What rigging screws to buy?

J

Jcorstorphine

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I am finally completing my Seafairer motorsailor by adding a mast and rigging. The sails have been ordered from Crusader (what a nice bunch of guys) and the rigging is on order but I still need to buy 7 x 8mm rigging screws.

Question is do I use the open type such as these

http://www.absoluteindustrial.co.uk/products.php?category_id=935

or the closed type as shown here.

http://www.absoluteindustrial.co.uk/products.php?category_id=943

My other concern is to avoid buying ones which have not been very well made such as ones with a rolled thread as opposed to a machined one. There are some very cheap ones on Ebay. Any recomendations, bearing in mind I do not want to over specify as this is a fairly undersized rig just to potter about in my twightlight years.

If anyone has bought rigging screws recently and found them to be of poor quality, could you PM me as I don’t wish for anyone to get in trouble by saying on a public media that for example “XYZ Supplies” rigging screws are rubbish.

(Just hope that there is not a XYZ Supplies)

Regards

J.

NB The two examples above are just to indicate the open and closed versions and are not (yet) my final choice.
 
Last edited:
Jcorstorphine said:
I am finally completing my Seafairer motorsailor by adding a mast and rigging. The sails have been ordered from Crusader (what a nice bunch of guys) and the rigging is on order but I still need to buy 7 x 8mm rigging screws.

Question is do I use the open type such as these

http://www.absoluteindustrial.co.uk/products.php?category_id=935

or the closed type as shown here.

http://www.absoluteindustrial.co.uk/products.php?category_id=943

My other concern is to avoid buying ones which have not been very well made such as ones with a rolled thread as opposed to a machined one. There are some very cheap ones on Ebay. Any recomendations, bearing in mind I do not want to over specify as this is a fairly undersized rig just to potter about in my twightlight years.

If anyone has bought rigging screws recently and found them to be of poor quality, could you PM me as I don’t wish for anyone to get in trouble by saying on a public media that for example “XYZ Supplies” rigging screws are rubbish.

(Just hope that there is not a XYZ Supplies)

Regards

J.
Click to expand...

no toggles provided so limited articulation & not recomended
 
Personally i wouldn't worry too much about how the threads are mnufactured, but if the material is the right spec (fwiw rolled is stronger than machined anyway) . The closed body type look to have more thread contact but could be more awkward to adjust, possibly? My backstay has the open body type, but the shrouds are closed body.
 
My boat has the closed ones.

However, there's one thing I don't like about the closed ones. That is when slackening them, you can't see how much thread is left, until, oops you have run out of thread. Hope you were holding on.

With the open sort you can see when you are getting close to the end.

And yes what do you mean about toggles. My boat has closed ones just like in that link, and I can't see where it suffers from lack of articulation anywhere.
 
When you've sorted out what you need get a quote from http://www.ropeassemblies.co.uk/

They provided the standing rigging/bottlescrews etc for my boat. Cheap as chips compared to 'marine' outfits. They certify loadings etc. Excellent next day service if required.

I am a very satisfied customer and happily recommend them.
 
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ProDave said:
My boat has the closed ones.

However, there's one thing I don't like about the closed ones. That is when slackening them, you can't see how much thread is left, until, oops you have run out of thread. Hope you were holding on.

With the open sort you can see when you are getting close to the end.

And yes what do you mean about toggles. My boat has closed ones just like in that link, and I can't see where it suffers from lack of articulation anywhere.
Click to expand...

some have more need of them than others ;)
 
I note that breaking strains and safe working loads are not quoted. For yacht rigging I would suggest paying the extra for Stalock turnbuckles with toggles.

Big choice of types and end fittings here.
 
I would have said which ever you like the look of best. ProDave has point about being able to see the thread of the open type.

The need or other wise for toggles will depend on the attachments at the deck
inverted U bolts are unlikely to need toggles to provide adequate articulation. Attachment to flat plates ideally should have them ...... but its only a little motorsailer not an ocean racer!
 
VicS said:
I would have said which ever you like the look of best. ProDave has point about being able to see the thread of the open type.

The need or other wise for toggles will depend on the attachments at the deck
inverted U bolts are unlikely to need toggles to provide adequate articulation. Attachment to flat plates ideally should have them ...... but its only a little motorsailer not an ocean racer!
Click to expand...

but its only a little motorsailer not an ocean racer

Quite :)
 
If you are having new rigging made up,bencareful to make sure that the bottle screw extension and close distance is the same as your old ones.They are not all the same length unfortunatelyb.If you go the toggle route they will be longer.
Cindy
 
Rig Screws

In my opinion i would definitely go for imperial thread as they are easier and finer to adjust.

Bronze bodied (which are nearly always open) are far better as they don't gall, which can cause sudden failure. Bronze will outlast the wire by about 1/2.

I would say toggles are essential if you think that the top of the swage is solid then as the rigging screw flexes when it loads and unloads it will quickly work harden the join. With toggles whole rig screw can move. Toggles will also take in any misalignment in the chainplates, (most common in lowers).
 
Would definitely go open for the same reason ProDave mentions - I had a dismasting last year and I'm convinced the fact that I had closed ones meant I couldn't see how little thread I had engaged.... I have open one's now - much better to be able to see... :o
 
Open V Closed

Thanks as always for the replies.

In my case, all of the upper ends of my rigging will have swaged terminals with toggles but the lower ends will be made off with Talurit eyes. The deck fittings are all inverted “U” bolts and set so that they will allow the rigging screws to self align and will not require toggles. Did this 35 years ago on a previous boat I built and the rigging is still standing.

I have to say that I am now more convinced that I will go for the open type as I think they will be easier to adjust and as several have said, you can see exactly where the thread is and be able to see if there is any damage. It will also allow a thin smear of anti-galling to be applied to the inside threads, a further advantage I can see is that there is facility for a split pin to be fitted in addition to the lock nuts.

All I have to do now is decided on a supplier and get them at a price within my budget. So far I have only found one supplier other than the posh Bronze units and as has been said............. Its just a little Motorsailor.

J.
 
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