Turn Buckle Pins

[knothead]

Originally Posted by weephee

Thanks for the replies. I think my problem has been that the shrouds and the stays were never tight enough but they are now. Is the purpose of the pin to stop the turnbuckle from actually turning. If so, the rings wouldn't likely do that unless they are big honking ones which then wouldn't fit in the holes. I thought they were to prevent the threads from being totally unscrewed from the turnbuckle. Please remember that I'm not a long time sailor. Just learning Thanks

Actually, the circular pins do a pretty good job of keeping the turnbuckle from unscrewing. They come in a few different sizes based on the diameter of the turnbuckle stud or t-bolt.

Over the years I have found very few turnbuckles that the rings don't work in.
The thing I like about the rings is that they usually can be used over and over whereas a cotter pin that you have to bend is only good for one or two uses.

[SloopJonB]

Originally Posted by weephee

Thanks for the replies. I think my problem has been that the shrouds and the stays were never tight enough but they are now. Is the purpose of the pin to stop the turnbuckle from actually turning. If so, the rings wouldn't likely do that unless they are big honking ones which then wouldn't fit in the holes. I thought they were to prevent the threads from being totally unscrewed from the turnbuckle. Please remember that I'm not a long time sailor. Just learning Thanks

Correct me if I'm wrong but I have a feeling you misunderstand how the split rings are supposed to be fitted. The ring is supposed to be wound through the hole in the threaded shank of the turnbuckle and around 1/2 the body of the turnbuckle barrel. They don't just go through the hole in the shank like a split pin does.

[weephee]

Ok, Now I understand. I was trying to put the pin in the threaded rod only. Dumb. Thanks for the response.

[cghubbell]

You might want to check out Brian Toss' two videos, "Tuning Your Rig" and "Inspecting Your Rig". They are available from his web site, or you can find them used from Amazon as linked above.

They are worth their weight in gold compared to paying for a rigger. His style is accessible to novices, but technical enough for a seasoned sailor to also pick up knowledge. I just finished watching both, and I think they are absolutely the most useful purchase I've made in learning about rigging.