Installing Halyard Restrainer

[Mike48]

I'm installing a halyard restrainer that came with my Schaefer CF-500 roller furler. There is one hole on each side. What would be stronger: a 3/16 stainless pop rivet or drill and tap for a #10 machine screw?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Jackdaw]

Rivets. Technically for that load (tension) rivets will be better anyway. Tapped properly, screws are better in shear. But your mast section is so thin that even with a fine pitch you will not get much bite.

For the average Joe working on his own boat, rivets are much easier to do a good job with, and the difference in strength is minimal in any case.

 

[isaksp00]

Jack, for that kind of use, or say riveting the fitting to the bottom of a mast extrusion for boats with "self serve" mast stepping (like the trailerable boats), are aluminum rivets OK (like what you can do with the more standard pop rivet tools)?
Peter

 

[Mike48]

Thanks Jack I'll be using Stainless steel pop rivets.

 

[Tata duende]

If you have internal halyards be careful with the fasteners, don't want any sharp tips/burrs that might snag the internal lines, and keep the fastener as short as possible.

 

[IH82BL8]

Great. I wish I'd read this before I installed mine 3 days ago.

 

[isaksp00]

The good news is that it would not be a big deal to switch over to rivets, if you feel that is enough of an improvement - it's not like you drilled useless holes.