Safety Tip... Check Clevis Pins before you set sail!!!!

[abk]

At the risk of looking like a moron, I have posted this for new sailors and seasoned ones too!!!

I averted a disaster recently... While sailing along in a calm wind I noticed the boom was dropping down... I Thought it was the topping lift that failed but ruled that out as the mainsail was up I looked up at the mast and saw that it was moving laterially... I immediately dispatched 2 crew to lower the main and jib as I had 1 man hug the main mast and keep it from crashing down... I assumed that the forestay failed and told the other person to use the jib sheet and wrap it around the bow cleat and draw it taught and cleat it off to the bow cleat when it was taught... I threw him leather work gloves and asked him to hold onto the forestay with forward tension also..

Then powered back to the dock, a 4 minute trip. The clevis pin for the forestay was not there...

How the retaining ring came out or failed is unknown and I probably will never know the cause... BUT IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!!!

The 3 friends with me said they didn't realize the danger we were in as I just handed out the orders to regain control in a calm manner... Inside I suppose I was flipped out as the possible outcomes raced through my mind...

I visably check the standing and running rigging and physically check the same every time before setting out. I will now check more closely that the the clevis pins and retaining rings are solid and intact.

The question is do you do this inspection? Please do!

 

[RNC725]

My dad was an instructor pilor

and taught me to fly. Once, i was 16 if I remember correctly, I had just prefilighted the aircraft and we taxied out, then came back to pick up a radio part to deliver to another airport.

I had just, 5 minutes, before did a complete preflight inspection. We got in the plane, taxied out again, and just as I rec'vd clearance to take off, he said to go back. I was grounded from flying for a month -- all because I did not conduct a preflight check prior to taking off...........it took me a few years to understand it but I certainly do now.

Hats off to you for a reminder to us all -- I'll be checking all standing and running riggin Saturday morning -- may even call up the ol' man and let him nkow, he just turned 80 last month.

Great forums here for sure,

Bobby Centers
Augusta, GA

 

[Joe A]

Circular cotter???

Some folks have indicated that a circular cotter can work it's way out if rubbed by something such as an anchor rode. Since reading that I have been using a regular cotter with needle nose pliers. Some have also indicated using a new cotter every time you raise the mast. Did your boat have a circular cotter? I have wondered why something so critical doesn't use a redundant hold such as two clevis pins and two cotters.

 

[Nik]

99%

99% of the time I do check all accesible rigging, check the electrical, etc as well. Unfortunately, it is not possible to do the mast head fittings; mast stays up in a slip. And I am keeping my fingers crossed that the 1% of the time doesn't come to bite me in the a55. Good post and reminder for all of us... Maybe it will become 99.999%. Thanks for sharing with us, good post.

Nik

 

[MacMikey]

Been There ..... Done That

About 2 months back, I took my Mac 25 out for maybe the third or fourth time since I got her, and was sailing along in light winds (6-8)knots. All at once I had a wire stay flying through the air slapping around in the cockpit trying it's best whack me a good one. Of course with little experence on a sail boat and knowing this item was part of what was holding up the mast, I spring into action and furled the head sail, and scammered to the mast to drop the main.

Once all the sails were down, and the boat wasn't tossing or turning much I begain to access what had happened, and like you I found the clevis pin gone on the port upper schrold. I found a replacement pin and clevis ring and with my wifes help putting tension on the lower schrold, I was able to insert the pin and ring.

There were some tense moments there, but after some liquid refreshment to clear up the cotton mouth, we raised the sails and had a wonderful day on the water.

I make it a point to check all standing rigging connections before leaving the dock, every time we go out, and will continue to do so in the future.

Good Topic...

 

[abk]

Cheesiness in rigging

It was a circle pin... The cotter makes sense... anchor rode and mooring line must have helped in the failure...

I am kind of appalled at the apparent cheeseiness in the mast systems and hardware associated with it.

But taking a second look it appears that the set up is just past marginal for the stresses involved...

Just my thoughts

 

[caguy]

It has been recommended by some on this forum to use push pins

Who uses them and have they ever failed?

 

[Justin_NSA]

circle pins for me

I prefer the simplicity of them, but then again my mast stays up all the time

 

[beamreach]

push pin

I use one on my forestay. I use a 5/16 turnbuckle there. Have not had it fail and don't think it will.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Marginal? Push pins?

