Standing Rigging and split rings

[Tree]

I bring my boat home at the end of the season. So, the mast must come down. All the rigging must come undone (on the deck end).

I wonder what other people who yearly go through the issue of re-rigging or de-rigging ...What do you use on your turnbuckles and pins to keep them secure.

Let's see, one fore stay, one back stay, two upper shrouds and four lowers. That makes eight turnbuckles that each have two split rings and then there are the eight pins at the chainplates that have split rings.... a total of 24 split rings that have to come off and go back on each spring and fall. I'm about as dexterious as the next guy... but it seems to take me quite a bit of time and effort doing all of those split rings. Split rings are maybe a little faster than cotter pins and create fewer potential sharp places than cotter pins..... so, split rings are maybe better than cotter pins.

But is there anything else out there any of you are useing that I should know about?

Thanks for any and all advice!

[NOLAsailing]

Unless you are racing and make frequent rig tune adjustments, taped split rings are the way to go.

[Giulietta]

Can you show me what you mean by split rings, thanks

[therapy23]

Originally Posted by Giulietta

Can you show me what you mean by split rings, thanks

He might be talking about these.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/Sources...imageid=102722

[Bill Mc]

Split rings look like the ring found on GI hand grenades and common key fobs.
They are available in 1/4 Dia size and work great on rigging as they are free from anything that will snag and tear a sail. I hope that helped I couldn't open the link.

Fair Winds,

Bill

[7Psych]

These wrap pins are excellent....With a cotter pin secured to velcro it makes changing a SNAP!!! www.PYacht.com and search under Johnson Wrap Pins!

Dale

[Giulietta]

Ahh ok now I know...

My present boat does not have turnbuckles but my 470 and other boats i owned had them.

I would not use anything other than those. I used ones that had a center part to make it easy to enter the hole in the pin.

I used to rap one or 2 turns of electrician tape around them so they would not rub legs, hurt someone or come loose.

Each year, to prevent corrosion I removed the tape, let it stay 1 or 2 weeks with no tape, and install new tape again.

Like I said, that is the best most safe way to keep the pins in place. A little sacrifice you must do...but....life is full of sacrifices.

[Giulietta]

7Psych..those are cool...thanks...

I would not use them on a permanent rigged boat tough...but for boats rigging and de-rigging frequentely they are cool...good one!!

[NOLAsailing]

I use the wrap pins on my boat as I do frequent rig tune adjustments. They are excellent.

[tyler1]

I've seen those wrap pins around, cool design.

We just use zip-ties