keepers on turnbuckles

[walt]

Im putting a roller furler on boat and it will have a turnbuckle inside the drum at the bottom.

Since this wont be normally visible for regular inspection, what is the best way to implement some sort of keeper to make sure the turbuckle does not rotate?

I bought the turnbuckle already but it looks like they never come with whatever you need for the keeper.

Is this just the largest staibless steel wire you can find that will fit through the hole on both threaded parts and the wrapped around the turnbuckle..

Or??

 

[DougM]

Usually a large diameter split ring can be inserted through the hole in the threaded rod and around one leg of the turnbuckle body on each end.

 

[walt]

sounds like a good idea.. I will try that. Thanks!

 

[Parsons]

I like your stainless wire approach more because of where this particular turnbuckle is. I'd be concerned with the furling drum spinning around this that something (there's always something) will get inside the drum and foul on the hanging split ring. The wire would fit snugly against the turnbuckle body.

 

[caguy]

I like your stainless wire approach more because of where this particular turnbuckle is. I'd be concerned with the furling drum spinning around this that something (there's always something) will get inside the drum and foul on the hanging split ring. The wire would fit snugly against the turnbuckle body.

+1 on the safety wire. I use it now on all of my turn buckles. Youtube has some how to videos.

 

[walt]

I have not been able to find out much about safety keepers on the open face type turnbuckles (there is plenty of info on the aircraft type turnbuckles.

I looked at cotter pins that fit in the hole.. maybe that works fine I couldn’t find one that made me comfortable (this will be inside the furler drum where I cant see it).

I bought some 19 gauge SS wire and tried a "figure 8" where the wire loops through the hole twice and this looks good/ rigid.

The bottom picture is a split ring and as was already mentioned, this probably would have issues inside the furling drum.

]

 

[Charles Erwin]

You might like this - it is a bit more skookum

 

[woodster]

You might like this - it is a bit more skookum

i am glad you posted this i have been looking for it in roger longs post and was going to post it ...that's how he does it and it is a good setup thanks Charles

 

[walt]

Cool! I think the text says about the rod:

Stainless Steel TIG welding rod (flux free) heliarc welding rod 304 or 316

1.6mm or 2.4 mm


Note that the 19 guage SS wire in the picture I posted a couple back is 1.016 mm diameter.

 

[Ron20324]

I believe there is monel wire in a .030-something size, and a .041

 

[caguy]

Somebody posted some very reasonable that were velcroed pins a few weeks ago.

 

[caguy]

This was posted a few weeks ago Smart Pins from Blue Water

 

[Stu Jackson]

Reinventing the wheel is always somewhat tedious.

Does your furler manual not show suggested ways to do this?

Good ideas, though, to respond to the OP, although none show the traditional cotter pin turned back.

 

[walt]

Both flexible furler and Schaefer manuals for the smaller fulers say to use your own forestay and turnbuckle.. Ie, we are not liable for whatever dumb thing you do with the forestay although both manuals do say you need toggles on both ends. No details about turnbuckles - its not what they sell.

What you do also seems to be dependent on if you are often adjusting them. The smart pins look like a good idea if you adjust them often. For my application of the turnbuckle inside the furler and not racing (ie, trying to get the last .001% performance wise), Im just going with the 19 gauge ss wire and the figure 8 tie realizing this will be a pain in the axx if I need to re adjust things. Since I wont be able to inspect the turnbuckle often (inside the drum - and the drum also rotates), this will make me a little more comfortable.