My
boat has 1/4" wires for the standing
rigging. Forestay and backstay both are hooked up to 3/8" turnbuckles (3/8 thread diameter + 3/8" clevis pin). My chainplates are 1/2" The previous owner did not use proper
hardware. I know people sail for years like this but I don't like it. A well respected rigger told me to just put in
bronze bushings/spacer in the chainplate (1/2 -> 3/8) and be done with it.
On the backstay I'm just going to put in a
bronze or SS bushing and call it a day.
On the forestay, I have another problem. I have a LX130 reefing/furler unit that I got from Vela sailing supply. It was a free upgrade from an LX100 so I couldn't refuse it. The LX100 uses a 3/8" clevis pin and the 130 uses a 1/2" clevis pin.
So I'm planning on reswaging my forestay, and hoping that I have enough adjustment left on the turnbuckles to make it
work without replacing the whole forestay.
Today I had a thought. What if I got a 3/8" bolt and bigger plastic bushings (than the ones supplied in the kit) to go through my existing turnbuckle and toggle
hardware? Then put a bronze bushing in the chainplate.
Would this be acceptable? My
boat is sitll within the use range of the The LX100 which uses a 3/8" clevis pin. I have a medium-heavy
displacement boat, and my sail area isn't very big for a boat this size.
Thanks in advance.
Link to Facnor
installation manual so you can see what I am talking about. Go to page 26. Thanks!
PS: I'll be emailing this question to Facnor and hoping the language barrier won't prevent
communications.