen with split pins.
fisherman
Well-Known Member
How about a split ring--like a keyring? Completely secure and no open ends
penberth3
Well-Known Member
Problem there is you can't see what's happening behind the tape.
Black Sheep
Well-Known Member
This is turning into an interesting discussion....
Split rings: I have seen a split ring get caught up in a line, get pulled out of shape, and ultimately get pulled from the pin it's supposed to be securing. So I'd tend to avoid for standing rigging, unless you protect, eg with tape, which brings us to:
Taping it up: Generally I agree that it's better not to hide things behind tape. But there's a couple of points in favour; one is that tape could protect against the pin/ring/clip being pulled out or distorted by running rigging or mooring lines. The other is that protection against the rig falling down is only one aspect; another is to protect my ankles from being ripped apart by a sharp ended split pin. Sometimes I prefer to tape.
15° or fully bent back: I used to be persuaded that 15° was sufficient, but that does tend to leave ankle-destroying sharp ends. Bent fully round can be less scratchy. Either way, the key is to make sure you have a plentiful supply of new split pins so you never have to reuse. Fully bent is a pain to remove, but sharp cutters can do the trick.
Split rings: I have seen a split ring get caught up in a line, get pulled out of shape, and ultimately get pulled from the pin it's supposed to be securing. So I'd tend to avoid for standing rigging, unless you protect, eg with tape, which brings us to:
Taping it up: Generally I agree that it's better not to hide things behind tape. But there's a couple of points in favour; one is that tape could protect against the pin/ring/clip being pulled out or distorted by running rigging or mooring lines. The other is that protection against the rig falling down is only one aspect; another is to protect my ankles from being ripped apart by a sharp ended split pin. Sometimes I prefer to tape.
15° or fully bent back: I used to be persuaded that 15° was sufficient, but that does tend to leave ankle-destroying sharp ends. Bent fully round can be less scratchy. Either way, the key is to make sure you have a plentiful supply of new split pins so you never have to reuse. Fully bent is a pain to remove, but sharp cutters can do the trick.
One of the most useful things on my boat is a pair of digital callipers - it's reduced the number of wrong-size purchases!
Gary Fox
N/A
Split pins, fully bent back to avoid cut hands and sails. The metal fatigue doesn't matter compared to the sharpness of the ends if not bent back properly. Tape hinders regular glances at the pins.
Yes..the whole safety of your yacht and crew depends on a £00.001p component from China, get over it
I like R-clips and split rings, just not for rigging though.
Yes..the whole safety of your yacht and crew depends on a £00.001p component from China, get over it
I like R-clips and split rings, just not for rigging though.
