Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
does anyone use hairpin-style cotters instead of standard cotter pins or rings on various parts like turnbuckles, lifelines, celvis pins, etc?
rings seem safest, and least prone to snag, but I like the ease of removability of the hairpins (also a disadvantage, of course)
are there any other cotter styles out there?
lastly, anyone know a good source for split-ring Ronstan-type cotter rings (decreasing diameter)? I have been searching everywhere, but not found a good source - most seem to be parallel-diameter style - I find the Ronstan-type much easier to install
The hairpin is easiest to remove and snag, and therefore the least secure. I used them for things like my day sailer rudder pintle. I'd never use it for standing rigging. On open-body turnbuckles, I used straight bronze pins and wrapped the tails around the body. I used rings on most clevis pins. It's security vs. ease of removal. I haven't tried the rues.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
I have also done SS wire, through T-bolt hols, and wrapped around body - thoughts?
meanwhile, I will stick to the split-ring Ronstan-style, unless the bowtie turns out to be equally secure (I like that it has a longer lever-arm to prevent turning of the turnbuckle)
The hairpins are OK for things that need to be frequently or easily removable, but they would be hazardous in most applications on a sailboat. Any kind of easily-removable pin - including cotter-rings - need to be used with caution and checked regularly. I use cotter-rings to attach my shrouds, because I drop my mast from time to time, but I've had them snag on the jib sheets and have had to replace one now and then. I use them at a lot of other places where they aren't subject to snagging, but I check them all from time to time because I had one nearly wear through (they are thin wire, after all). Just be cautious with them.
The trouble with a destination - any destination, really - is that it interrupts The Journey.
Lee Panza SR/SK #2134 San Francisco Bay (Brisbane, CA)
I have sometmes used SS wire for my turnbuckles, b/c 1) I can choose the guage/thickness; 2) I can cut to size; 3) I can tuck the tails into the turnbuckle, so nothing's snaggable; 4) it's cheap
any reason not to keep doing that? what is standard turnbuckle practice? cotter pin? and is that b/c it's thicker guage than a cotter ring, or wire?
wouldn't a bow tie be even thicker than straight pin, and less snaggable?
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.