I'm trying to rig the boat as quickly and easily as I can so I'm trying to find a better way to do certain things during that process. Does anyone use a quick release mast base pin instead of the bolt. The bolt requires two wenches to take the bolt off the pulpit and then the same on the mast base. Also the same bolt and wenches are needed to trailer the rudder in an upright position. A quick release pin would speed that process up to. If you do use one can you tell me where I may find some.
Mast Bolt
- Thread starter Brian Buzz
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I don't know if the base base is the same or similar to the 26X, but Blue Water Yachts sells a 3/8" dia. straight pin with a ringding on each end for the X and M.
Search for p/n 3443-1V0. $10 each, with ringdings. Says it fits the 26C, M, and X, as well as the 19.
Edit: Of course, you could also just buy some 3/8" dia. cold-finished round stock and make your own. My A7.0 with the sliding (vertically) rudder used to bend its pintle on a soft grounding, so I had to make a number of them over time. Basically the same thing, but larger diameter, and something like 3 ft long.
Search for p/n 3443-1V0. $10 each, with ringdings. Says it fits the 26C, M, and X, as well as the 19.
Edit: Of course, you could also just buy some 3/8" dia. cold-finished round stock and make your own. My A7.0 with the sliding (vertically) rudder used to bend its pintle on a soft grounding, so I had to make a number of them over time. Basically the same thing, but larger diameter, and something like 3 ft long.
Personally I wouldn't go to the quick release for that. You might save maybe 2 minutes tops and the consequences of the quick release failing (they aren't as strong as a solid bolt) while the mast is up or if the mast came loose trailering would not be good.
We didn't have the CDI furler when we first got the boat, but had the turnbuckle at the bottom of forestay and trailered with it there up to Idaho. On the way it had turned and come off leaving just the stud on the bottom of the forestay. I jury rigged a solution....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/Macgregor Trips-2-Priest/08-09-1-priest-koot.html
.... and we went sailing. We also called BWY for a replacement and put it on the boat before we went on to Canada. So the moral of the story is maybe don't leave the whole turnbuckle on the bottom of the forestay while on the road or at least make sure you have the safety pins in it if you do,
Sum
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We didn't have the CDI furler when we first got the boat, but had the turnbuckle at the bottom of forestay and trailered with it there up to Idaho. On the way it had turned and come off leaving just the stud on the bottom of the forestay. I jury rigged a solution....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/Macgregor Trips-2-Priest/08-09-1-priest-koot.html
.... and we went sailing. We also called BWY for a replacement and put it on the boat before we went on to Canada. So the moral of the story is maybe don't leave the whole turnbuckle on the bottom of the forestay while on the road or at least make sure you have the safety pins in it if you do,
Sum
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]
Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links
I will order 2 from BWY and keep the bolts as back ups. Now if I can put a wing nut on the boom hook I will not need a tool the set-up the boat.
use a regular bolt with a wing nut on it..... finger tight and then use a 1/2" length of 3/8" fuel line on the end of the bolt as a stopper to prevent the wing nut from falling off it the vibration should get strong enough to jiggle it off... when you want it off, just unscrew the wing nut and it will force the stopper off.....
I use a quick release pin for the pivoting mast base. I use a 1/2 inch diameter pip pin. It required reaming out the mast base. I quickly learned that you need to tether the pin in place. That requires a second pin at the bracket on the bow railing for trailering, also tethered and the bow rail bracket reamed out as well.
I do not believe that the mast base connector has to be that strong. At any rate, my aviation sourced quick release pin shows no sign of deformation and not only keeps me from clumsily losing the mast base hardware, but also the very tools required to wrench on the nut and bolt.
I don't have to use a tool at any point in my mast set up, I have tethered quick release pins at every point, and I have liberally installed snap shackles everywhere else.
Quick release pins 1/2 in dia often come up on Ebay. Snap shackles sourced from www.marinepartdepot.com
Good luck
I do not believe that the mast base connector has to be that strong. At any rate, my aviation sourced quick release pin shows no sign of deformation and not only keeps me from clumsily losing the mast base hardware, but also the very tools required to wrench on the nut and bolt.
I don't have to use a tool at any point in my mast set up, I have tethered quick release pins at every point, and I have liberally installed snap shackles everywhere else.
Quick release pins 1/2 in dia often come up on Ebay. Snap shackles sourced from www.marinepartdepot.com
Good luck
I don't see anything wrong with using a pushpin a quick release. You can buy them at most surplus stores . You can find them online but they're big stream the expensive for 3/8 pin. I'll take a look at my neighborhood Star Plus outlet and see if I can find 1 for you that is long enough. There is not any real stress on the bold once the Masters up since most of the stress is placed on the foot and the mass base . Friction is what primarily keeps it in place once the Masters up .
