Rigging Toggles

[graham]

I know its vital to use a toggle between the chainplate and riggingscrew on the forestay to allow movement caused by the sail pulling the stay one way or the other

is there any real need for them on the shrouds? On a cruising boat with masthead rig once there tensioned the angle of pull never changes.

Im a great believer in the less parts you use the less there is to break.

 

[William_H]

Toggles are used on the shrouds and are vital for those who lower the mast. You do need some sort of device to allow the wire to pull in its own direction regardless of the shape or direction of the chain plate with no side load.
It is up to you to look at what you have and see if there is enough free movement to permit the strain without sideways load.

I am totally unconvinced about the need for a toggle in the forestay. Again a shackle or similar loose fitting connection should provide all the sideways movement you could ever get.

The worst case I can imagine would be a fork end rolled swage fitting on the wire onto a close fitting spine on the bow fitting with a very close fitting bolt. That case would definitely need something to allow some easy movement sideways. Even then over sized holes would probably give sufficient movement.
You are trying to avoid bend of the wire or swaged fitting in the sideways direction either permanently or with movement. It should be obfvious. good luck olewill

 

[VicS]

Interesting that's something I had not thought about.. I do have a toggle on the forestay, fitted to extend it a bit, but as you point out it does give full articulation to the connection between forestay and stem head fitting.

I am inclined to agree that they are not necessary between shrouds and chainplates but my shrouds are attached to inverted U bolts so nothing to gain there.

I have always understood that shackles were a no no for attaching rigging which is why I replaced an earlier shackle on the forestay with the toggle. Unnecessary on a small boat maybe but it does look the business!