The subject line says it all. With that out of the way, I understand that they are the best option for certain pieces of rigging on the boat. My question is- does anyone have a trick for opening them up and installing/removing them besides tearing one's fingernails/nail beds up in the process? I can't remember even one day sailing without having to endure a day or two of postsailing pain from finger damage associated with D@MNED COTTER RINGS!! I am very well aware of the ability of beer to relieve the pain of D@MNED COTTER RINGS!! (along with all other sorts of pain), but am interested in whether anyone has a D@MNED COTTER RINGS!! SOP to prevent the pain in the first place.
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Eric C
Force 5 project boat
Unnamed
Previous boat
1980 Nacra 5.2
"Double Vision"
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I HATE D@MNED COTTER RINGS!!!!!!!!!
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 02:47 PM
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 03:15 PM
What kind of rings are you using? Get some with an "open" design they are a lot easier to install.
http://www.westmarine.com…Id=99449&catalogId=10001
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 03:16 PM
the ones they sell at west marine have one of the ends bent inwards, this helps a ton when removing them.
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 03:17 PM
Ha! Great minds think alike.
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Damon Linkous
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 03:18 PM
how about this? they may be available at your local hardware store also.
http://www.murrays.com/mm…de=25-220&Category_Code=
also called "hairclip pin". you could push it past the first little V to the bigger round part to make sure it stays in place.
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 03:31 PM
The only place I've used that style clip is on the rudder pins. Not something I'd use on a clevis pin. Even the open style rings I showed above are a slight hazard since they could snag the open bit. Anywhere there are rings that don't need to be removed regularly I use the completely closed style
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 05:13 PM
I use the open style rings (ring-dings?) and use electrical tape around them on the shrouds.
On a low wind day last summer, the wind totally died at one point and I jumped in to cool off. When climbing back up I noticed that the chainplate staring me in the face had the ring totally missing, and the clevis pin was only through one of the holes in the chainplate. Any wind at all and I would have dismasted.
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Rob
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 05:25 PM
I agree, it's a bad idea to use anything other than ringdings taped in place on standing rigging. The open ring dings are much easier to take on and off though. I use quick pins on everything else that I need to take off and put on the boat frequently (boom gooseneck, sail outhaul, mainsheet above and below, jib clew, jib blocks, hiking stick and rudder cross bar). And I keep a container of extra pins and rings on the boat in case something falls out.
Hair clip pins are even a bad idea on the rudder pins. They can get caught in the casting (leaving you unable to budge the rudder) and I have had one catch in the casting and drop the pin in the lake, that made for a VERY bad day. I only use bend back type cotter pins on the rudder pins now.
Regards,
Dave
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 05:47 PM
My MacGregor 36 cat had stainless bolts with stainless nuts that had the nylock inserts to hold the standing rigging. -
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 06:55 PM
On my H18, I struggled with needing three hands to attach the forestay to the bridle. Now I have that connection with a pin and closed ring, since it stays attached all the time. On each end of the bridle, I use a quick pin. But.. I snug the quick pin in down and in place with a small cable tie that gets clipped off and expended when de-rigging at the end of the day. The side stays stay attached with pins and closed-type rings, covered by a shroud adjuster cover.
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 07:01 PM
Yurdle,
I've been there too...on a leaner....at a sail club I used to belong to. Starbord side pin just disappeared somewhere along the way.(??) Returned to the marina (port tac only) and the club maintenance guys acted like it happened more than rarely....reapplied with tape as suggested here and we were back in business....crazy how that happens.
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Bert Scott
Niceville, FL
Nacra F18
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 08:32 PM
I hear you, fingernails that work fine at the start of the day get water softened & useless. Easy solution, make a small tool for your tramp bag. I have an aluminum "shackle dog" on a key float that stays in the zippered pouch on the tramp. I filed the dogs nose thin, like a fine screwdriver. Only file a millitmeter or two thin. Push the fine edge inbetween the 2 wires of the ring ding, right where one of the wires ends. The short thin section makes it easy to slide into the ringding, the thicker part seperates the wires a millileter or two.
It is now very easy to get the wire started into whatever you are trying to secure. You can even do it with one hand, holding the ring ding on your "tool" between thumb & forefinger.
No more finger pain!
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 08:35 PM
heh, i had an experience with a bobbypin style clip on my rudder pin break and lucky for me... when the rudders are locked in, the pin doesn't drop to the sea floor. Still took me a while to figure it out. Only thing i had on the boat was a small rusty keyring that went to my trailer lock or something. -
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 09:05 PM
I keep one of these in my pocket or lashed to me at all times!! http://www.myerchin.com/P300_Sailors_Tool.html if you have a tough ring ding you can use the knife or marlinspike to open them and hold them open while installing. It lets you tighten shackes, undo cotter pins, cut line. When you trapped under your boat you can cut yourself free. At then end of the day you can open your beers with it. And it won't break or bend, ever. By far the best and most useful sailing tool I own and I have a few.
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 09:43 PM
Wow, that's something I never thought of. It seems like it would work great for those of us that leave the stick up all season...I'd probably find a good reason to need to dismast the thing the first time out after using nylocs.
I carry the P300, too, and never thought of using it on a ring-ding. However, I'm not sure about the rest of what you wrote. Last time I tried to open my P300, it had recently spent some time in salt water without a good rinse, and it took me over a minute to open it while sitting in my TV chair. I'm not counting on it or anything else to get my out of 'stuck'. AND, more importantly, why a knife to open your beers? Surely you adhere to the utmost lake safety practices of cans or plastic cups.
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Rob
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Posted: Jul 12, 2011 - 09:55 PM
I live about as far away from salt water as you can get, so I don't have the experience. I imagine that would screw up any folding knife. I do know my P300 hasn't let me down yet. I just wish it came with a non-serrated blade, because it makes a mess of high tech line when cutting it to length (use a ceramic for that). But I'm pretty sure I could amputate a limb (someone elses) with it if I needed to. And I've bent quite a few 'hobie keys' and other odd 'sailing tools' that weren't worth the steel (or plastic) they were stamped from.
Naw, Coronas with lime wedges on the beach at all times. Need a bottle opener... like a MAN! I don't drink and sail (or at least I don't drink while I'm sailing). ;)
Edited by Wolfman on Jul 12, 2011 - 10:13 PM.
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Dave Bonin
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Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 12:18 AM
Salt water was a new thing to me, too. Apparently, 'stainless' is a relative term. Agree w/ the rest re: the knife and blade.
Beers with fruit, however, hard necessitate an all caps 'man'.
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Rob
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Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 05:58 AM
Dave lives in the middle of the continent(nowhere
)
Twist off tops haven't filtered that far inland yet. (Grolsch also comes in 500ml cans with pull tabs that can be actioned with one hand, you should always have one hand on the tiller after all.
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Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 07:36 AM
Maybe you should get a jet ski.
Edited by golfdad75 on Jul 13, 2011 - 07:49 AM.
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Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 07:43 AM
I agree with EC, I do live pretty much nowhere. As we say here, at least it isn't Regina!
And citrus fruit is good for you! You don't want to get scurvy like the sailors of old! Maybe the all caps was a little much though.
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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