Stopped by there and he only had two left in 1/2" there were 3/8" but way too short. I'm not even sure if the 3" is long enough. If it works $15 is well worth it. I hear your frustration the PO on the Mac 25 used a nylox nut.
I don't think a quick release pin will work now that I look at the ones on line. I have a mast plate with a slotted oval cut slots on both sides that the mast bolt goes through . The mast has round drilled holes on it but the mast plate is oval slotted . A ring ding or a wing nut with a washer would work but not those small bearings on a release pin.
No they wouldn't alone you would have to use a washer to hold the pin in place.
OK I would only do this for you guys-climb up on the boat in subzero weather, metal sticking to my skin whatever
The pin is tethered with 1/16 SS wire so it is required to have another pin tethered at the bow rail for mast down trailering. I purchased these off of ebay for about $5 each. I have used this system for more than 5 years. Never a problem.
The pin is tethered with 1/16 SS wire so it is required to have another pin tethered at the bow rail for mast down trailering. I purchased these off of ebay for about $5 each. I have used this system for more than 5 years. Never a problem.
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I see your address is Oceanside (I'll assume CA). If you are in salt water I'd strongly suggest getting stainless steel for whatever you decide to do.
We had some galvanized bolts on the Mac that held up fine on our fresh water trips but corroded very quickly once we were in salt water. I also used some pins....
...that are similar to the one above for the anchor roller safety pins and they now look terrible. They are to the right of the right arrow above and the picture was taken before going in the salt water.
All of the stainless bolts I used for the solar mounts and such were just fine. I'll replace the few remaining galvanized with SS,
Sum
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Our Endeavour 37
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why spend the money???? its going to be hard to re-engineer such a simple, basic thing and make much improvement no matter how much you over think it...
a wing nut on the existing bolt is about as easy and secure as it gets... it doesnt have to be tight, and should not be tight.... it just has to be there to keep the base of the mast in position.......
McMaster-Carr sells nylon insert wing nuts, but only up to 3/8 (but I thought that the mast bolt was 3/8?). But, they're kinda pricey, $10 for 10 nuts, and they're not stainless (but they are a 'zinc alloy'). http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-wing-nuts/=l62u7p
yes, 3/8 is the size... but with a regular stainless wing nut, all you need is a 1/4 to 1/2 long piece of 3/8 fuel line to make a little stopper to slip over the threads on the bolt so the wing nut cant back off.....
another way to do it if you have a grinder, is to grind the wing nut slightly to releave the face where it goes against the groove in the tabernacle, so there is a lip on the nut that will line up and snap into the tabernacle groove when its snug (like some shackle pins are kept in tight in the shackle)... it will always be finger tight/loose, but will never work loose on its own....
BWY............$10.00 MAST BASE, QUICK PIN
Notes: THIS REPLACES THE 3/8" BOLT AT THE MAST BASE WITH A PIN WITHOUT ANY THREADS. THIS MAKES IT SLIDE IN AND OUT MUCH EASIER. ONE END OF THE PIN HAS A RING WELDED ON IT AND THE OTHER HAS AN EASY TO REMOVE SPLIT PIN. ON THE 26M WE OCCASIONALLY FIND ROUGH SPOTS INSIDE THE MAST BASE PLATE TUBE THAT WILL NEED TO BE FILED DOWN WITH A ROUND FILE TO USE THIS PIN.
Kit Contents: N/A
Shipping Weight: TBD lbs.
Packing Charge: $0.00
Notes: THIS REPLACES THE 3/8" BOLT AT THE MAST BASE WITH A PIN WITHOUT ANY THREADS. THIS MAKES IT SLIDE IN AND OUT MUCH EASIER. ONE END OF THE PIN HAS A RING WELDED ON IT AND THE OTHER HAS AN EASY TO REMOVE SPLIT PIN. ON THE 26M WE OCCASIONALLY FIND ROUGH SPOTS INSIDE THE MAST BASE PLATE TUBE THAT WILL NEED TO BE FILED DOWN WITH A ROUND FILE TO USE THIS PIN.
Kit Contents: N/A
Shipping Weight: TBD lbs.
Packing Charge: $0.00
No need to buy anything new.Use a ny-lock nut on the stock bolt.there is no reason to screw the nut down with wrenches. just finger tight and it will never come undone but can easily be removed in seconds.the bolt is loaded in shear only, no tension whatsoever.this also applies to many other fasteners on board.
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