Mac rigging is adequate by virtue of the fact that there are few failures.
And being a Mac - you would hear of every one (by the non-Mac folks).

Cotter rings, bent turnbuckles, swage failures are all in line with every other boat of this size.

I and several others have personal experience with anchor rodes removing cotters. The typical solution is to tape over the rings (or straight cotters) so there is nothing to get caught.

Also use the proper size cotter ring - a tiny ring with wire diameter the size of hair is easily bent straight and removed by any line touching it.

Push pins on the forstay - you guys are kidding, right?

Then again, I see people using undersize bolts and a wingnut...

Chris

 

[Jim Mac]

Redundancy is Good

Having worked Airplane Systems design for many years, I value redundancy for critical sytems. Since the mast will fall if the forestay lets go, I use an extra forestay attached from just above the furler to the bow pulpit, in addition to doing the checklist. That avoids the effect of one single point failure.

Be safe!

Jim

 

[beamreach]

strength of push pin

These pins are strong, ranging between 2,200 to 36,800 pounds shear strength. The marine type is all stainless with a recessed button that mkes it almost impossible to accidently trip (West Marine). I've tried to pull mine out by snatching, tugging and and cannot get it to release. If My boat were at a slip, I probably would use the standard pin, mainly out of fear someone might steal my push pin. They ain't cheap. They sure make setting up my forestay a lot easier being a one handed operation. I find that they are now making caps to fit over the two locking balls that make it possible for these pins to work in oblong or oversized holes. I spray a little WD-40 on mine every now and then for lubrication. VIVA push pins!

 

[abk]

2 nd Forestay...

Attached just above the furler rig on the mast to the bow pulpit. The boat is a little crowded up there as I have no real pulpit... Maybe i should put one in...

Got a picture?

Thanks and I like the safety your system would provide...

 

[Nik]

The foredeck rigging.....

Up front I took advantage of the double chain plate holes on my 26D. I used 5/32 316 1x19 on both runs. Front hole goes to mast head, rear goes to jib attachment on mast (have 150 genoa and 100 jib). Used Hayn compression fittings; toggles on top, eye on the bottom attached to double toggle turnbuckles to the boat. For attaching the jib, I used a u-shackle to attach the TB to the inner fore-hole and give me a place to attach the jib. Works great, I can adjust all the fore rigging and attach my jib securely. It is great for tuning and in the event I have one fail, I have a backup that is stronger than the original. As for siezing... I use several wraps of .o25 SS wire and some tape to hold it in place.

Nik

 

[noahvale]

bolts!

I replaced everything with 1/4" stainless bolts and elastic stop nuts. It just takes a pair of 7/16" wrenches and a few second to undo the front stay when dropping the mast. Better safe than sorry!

 

[Gift Horse]

I recently became the owner of a macgregor 25 1985 it had been sitting for four years. I put the mast up in the driveway just to check things out. All seemed good then on the water a friend noted the amount of slack in the rigging especially the front and back stays. The next time I set it up I adjusted the turnbuckle on the front say. I fount that the rod was only threaded into the barrel one turn! I found holes in the ends of the rods and spring clips to keep the rods from turning. I think the turnbuckle can also loosen when the boat is rolling down the road!

 

[smitroe]

abk- When I first rigged my vn-23 a seasoned sailor who was helping me made me take all of those round retaining rings out of anything on the boat and we replaced them with cotter pins . The cotter pins have never failed and she warned me that the rings had been known to work out. I have a ring that secures my rudder on however and I have doubled that up with another lighter ring.. Smitroe

 

[r.oril]

Interesting reading.........Scarey and informative for a first time owner.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

You all missed an important procedure

After installing the cotter (circular or straight), tape over it so nothing can catch it. It's basic rigging procedure. Vinyl electrical tape works well.

Check out all the big boats in the marina - most (if not all) have their cotters wrapped.

Since the forestay is so critical to the rig staying up I prefer straight cotters - and only a single use.

Chris

 

[robeon64]

Push Pins

Who uses them and have they ever failed?

I use one on my forestay. Being a trailer sailer, its way easier to use. I have never had it come out and I do carry a spare just in case I give the other one a fast trip to the bottom of the lake. And yes, I do a preinspection each time I step the mast. I was more careless for my first year until I had one of the cirular cottor pins come out of the srould cables while sailing. I caught it before the pin came out of the adjuster so no bad story to report.

Robert
Mac 25 "Serenity"