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mystery item from rigging

3307 Views 23 Replies 18 Participants Last post by arknoah, Feb 5, 2015

goldilocks

Discussion Starter · Feb 2, 2015

I just found this metal part at the base of my mat, and as you can imagine, I'm wondering where it came from. It's a solid stainless steel cylinder about 3/4" long by 3/8"' diameter, with one indentation about 1/8" diameter and 3/16 deep.

I've looked all over the mast for any similar objects or missing bits, but see nothing.

Anyone have any ideas what it might be?

Thanks,
John

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1 - 20 of 24 Posts

MarkofSeaLife

· #2 · Feb 2, 2015

Did you go up the mast?

It does look weird. Some type of tang cotter pin?

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Puddin'_Tain

· #3 · Feb 2, 2015 (Edited)

MarkofSeaLife said:
Did you go up the mast?

It does look weird. Some type of tang cotter pin?

I think you mean "clevis pin". The "cotter pin" is what usually secures a clevis pin.

It sorta looks like a clevis pin, but without the head at one end. My guess is that it's a sheave pin/bearing. It probably was held in place with a little pin that goes (went) in that little hole. If you go up the mast to figure out where it came from be really careful, as the block you use to haul yourself up (or as a safety) may not have all its bits in place.

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capta

· #4 · Feb 2, 2015

It could be a pin to hold a sheave in place. An Allen set screw would thread through the sheave, extending into the hole that is visible, to keep the pin from falling out.

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captflood

· #5 · Feb 2, 2015

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS; have you looked on the boom Gooseneck as well and the cross-trees (jummper-stays) it could be out of the the tangs, I like what "Capta" says looks like your checking all standing and running rigging on the next visit ! AS ALWAYS GO SAFE

appick

· #6 · Feb 2, 2015

I'd say it all depends what kind of sailing you do. As racers are notorious for pulling pranks such as throwing odd bits of metal on deck or clevis pins, just to confound a competitor. However you absolutely have to figure out where it came from. It appears to have a bevel machined into the left end in the pictures. For that reason I'm with everyone else saying its a sheave pin/ bearing. The beveled end would help when inserting into its hole. Also it doesn't show any signs of having sheared off. Do you have a roller furling? Maybe some type of roller bearing for that?

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JimsCAL

· #7 · Feb 2, 2015

It looks to me like a small ss ball with a spring underneath would go in the detent. Pin would slide into the mating piece and the ball would snap in hold it in position. The question still remains, where did it come from? Not likely its something critical like a shroud or stay, but something like holding the tack of the mainsail would make sense.

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bratzcpa

· #8 · Feb 2, 2015

Yikes, that would be scary - - it had to come from SOMEWHERE. And a 3/8 diameter pin is meant to hold something strong/important!!!! phew

I think you have a trip up to the top of the mast to check your sheaves. On mine, they actually are through pinned with a should/head on one end and hole for a cotter/clevis pin on the other. But I can sure imagine how this could be inserted and held in place with a set screw into that depression near one end.

PLEASE post the results of your search. I'm very curious.

westsailpatti

· #9 · Feb 2, 2015

[QUOTE=appick; As racers are notorious for pulling pranks such as throwing odd bits of metal on deck or clevis pins, just to confound.
I remember that from the old Santana mag, they used to joke like that all the time . I didn't think anybody really did it . Sorry Goldilocks I have no idea what that part is . Hope we find out as I have never seen anything like it .

MarkofSeaLife

· #10 · Feb 2, 2015 (Edited)

appick said:
As racers are notorious for pulling pranks such as throwing odd bits of metal on deck or clevis pins, just to confound.
I remember that from the old Santana mag, they used to joke like that all the time . I didn't think anybody really did it.

We did it once. Almost becalmed and a boat was right next to us. We pinged an bit of stuff over onto their deck then looked up and pointed :laugher

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Minnesail

· #11 · Feb 2, 2015

Kniffling pin. Holds the beadlewurton in place.

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bblument

· #12 · Feb 2, 2015

Before replacing my single lever engine control, I made a vain attempt at repairing the aged and failing one on the boat. Two of the shafts for the gears involved looked very much like the pic you posted; solid cylinders w/ small beveled edge and a recess for a spring-loaded ball bearings to engage at the "detent" settings of the lever. I have no explanation for how the part would find its way to the base of your mast, but it sure looks like the same part.

Just an idea...

Barry

Stumble

· #13 · Feb 2, 2015

I have no idea. It looks like a clevis pin, but without the head, and without the holes for cotter pins... I really couldn't say.

If you don't get an answer try posting at SparTalk - SparTalk if Brion Toss (the owner of that site) doesn't know what it is, then no one knows.

Bill-Rangatira

· #14 · Feb 2, 2015

might be a slug for the mast wiring loom

goldilocks

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 3, 2015

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I'm thinking it's not a clevis pin from the shrouds or the forestay because it's too small, and if it were from the running back stays, they would have fallen down. From what I can see from old photos and thru binoculars, the sheaves on the front and back of the mast are held by a clevis pin with a shoulder and split pin, and they appear to be there, plus the pin is too short.

It could be holding the sheave for the jib halyard, and I probably wouldn't notice until I tried to get the jib down because it's furled. But once again it looks small, and I'd expect a regular clevis pin.

I like the idea of plunger type item with a retaining spring in that hole (not least because it means my mast probably won't fall down - yet). But I can't find anywhere that looks like it's missing such an item, even the jib track.

I did speak to a rigger today who couldn't identify it. If I ever find out, I'll be sure to let the forum know.

Thanks,
John

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Reactions: 3

SloopJonB

· #16 · Feb 4, 2015

I think JimsCal has it - it's the pin from a pitpin (faspin).

As to where it came from - you'll just have to wait for something to break.

MarkofSeaLife

· #17 · Feb 4, 2015

My old mainsail had some weird fittings for the batten cars. There was a round thing like that to tension the battens, but it was threaded. Worth a look.

goldilocks

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 4, 2015

Found it! It was in the bottom of the federicksen batten car, or rather it should have been. There's the central part of the car with the threaded rod that goes into the batten end, and beneath that sits this slug held by a small setscrew. Seems like a circlip would be a better idea, but..

But I'm extremely lucky that it didn't bounce through the trampoline, which starts about 18 inches in front of the mast.

Anyway thanks for the help.
John

MarkofSeaLife

· #19 · Feb 4, 2015

Well done!

aeventyr60

· #20 · Feb 5, 2015

Mark gets the Beer!

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