New Standing Rigging

[Exmoor]

I am about to replace my standing rigging on a Catalina 42, is it common practice to replace turnbuckles at the same time
I have dye pened them with no visible cracks
All imformation appriciated

[Cheechako]

The rigging shop should be able to provide studs to fit your turnbuckles. I dont see any reason to replace them if they have been inspected well.

[janders]

We just replaced our standing rigging and the turnbuckles were in good condition so we kept them.

[barnakiel]

I have some pretty old bronze bodies here. We replaced the studs only (they are ss) as the upper ones come as wire terminals. The lower ones were very inexpensive in our case too.

I asked our rigger when to replace the bodies and he said: 'and what is wrong with them'?

b.

[clsailor]

One of the tips I have just learned is from our local rigger here in the Northern Neck. He told me to spray all of our turnbuckles and studs with a drylube, ex: Sailkote, twice a year and it would keep them in good working order. Makes sense to me and seems to be an easy thing to do. Thought I would pass this on.

[david samuelson]

How old are they? What are they made of? What make?

[charliehows]

yeah, i've just replaced my rigging, found a badly cracked turnbuckle on the mainmast half shrouds so i replaced all 4 with heavier bottle screws, the mizzen ones look pretty good so i loosened them up and gave all of them a dose of lanolin to keep them from seizing.

[Exmoor]

Ht David
More than 10 years old
Stainless Steel
Make unknown

[delmarrey]

It's not just cracks one has to watch for. The threads need to be cleaned and inspected as well. They maybe just a hair away from stripping out.

With stainless on stainless there better be an anti-sieze or other equivalent to lube the threads. Stainless tends to (gall) weld itself together under stress.

[david samuelson]

As others are mentioning, stainless is not a good material for turnbuckles. It has pretty much been phased out except where bronze bushings have been put in to thread against the stainless stud. If they have not already begun giving you problems (galling) and you dont have to go without eating for too long ! ! , my advise would be to change them - they will give you problems one day, guaranteed.

[macbeth]

Really ? I'm installing a new hood furler which needs a turnbuckle. All the turnbuckles I have on the three shrouds are SS and they are perfectly OK.

If I don't buy SS, what has the equivalent strength ?

[Aussie_Sequoia]

Had a pro rigging inspection on our turnbuckles when I replaced all shrouds... he said the turnbuckles were fine. Set off on a 6 month cruise and during some heavy wind had a back-stay turnbuckle split literally in half on one of the sides of the open barrel in the first week. Had to replace them all and double pay the shipping to Mexico. Will never again NOT replace turnbuckles when replacing rigging. They're not that pricey and my family is at stake.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by macbeth

Really ? I'm installing a new hood furler which needs a turnbuckle. All the turnbuckles I have on the three shrouds are SS and they are perfectly OK.

If I don't buy SS, what has the equivalent strength ?

Are you sure they are not just chrome or nickel plated?

silicone bronze! Turnbuckles

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by clsailor

One of the tips I have just learned is from our local rigger here in the Northern Neck. He told me to spray all of our turnbuckles and studs with a drylube, ex: Sailkote, twice a year and it would keep them in good working order. Makes sense to me and seems to be an easy thing to do. Thought I would pass this on.

When replacing the standing rigging, make sure you thoroughly check / replace the chainplates.


Market something for Sailing or race cars and the price triples for the same thing.

Thanks for the tip, in my shopping cart (GUNK brand) One third the price of SailKote. PTFE is PTFE and GUNK is a good company.

Gunk L512 Liquid Wrench Dry Lubricant with CERFLON - 11 oz. : Amazon.com : Automotive


My standing rigging all goes this winter as I am changing the masts on my ketch from 27.5' & 20' to 30' & 27.5'

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

My standing rigging all goes this winter as I am changing the masts on my ketch from 27.5' & 20' to 30' & 27.5'

Seems like a good idea. Your present masts appear low assuming you have sufficient weight in the keel. My father preferred a sailboat with half it's weight in lead located in the keel, but he was considering the strong afternoon winds of San Francisco Bay.