Split pins or rings.

[cjepearson]

Hello to one and all,
Thanks for a v.good forum.
Has anybody any good ideas what to use to secure standing rigging pins and rigging screws. I dislike rings as they have been known to work there way off, and are the devils own job to fix in the first place. Split pins are OK but can catch clothes and skin if not bent over properly, and,again are tricky to put in. I thought about electrical ties but they are not strong enough. I have bought new standing rigging for this season so am in need of some inspiration

 

[mikewilkes]

Prefer rings cos I always have bare feet on my boat. Got fed up with split pins sticking in the old feet.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I have rings on mine.

I regularly check them on my walk around. As you say, split pins can have their own problems, sails and sheets are as venerable as clothes.

The jury is still out for me. The ring on my main block to boom worked free and just as we picked up a mooring in foul weather decided to part and the main sheets tumbled to the deck.

Had that happened at sea I dread to think. I have replaced that one with another ring, as the block assy can be removed and turned over for MOB. A split pin in a rolly sea would be a bit of a pain.

I will be reading this with interest.

 

[Razorfish]

I posted on this a few weeks ago when I discovered that I was missing 4 or 5 split rings from various bottle screws and other rather essential bits of rigging. The advise at the time was that as they get flattened and worked out by sheets etc it was best to tape them.

Thats what I've done now, and I'll be keeping a close watch on them after each sail.

Gave me a bit of a fright when I first noticed I can tell you!

 

[Robin]

Rings are for dinghies where the mast is regularly stepped/unstepped. Split pins may be a pain but are more secure, use the correct size and length and bend them if necessary back on themselves enough to keep them within the profile of the rigging screw/fitting then tape them over with self amalgamating tape. If you have seen a ring come loose at deck level - think about what might happen to one at the masthead.

 

[Achilles]

I use little stainless steel bolts with nyloc stainless nuts. Works a treat.

 

[Seal_surfer]

Try what they use on the Global Challenge boats - Split pins bent neatly back, woth a big dollop of silicone sealant pressed over them to eliminate snagging. If its good enough to sail mostly to windward all the way round the world, it must be right.

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Split pins or rings - Neither

I use stainless steel wire. It can be threaded and wrapped as many times as the hole will allow and you can twist and make off the ends so they don’t catch.

 

[Cobra25]

Re: Split pins or rings - Neither

Yes mousing wire is good on the turnbuckles then tape to keep all flat and unobtrusive

 

[mikesharp]

Don't like rings. When they come off (and they do) it is without warning. Split pins have the snagging problem and using tape to protect causes a dirt or water retention problem. Have been experimenting with SS welding rods which I will go through both parts of a turnbuckle as a sort of continuous loop. Not my idea but can't remember where I got it from.

 

[sailorman]

split pins.
with the pointy end not over-long & bend back along the clevis pin. then use mole-grips to bend the pointy bit into the clevis pin to avoid any snagging then tape-up
will try to post diagramme. watch this space