Alternative to Split Rings

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DialedN_87

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Aug 21, 2018
14
Catalina 22 Lake Waccamaw, NC / Holden Bch
A Google search of the same topic lead me to a few pages about things that people have used to replace split rings.

I trailer sail my Catalina 22 100% of the time (hope to be on a mooring very soon though) and my wife has extreme difficulty with the split rings in the turnbuckles and the mainsheet blocks. I'm trying to come up with an alternative that will be easier for her to work with (dropping them, asking me to stop what I'm doing and come help, losing some, etc). The difficulty is with removing the clevis pin and removing split rings to turn the turnbuckles, just to re-install them again, they get caught between the threads and the turnbuckle itself and jam up. I'm guessing a "better than split ring" alternative could knock 5-8 minutes off of our setup time. And 3 C. Sherman Johnson quick release levers could save 10-15 minutes.
IN THE MEANTIME The best alternative I have found would possibly be http://www.downwindmarine.com/Johnson-Safety-Pin-Stainless-Steel-p-91000432.html or (haven't verified the clevis pin size yet) https://www.grainger.com/product/2X...3557!&ef_id=W4RYJQAAAGiDP23M:20180828183617:s
Looking for advice on my quick and dirty fix until I get the quick release's for Christmas. Any experience or other ideas? Thanks.
 

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JRacer

JRacer

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Aug 9, 2011
1,355
Beneteau 310 Cheney KS (Wichita)
Cotter Pin Wraps. https://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1685_96/cotter-pin-wraps-14.cfm
I use those on my B310. Has the benefit of not losing the cotter pin because it is a part of the wrap and the wrap covers the pin so prevents snags on sails, etc.

On the J24, we used a pair of nuts above and below the turnbuckle body to lock it in place - nuts will be left and right thread. Upside of using the nuts was that it needed no wrapping to protect sails from snags.
 
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Captain Ron 18

Captain Ron 18

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Feb 8, 2017
108
MacGregor MacGregor 25 Middle River
I've been using split rings on my Mac25 since I bought it new in 1985 - no problems ever. Confidence is high that the rings won't catch on anything and get pulled out unexpectedly - and especially inconveniently. However, when I trailer it or store it for the winter, the only fitting that gets disconnected is the forestay. Absolutely everything else stays connected, and it all gets bungee corded to keep everything safe while you're rolling, plus this all cuts down on set up and down time. A suggestion would be to pick up some sort of small folding tool that she could keep in her pocket to be deployed when she needs assistance to open a split ring. Good luck!

Cheers,

Ron
 
C

CarlN

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Jan 4, 2009
603
Ketch 55 Bristol, RI
The stainless hairpin style would be cheap and easy. There's a slight risk that they could be snagged and pullout out but it seems unlikely. You could also replace the clevis pin with one that has a sprung ball in the end. Again, not quite as secure but unlikely to be an issue. In both cases you could just wrap a bit of silicon tape around it when launching and cut it off on return. But I really like JRacer's wrap things. Never seen those before.
 

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capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,889
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Easier than replacing split rings is fabricating a tool for them. I took a small flat blade screwdriver and put a 90-degree bend in the shaft. When it is inserted between the ring metal you turn it 90 degrees and it opens the split ring. No more broken fingernails or frustration.
split ring tool.jpg
 
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ggrizzard

ggrizzard

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May 27, 2004
2,037
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
Stainless steel welding rod cut to fit through both stud eyes in the turnbuckle and bent around to the inside.
 
Captain Ron 18

Captain Ron 18

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Feb 8, 2017
108
MacGregor MacGregor 25 Middle River
Kewl! Amazon has those Xuron 496 pliers on prime for $6.19 and Wally Mart has them for $6.36. Excellent find jviss!
 
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DougM

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
I have a permanently notched thumb nail from opening split rings...
No special tools required.
actually, I like those pliers. Never came across them before!
 
J

JimInPB

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Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
CarlN said:
...You could also replace the clevis pin with one that has a sprung ball in the end. Again, not quite as secure but unlikely to be an issue....
Click to expand
I have some of those. They work well in fresh water environments, in applications that don't have high stress accompanies by working back & forth. In salt water environments, the spring loaded detent ball gets stuck from salt sneaking inside & crystallizing. When they are worked back & forth under high load, they sometimes come out. I have had good luck using them for locking a swivel seat in position.
 
Tom G P-21

Tom G P-21

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Aug 15, 2012
301
Precision 21 Newburyport MA
Please do not use quick pins on any standing rigging. I remember reading it somewhere that it is an unsafe situation. The toggle pins are good for the headstay. For the mainsheet you might want to think of something like a snap shackle to speed up installation.

https://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?14144
 
agprice22

agprice22

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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
My regular West Marine SOG needle nose multi-tool works great for split rings.
 
S

sesmith

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Jul 1, 2010
981
Catalina 350 Port Huron
ggrizzard said:
Stainless steel welding rod cut to fit through both stud eyes in the turnbuckle and bent around to the inside.
Click to expand
This is what we use on our turnbuckles. 1 tube of 1/16" ss welding rod will last your lifetime.

Concerning the safety pin clips, I won't use those ever again. I used them for the pin on our furler. The first time I found one unclipped and missing (after a 2 week sailing trip) I figured somehow we neglected to clip it when we stepped the mast. A year later, it happened again, and I know it was clipped because I've become anal about checking it. Not sure if the anchor hit it and unclipped it, or what. I now use split rings on that pin and on my mast pin, and am pretty thankful for my good fortune when I found the clips missing and the forestay still pinned :)
 
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