Does anyone have a good small wrench recommendation that doesn't rust for on the water adjustments?
We have been using a large adjustable crescent wrench which is heavy and doesn't stand up to salt water.
I am not sure of the exact size and my internet searches didn't turn that up. If you happen to know or have a wrench that is small and light and you feel comfortable leaving in the tramp pocket, please let me know the size and model. Thanks!
Should be 10 mm. Since they all seem to rust, i go with the cheapest and just replace it as necessary.
Thanks for that, can anyone else confirm its 10mm? That actually seems really small to me; I was sure it was larger since none of the standard wrenches fit from a kit we had, we needed the big crescent. I actually thought it was nearly double that size. Talking Nacra infusion I wonder if this may not actually be standard across all Nacra vintages?
Pretty sure they are 17mm. May be a 10mm thread?
My spanner can't come sailing but i did get a really cheap auto ratchet spanner off eBay so it can be adjusted in a jiffy!
Aluminum wrenches are available if you look hard enough. I think I am going to order one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motion-Pro-...
do you think it will be long enough to get enough leverage?
Just get the cheapest one and replace when necessary.
Looks like there are stainless wrenches as well but aluminum is lighter. I prefer to get something once and not keep replacing it, it really should last the life of the boat and can be tied into the tramp pocket on a bit of line so you never lose it!
But in this thread we have someone saying 10mm and another saying 17mm and from my crescent wrench opening required I thought it was bigger than both. It would be nice to have confirmation this is actually 17mm. I will measure more accurately and post back this weekend so any future google searches should lead to this thread and help save future sailors some time. If you know your boats size for certain, list the model / year and size. It's odd there is no data available from the dealers or rigging guides!
Found it for C2 http:/
set the diamond tension
(in accordance with the tuning guide) with the 17mm bolt at the bottom of the mast base.
Still unsure for Nacra and other brands.
I meant 17mm spanner. not 17mm bolt. It should be a 10 mm bolt. At least thats what the one I used at the f18 worlds in italy was.
Right now I use a rusty open end wrench, I do not think I have paid much attention to how much force it takes to really crank down on the diamonds. It doesn't seem to me like it takes all that much. A small aluminum one like the one I linked has been something I think about every time I see the rusty one, its just never on my mind when I am off the water.
Edit, what I really want is a stubby ratcheting wrench.
Have not seen a ratcheting wrench in stainless or aluminium, but I would love one too!
The nacra infusion assembly manual does not say it is a 17mm head, but it does say a 17mm spanner is required for assembly with no other sizes specified.
Found getting the diamonds up to the heavy weather setting to get pretty stiff. May be pretty difficult to do on the water with the boat bouncing around.
Infusion and C2 diamonds both require a 17mm wrench. Falcon is a 9/16"
Stainless open-ended ratchets!
https:/
Thanks everyone; this is already showing up in google searches so should come in handy for others in the future!
Diamond tension bolt(wrench/spanner)size summary:
Nacra 17mm
C2 17mm
Falcon 9/16"
Cirrus R 17mm
WildCat apparently same as C2, so 17mm as well
New Capricorn F18 is 17mm also. I use a rachet wrench stored in a small dry bag in the tramp pocket. hit it with Wd 40 every once in a while and it is fine.
You are probably lucky enough your mast bast is far enough away for a ratchet wrench to work. on the C2/AHPC Capricorn the isn't enough clearance. I had to grind down the head of the wrench (as per attached photo)and it just fits now. problem is it would rust very quickly going anywhere near salt water.
I have had the same ratchet wrench bought from Lowes for almost five years in salt water. It fits my C2, just barely and it still ratchets and the head still pivots. I give it a fresh water rinse when I get home. During sailing the wrench lives in the tramp bag tethered with a thin line through a hole I drilled in the wrench.
While I will grant you there is some surface rust in spots, the wrench still functions in ratchet and pivot. To be honest when I bought it I thought it would be a consumable replaced once a year or so. I have been suprised.