Standing rigging – changing pin sizes?

[Van]

Greetings all,

We are replacing our standing rigging, and looking at using Hi-Mod or Sta-Lok mechanical wire terminals. For 9/32″ wire (i.e. for the stays and cap shrouds), these fittings use 1/2″ pins. The Nic 38, at least ours – hull 126 – is standardized on 7/16″ pins.

1 Has anyone used 1/2″ pins at the chainplates? I’ve not checked but the difference between 7/16 and 1/2 does not seem like much at the hairpin.

2. Has anyone upgraded the double tangs at the mast head? For instance, reaming out the holes from 7/16″ to 1/2″ will not remove much metal and will not weaken then appreciably. Or replaced them?

3. Has anyone found a source of mechanical wire terminals for 9/32″ wire that use 7/16 pins?

The generic advice is to not use under sized pins in holes because of the increase in point loading and wear, and I’d prefer to use the correct pins for the holes.

We are reusing the turnbuckles.

We’ll replace the intermediates and mizzen rigging at a later date.

Thanks,

Van

[Happy Dolphin]

i have replaced all my standing rigging,
yes ream out to 1/2 inch is good idea not a lot of metal removed
but i strongly advise replacing intermediates and all turnbuckles as these are more likley to fail than the uppers wire
replacing stainless parts is a must they fail without warning I KNOW

[Van]

Hi Roy, thanks for the advice. We have stainless turnbuckles now, and we will replace them with Bronze!

Spoke to Hayn, who make Hi Mod mechanical terminals, and they said they don’t make fittings for 9/32″ wire with 7/16″ pins, because the pins are undersized for the load the wire can take. I think this might be a case of the wires are a bit over sized for the job, but I’m happy to let C&N designers opt for safety…. So, we’ll ream out the tangs next time we drop the mast, probably next summer. In the mean time, we’ll use 7/16″ pins in the holes. Not good, but I think OK for a year of coastal sailing.

The cost for all the parts is coming to about $1000 for the two shrouds and the backstay, using 316 wire, and including one insulator for the stbd shroud. The only components we are reusing are the two StaLok studs on the shrouds. Of course, we are doing the work ourselves, and swapping the wires without unstepping the mast. Makes me really appreciate the mast steps that make it easy to get up and down.

Van

[Author]

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