[Rhodes22-list] Consensus on turnbuckle locking

Bill Effros bill at effros.com
Sat Jun 3 10:07:05 EDT 2006


Rory,

I may be the only one in the world who does this, but I use cable ties 
and no tape. 

The cable ties almost never sheer.  When they do, the head jams in the 
turnbuckle body, and they turn no further.

Remove them with wire cutters.  Install new ones in seconds.

You have 9 stays on your boat.  Try this method in 2 of them.  See what 
happens after a season.

That's what I did.  I tried them on one set of side stays.  They were 
less trouble than the rings (which jiggle out) and didn't scratch like 
the pins.  I now use them on all redundant turnbuckles. 

Because you leave the turnbuckle open you can inspect it every time you 
are on board.  Originally I used red cable ties so they would be more 
visible if they fell out, but they never fell out so I now use clear 
which are almost invisible.  I don't like tubes over my turnbuckles, and 
don't use them.  There is nothing on my stays to hang up on my sails.  I 
can always see if a cable tie has sheered.

I found the tape trapped water and damaged the turnbuckles over 
time--both on the exterior part of the stainless steel, and on the 
interior mechanical part of the turnbuckle.

My boat is on a mooring in a busy harbor with a 9 foot tidal variation 
and 1-2 kt. current.  It moves a lot in all directions.

"Consensus" is a word we rarely use on this list.  "Opinion" is the word 
we favor.

Bill Effros

Rory Orkin wrote:
> Just received my reconditioned Rhodes 22. Located on Tilghman Island..
> Chesapeake Bay.. Hoping to hook up with other members over the summer. 
>       I wanted to put small split rings in turnbuckles rather than pins to
> secure them but it seemed that the turnbuckle could rotate past them.. Tape
> and pins an option but not my first choice.. Anyone have experience with the
> rings ?? My slip is very exposed and subject to much rocking.. I Need to be
> sure the turnbuckles stay where they are..
>                           Thanks
> --
> View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Consensus-on-turnbuckle-locking-t1727331.html#a4693092
> Sent from the Rhodes22 forum at Nabble.com.
>
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