Bent Forestay Threaded Fitting

[new-to-sailing]

Hello! I am having my mast taken down tomorrow and while prepping I removed my furler to find this bend in the forestry fitting. Any thoughts on this?

I’m on a bit of a time crunch as I’m having the mast down tomorrow but was hoping to get it back up Friday and I’m not sure I’ll be able to store my mast on deck over the weekend. So may need to push back until I can get a better plan. Also curious on thoughts of causes for this?

Thanks in advance for any help happy to provide clarity!!

[Searles]

The lower end MUST have a double toggle so that the stay can move I all directions without binding at any point ,if not you are looking at the results ,ps do not try to straighten the bend ,replace the fitting and Maude the wire stay ,⚓️⛵️

[new-to-sailing]

Originally Posted by Searles

The lower end MUST have a double toggle so that the stay can move I all directions without binding at any point ,if not you are looking at the results ,ps do not try to straighten the bend ,replace the fitting and Maude the wire stay ,⚓️⛵️

I believe I have a double toggle, not the best picture but this setup should allow. Movement in all directions right?

The forestay was fairly out of tension until I recently tensioned the rig, maybe that caused the bend? But still don’t think it should have if I have the proper toggle setup.

[Searles]

Looking at the foto of the forestay tang, if the stay was slack enough for long enough I think the toggle has been binding on the hard corner of the forestay tang ,this may have resulted in the bent swage ,but check and check again,⚓️⛵️

[Orion Jim]

https://hayn.com/product/swage-rigging-studs/

This is your compromised fitting and a rigger will have the hydraulic swaging tool needed to install the replacement. You or your rigger will have to determine whether the forestay must be replaced.

[The Yacht Rigger]

One option because of the time crunch would be to measure the stay accurately now, while the mast is down, and then order a new replacement stay with one end swaged, and the other end open so you can pass it down the headstay - yes you'll need to drop the forestay for that. Then install a mechanical stud on the bottom with a pair of wrenches.

Page 68 of this catalog. https://bluewaveusa.com/wp-content/u...compressed.pdf

[mlydon]

push back your date - the swage is toast, and will need to be replaced, as others have stated. Lots of ways to go about that, but you may as well wait until you have all the things you need on hand.

matt

[new-to-sailing]

Update on this I was able to take it to a local rigging shop and they told me that it was a poor swage job done in the first place. Swageing too far to the solid metal part of the fitting causes that bend. I was able to get the stay replaced for only $120 so really happy about that and should be able to get the rig back up in short order.

This stay was replaced when the furler was added to my boat so I'm now going to recheck how the furler is installed seeing as it clearly wasn't a quality job from whoever did this.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by new-to-sailing

Update on this I was able to take it to a local rigging shop and they told me that it was a poor swage job done in the first place. Swageing too far to the solid metal part of the fitting causes that bend. I was able to get the stay replaced for only $120 so really happy about that and should be able to get the rig back up in short order.

This stay was replaced when the furler was added to my boat so I'm now going to recheck how the furler is installed seeing as it clearly wasn't a quality job from whoever did this.

If you can find a rigger who "rotary swages" instead of cheap die swaging it's far better.

[new-to-sailing]

Ah interesting, haven't heard of Rotary swaging before but at least on the marine side I don't think that's offered by any of the rigging shops where I'm at (Chicago). Not a huge marine industry here so options tend to be limited.

Can't find much on rotary swaging out there, assuming it is just closer to the breaking strength of the wire?

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

If you can find a rigger who "rotary swages" instead of cheap die swaging it's far better.

^ In spades.
The shop that did my rigging used a rotary machine about the size of a front-loading commercial washing machine.
It had a "bull gear" at least ~30" dia. and weighed thousands of pounds.
Definitely not a machine that the average "rigger" would have in his service van.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by new-to-sailing

Ah interesting, haven't heard of Rotary swaging before but at least on the marine side I don't think that's offered by any of the rigging shops where I'm at (Chicago). Not a huge marine industry here so options tend to be limited.

Can't find much on rotary swaging out there, assuming it is just closer to the breaking strength of the wire?

Yeah, rotary swaging "hammers" two dies while they rotate rapidly around the fitting, compressing the metal uniformly around the rod or wire. Aircraft use this method.

Northwest Rigging, Pt. Townsend Rigging, & Sailing Services in the Seattle area here do rotary swaging, I know one in Annapolis did do it years ago. Not up to date on that.
Poorly done non rotary swaging often ends up with a fitting with a slight bend in it. I'm not sure why, maybe it depends on operator skill.