Snaggy split pins - better options?

[Daydream believer]

Good working practice. As an apprentice I was always told never to reuse split pins. The very action of bending and straightening and bending, how many times? will weaken the pin.
Mind you having said that it depends on what you consider "Good Working Practice " and what your standards are.

How many times does one expect to re fit that split pin in the next 5 years?

 

[rogerthebodger]

How many times does one expect to re fit that split pin in the next 5 years?

Depends on how oftain you lower the rig over winter. Mine stays up all year round as we have nice warm winters so can sail all year round

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

How many times does one expect to re fit that split pin in the next 5 years?

As Mr. Sinatra said "I'll do it my way" That way I know I am starting off with a good job.

 

[michael_w]

On rigging screws, a couple of turns of monel seizing wire, wrap the ends into a pigtail, and then tuck into the rigging screw. Very quick to do, no snags. no tape, no retained water, and a doddle to remove. What's not to like?

 

[Daydream believer]

On rigging screws, a couple of turns of monel seizing wire, wrap the ends into a pigtail, and then tuck into the rigging screw. Very quick to do, no snags. no tape, no retained water, and a doddle to remove. What's not to like?

#7
Try & keep up

 

[Refueler]

Which you should do anyway.

OK ... but like many things in life - many people do re-use split pins ... even professionals ...

Its fine posting - use new ones- but out there ??

 

[LittleSister]

Why? Has anyone ever seen a re-used split pin break in use?

Good working practice. As an apprentice I was always told never to reuse split pins. The very action of bending and straightening and bending, how many times? will weaken the pin.
Mind you having said that it depends on what you consider "Good Working Practice " and what your standards are.

I'm sure you would have been told that, and that's what one would instinctively do in a workshop or site service environment where you have an endless supply of spares, and little knowledge or certainty of who, when and in what circumstances the split pin would used and serviced.

One's own boat its a whole different ball game.

Bending back and forth will cause metal fatigue in any metal especially stainless steel so yes, it is good practice to use new split pins each time they are replaced.

Think of bending a paperclip back and forth it will soon fracture

A paperclip is as similar to a yacht's rigging split pin as my boat is to a navy frigate.

Again I have to ask, has anyone actually encountered one that has failed in use (due to metal fatigue our anything else)?

In the very unlikely event that a rigging split pin failed, it would be while being straightened for removal, or bent when refitting.

 

[steve yates]

I can't help wondering just how much of a problem this really is. What's the likelihood of a line getting anywhere near those split pins?

They have a nasty habit of catching down jackets and you walk around with feathers floating behind you getting colder and colder

 

[Sandy]

View attachment 186881

Whoever put these in needs shooting.

You might like to take a look at this.

 

[Halo]

My insurance company asks if the pins have been changed each year. I suppose it shows that they have been looked at.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

They are such a low cost item, I would thought folks carry a packet of spares.

 

[sawduster]

I can't help wondering just how much of a problem this really is. What's the likelihood of a line getting anywhere near those split pins?

I'm imagining a spinnaker drop gone wrong where the sail gets blown in to the rig on the way down, and the halyard ends up somewhere in there too. I was about to say more a racing than cruising problem but the mesh on the snuffer could do it too because it flops about while up and the sail is still covered.

These are far too long, correct length should be used and should be folded back round the clevis pin. That is to my mind a sloppy job

Whoever put these in needs shooting.

You might like to take a look at this.

At this stage I can still blame the previous owners, but now I've had enough time pay it some attention it looks like I'll be sourcing some shorter clevis pins and securing them shorter split pins, ends filled smooth and dabbed with transparent silicone.

 

[William_H]

The picture seems to show a stay wire with an eye end attached by clevis pin to one side of a hole through spreader base. That to my mind is really poor design as load should be on both sides of the clevis pin. The arrangement as is, will put a cocking load on the pin and hole in spreader base.
The better fix would be 2 pates on clevis pin from spreader base down to another clevis pin to stay end fitting. I assume you can not get a fork end stay fitting that will be open enough to reach around the spreader base. Unfortunately this fix will mean shortening the stay wire. ol'will

 

[Refueler]

The picture seems to show a stay wire with an eye end attached by clevis pin to one side of a hole through spreader base. That to my mind is really poor design as load should be on both sides of the clevis pin. The arrangement as is, will put a cocking load on the pin and hole in spreader base.
The better fix would be 2 pates on clevis pin from spreader base down to another clevis pin to stay end fitting. I assume you can not get a fork end stay fitting that will be open enough to reach around the spreader base. Unfortunately this fix will mean shortening the stay wire. ol'will

If you load the picture into another tab ... expand it - you will see that the split pin is only locking the spreader in place .. you can see the circular head of the split pin with the stay behind it ...



Not exactly load bearing .. but also not exactly 'pretty' ! A split ring would be IMHO better looking ... or as many boats have - a suitable nut and bolt instead through the spreader ..

 

[Stemar]

They have a nasty habit of catching down jackets and you walk around with feathers floating behind you getting colder and colder

How often does your down jacket brush the underside of your spreaders?

Of course, Sod's law says that it will happen when the mast is down, but...

 

[Metalicmike]

I have just been motivated to order some tiny stainless bolts and dome nuts

 

[Poignard]

Whilst that has done the job, maybe for years, and would continue to do so, it shows that whoever did it took absolutely no pride at all in his work.

I would worry what other slapdash work might have been done, perhaps in a critical application.

If it was my boat, I'd have the mast lifted out, and a thorough inspection made of the mast and rigging by someone who knew what they were doing.

 

[steve yates]

How often does your down jacket brush the underside of your spreaders?

Of course, Sod's law says that it will happen when the mast is down, but...

They are on my rigging screws

 

[Boathook]

View attachment 186930


Whilst that has done the job, maybe for years, and would continue to do so, it shows that whoever did it took absolutely no pride at all in his work.

I would worry what other slapdash work might have been done, perhaps in a critical application.

If it was my boat, I'd have the mast lifted out, and a thorough inspection made of the mast and rigging by someone who knew what they were doing.

Not to sure that I would call it slapdash. Maybe at the time those were the only length clevis pins available that fitted. I have seen 'instructions' in the past that showed fitting split pins like that.

 

[Refueler]

Not to sure that I would call it slapdash. Maybe at the time those were the only length clevis pins available that fitted. I have seen 'instructions' in the past that showed fitting split pins like that.

All my boats with spreader 'bolts' - were nut and bolt ... OK - I can understand split pin use - but given that spreader are rarely removed from a mast - wouldn't decent nut and bolts be better ?