Needle nose from heaven

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Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
I finally got the new head stay up with the help of some friends at the marina.
Thankfully everyone stayed clear beneath me. I was so exausted from climbing the last 8' of the mast and having to pull myself up to the mast head to hook in, I could barely hold on to all the pins and pieces. I got it all put together and then reached for the needle nose to bend the cotter pin and dropped them. They silently fell the 40' with an abrupt THCUNK when they hit the deck. Then I hear "I hope you didn't need those".
I should have tied everything to me before I went up.

I was ready to put the main sail on. Then I got to looking at the boom. The outhaul is seized from the stainless/aluminum reaction over 30 years. And the connection at the mast track was wobbly, apparently the nut on the inside came loose. I took it home with me. It's getting sand blasted, powder coated and rebuilt before I put a sail on it.
 

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Cpt. Jon

Cpt. Jon

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Dec 9, 2008
426
1980 Hunter 30 "Denali" Seaford, VA
Hermit, you still in the same Marina or did you move?

We didn't tie up the tools when the wife went up yesterday and though she didn't drop anything, I got an earful about it... a couple of times, so next time we'll be have them secured better.
 
Alan

Alan

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Jun 2, 2004
4,174
Hunter 35.5 LI, NY
Going aloft only to leave yourself exhausted is begging for trouble. Hopefully you were wearing a climbing harness. You cannot, no matter how you might try, fall out of a harness, not so a bosuns chair. All tools going up with you should be carried in a bag and a tether attached to the one you are working with. Dropping a cotter pin is one thing, a pair of pliers is another. BTW bending the arms of the cotter pin should be done with a pair of cutter dykes not a needle nose.
 
P

Paul Cossman

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Jul 25, 2004
362
Hunter 42 currently in New Zealand
Alan said:
Going aloft only to leave yourself exhausted is begging for trouble. Hopefully you were wearing a climbing harness. You cannot, no matter how you might try, fall out of a harness, not so a bosuns chair. All tools going up with you should be carried in a bag and a tether attached to the one you are working with. Dropping a cotter pin is one thing, a pair of pliers is another. BTW bending the arms of the cotter pin should be done with a pair of cutter dykes not a needle nose.
Click to expand
Why only cutter dykes?
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
Paul Cossman said:
Why only cutter dykes?
Click to expand
Because the needle nose aren't strong enough for the twisting required.
Jon-we are in the same crappy marina. The guy on the bow is living aboard there. The other guy bought a House boat and an old morgan to fix up.
"Another project" Nereussailor
Ifyou are referring to the boom, not one screw on that boom is going to be able to be screwed out either. I will have to cut them all. It's like the stainless is welded in the aluminum.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Hermit, maybe you need needlenose that are stronger and not so sharp? Me, I'd like to hear Alan's reply.
 
Alan

Alan

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Jun 2, 2004
4,174
Hunter 35.5 LI, NY
Ron, Hermit said it exactly, needle nose are not made to withstand the torque for twisting.
What I did was attach a ring to each of the tools that are onboard. I have a lanyard attached to the tool bag with a small spring clip. When using the tool aloft I clip the lanyard to the tool as it is removed from the bag. It's a good safety specially for the crew below (hammers particularly!).
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Alan said:
BTW bending the arms of the cotter pin should be done with a pair of cutter dykes not a needle nose. Ron, Hermit said it exactly, needle nose are not made to withstand the torque for twisting.
Click to expand
Surprising how all these years/decades of using needlenose I've been doing it wrong. I guess I got the cheap cotter pins- there were no directions for use included. Anyway, obviously it's different strokes for different strokes.
 
MrBee

MrBee

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Dec 30, 2008
425
Irwin 34 Citation Middle River, Md.
It's not that you Can't use the Needle nose, It's just that with their long narrow Neddle Nose they are stressed when using them to twist and a cheap pair will often brake at the most inopertune time.
I am guilty of using them that way also, just wanted to explain the reason.

Bee
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
Ron20324 said:
Surprising how all these years/decades of using needlenose I've been doing it wrong. I guess I got the cheap cotter pins- there were no directions for use included. Anyway, obviously it's different strokes for different strokes.
Click to expand
You either got the cheap cotter pins or the good pliers.
 
jibes138

jibes138

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Jan 27, 2008
3,092
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
Best Needle Nose Pliers

The Harbor Freight Tool Store at the end of my street has a great needle nose selection. I'm sure you can get a pair that will do the job and save some bucks while at it.
 
Hermit Scott

Hermit Scott

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Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
Jibes-please don't use the words 'great' and 'harbor freight' in the same sentence.:naughty:
 
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