Grease the "T" bolts

[jfrench]

This spring I spent too much money and replaced the standing rigging. I did it because the boat was new to me, so I had no idea how old the existing rigging was. That by itself might not have swayed me, except most of the "T" bolts and one of the turnbuckle screws were bent also. That indicated to me that the previous owner was not a careful maintainer and might have let the rigging go too long without replacement.

Anyway, I have read in the forum that bent "T" bolts are not uncommon. When I first rigged the boat with the old rigging, I noticed that the old "T" bolts would bind in their fittings. With that in mind, when I installed the new rigging I applied a touch of silicone grease with a soldering brush to each one. I have yet to have a problem with turnbuckles refusing to stand up straight when I step the mast. I think I'll continue to keep some sort of lube on these fittings. Probably the next time I'll use dry graphite or spray teflon -both are cleaner than greases for open applications.

 

[Ken]

T bolts

You might as well buy yourself a couple and put them in your spares box, you "will" bend one every now and then. We trailer our boat all over and as careful as we are when stepping every now and then we bend one. Forget bending it back, just change it out and toss the old one.....

Now for just how they get bent, 99.9% of the time it's when someone decides they just have to help. :cry: Don't get me wrong at times help is appreciated, they and we feel we must hurry and there's where the trouble comes.....

I've found using cloths pins to hold the rollers up makes a huge difference.

You might also try TefGel on the threads.

 

[Bilbo]

Just for clarity's sake. The T-bolts can get bent at the "T" intersection when raising the mast because of the incorrect alignment of the shrouds as we raise the mast. The threading of the bolts or turnbuckles isn't the issue but how the T hinges relative to the mast's movement while going up. This issue can happen when the mast is at about the 80% up location (just estimating). If we use a rigged-up winch system to raise the mast, then we are probably able to stop and check the rigging very carefully for this misalignment or for the rigging catching on things when we raise the mast. If we are raising it by hand, it's a bit more difficult to focus our attention on the 4 chainplates and their T-bolts but it's rather important. If raising by hand, we'd have to drop the mast to the crutch to set things right or have an assistant set the rigging right.

Ken's right about the "help" issue. There is a need to train them correctly to the task so they don't blame you when they get hurt or when they damage the boat in the process of trying to help.

 

[jfrench]

My point was that some lubrication on the "T" portion of the T-bolt allows it to move easily inside the stainless steel "U" that surrounds it. When this area is unlubricated, then exposed to salt water and a smidge of dirt, it binds, and is less likely to quickly align itself properly when the mast is raised.

 

[Bilbo]

I hope that you didn't think that I was disagreeing but as you know if you apply some form of "wet" lubrication to an external part, it will collect dirt and then work as a negative benefit. Clean is good.
Perhaps if we look at this relative to moving parts: http://www.boatus.com/boattech/blocks.htm

 

[jfrench]

You are absolutely right! Using silicone grease was an experiment to see if it did any good. The grease was already on my shelf and available. Having some lubrication seems to allow the bolts to position themselves during the raising of the mast, so I consider the experiment a success. Next time I need to do it, I'll use graphite or spray-on teflon. Only reason for the clarification was that two posts spoke about the turnbuckle threads, I was just trying to clarify that I was addressing an issue with the "T" bolt heads.

 

[Bilbo]

Understand. I was also addressing the difference between the T bolt heads and the threads. Another place for a good dry lubrication is the sail tracks on the mast and boom for the slides and/or bolt rope.

 

[watercolors II]

T-bolt binding

Catalina is one of a few mfg’s that turns each stay’s deck fitting pointed towards the mast, as you fellows have stated causes binding during the raising of the mast. All of the other trailerable boats the deck fitting’s are pointed forward where this binding doesn’t occur.

 

[jfrench]

Hmm. Excellent observation. I have replacing the deck fittings on my "to do" list for someday -Catalina Direct says the old ones can leak. They sell a 1/2" diameter replacement set. Perhaps it makes sense to install them all pointed forward when I do the change out.

I also have to overcome a problem with the shrouds catching on the lower rear corner of the eyebrow trim.

 

[watercolors II]

The 4 baby stays deck fitting is similar to the new ones offered by Catalina Direct, they do not leak. Turning those will add stress to the out side portions of the clevis pin and the adapter to the T-bolt, because the load is not straight up but at an angle, turned toward the mast the load would be equal on both sides of the pin and adapter. The main stay fitting is where the leaking is a problem and the major bending of the T-bolt occurs. The new version looks great for the leaking situation and turned forward would not cause a stress problem. Too bad they don’t sell those in sets of two.

I've broken and glued my window eyebrows a couple times.