Clevis pin on top of forestay

[brak]

I had my mast re-stepped today and rigger chose to put a top forestay pin in "upside down" (i.e. with the cotter pin towards the forward/up). They explained that this is to avoid chafing halyards. The explanation makes sense but ever since then my "safety paranoia" keeps me worried - what if the cotter pin comes out or breaks somehow? With the cap up - clevis pin stays put (at least for a while) - with the cap down it pretty much falls out right away, doesn't it?

Should I go up the mast and reverse it? Or stop being paranoid? What would you do? (Where is knothead when you need good rigging advice )

[brak]

well, I take it no one thinks its a big deal - good

[pdqaltair]

How close is close?

[brak]

Originally Posted by pdqaltair

How close is close?

To flip meaning to make the cotter pin go forward/up?

Well, indeed - the chafing explanation made sense to me. It's just that I don't know how to weight the risk of pin failing vs. risk of halyard chafing.

I can never fully trust cotter pins, I guess

[tommays]

I like mine down with a goober of white silicon on them for protection so they Don't eat the spinnaker when i do something stupid

[sailingdog]

Chances are likely, if your forestay is anything like mine that it wouldn't come out even with out the cotter pin in... the top of the forestay is often too close to the mast when the mast is up for the forestay's upper cotter pin to fall out towards the mast.

[robfinora]

Just check it with your binoculars on a regular basis. I would not worry about it. As Sailingdog mentioned - the pressure against the pin will most likely hold it in place should the pin ever fall -out - which is very unlikely.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by brak

well, I take it no one thinks its a big deal - good

I was waiting for Knothead to chime in.

But I agree with the others. Those cotter pins are plenty strong enough, and they're not even under any load. The clevis pin takes all the load.

[zz4gta]

If you're worried, go up and add a wrap of rigging tape. Or do like tommay and put a spot of goo on it.

[brak]

zz, btw - your signature reminded me those 4hm 2 stroke motors are hard to come by. I bought mine on eBay last year after a lengthy search (and had to spend quite a bit to have it properly serviced).

They are worth their weight in gold Sorry, no useful advice - just keep searching eBay and one must come up.