1. When stepping mast with gin pole I get some side to side movement of the mast. this is limited by attaching a trap line on either side to the forward beam via a line on each side. Either the line is too loose and i get a lot of lateral movement or its too tight and as I step mast it is so tight I need to ease pressure on the lines going to beam.
is it just a learning curve to find sweet spot of line length? If with a friend they can center mast with halyard but when alone I am pretty concerned about a disaster.
2. Mast is stepped and attached to pelican striker with that stainless split ring.
How often does the ring fail? Seems like a lot of pressure on the ring and if it goes so does the mast. Cannot imagine trying to re step without gin pole on the water, assuming I had a spare split ring.
Do any of you use an alternative such as a cotter pin which can be replaced every trip out for $0.20
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 05:00 AM
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 08:30 AM
Yes - i had an Eazy-step system - took a lot of time to set it up perfectly
once set, it worked like a charm every time - no more adjustments
A guy i sail with was setting his gin pole up on a sc17. Tried to use it and the mast went LEFT -right through his picture window. he replaced the window before the wife ever knew....
Post a pic if you can because that that sounds wrong and terrible - a split ring? like a ring ding used on a cotter pin to attach the stays? that has to be wrong,
on my cat(s) i have a jib furler that has a ring on it (a hardy ring) or a shackle that the forestay is tied to with a rolling hitch -
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 08:43 AM
Post a pic if you can because that that sounds wrong and terrible - a split ring? like a ring ding used on a cotter pin to attach the stays? that has to be wrong,
on my cat(s) i have a jib furler that has a ring on it (a hardy ring) or a shackle that the forestay is tied to with a rolling hitch[/quote]
MN#
Yes it is a small pin with a hole at the end. The pin runs through the hardware at end of forestay and pelican striker and is held captive by a split ring (similar to a key ring type setup.)
New to this so still learning proper terminology
It is not a key shackle or a threaded setup but just a split ring.
Now the boat is an ARC 17 and they know how to build a boat. I would think that the setup is proper.
Any thoughts on this?
I may ask Aquarius Sail who makes the ARC if I can replace the split ring with something more "secure" -
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 09:44 AM
a split ring in a cotter pin is standard on all hardware - it holds up all 3 stays (fore and side)
PS this set up NEVER fails unless a ringding (splitring) gets bent up and falls out
It is a GREAT idea to wrap these pins / rings with rigging tape so they don't get caught on line/shorts and bend up
the pelican striker?
I do see a compression tube in this pic, i assume that is what you are calling the striker
I would call it the forestay attchment at the bridal (parts that attach to the bows) but no need to nit-pick terms
PS most beach cats do NOT have that "pelican striker" and may not know what you mean
Edited by MN3 on Feb 09, 2015 - 09:53 AM. -
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 10:46 AM
I think he is talking about the dolphin striker, I guess it could be used to inflict damage to all kinds of marine life if you really tried.
The supercat/ARC uses a stainless pin and ring ding like some of the other brands. All of the load is on the pin, the ring itself should see no measurable load.
Most boats remove the pin while sailing. The reason being, that if the mast came down, it would inflict much damage to mast base and boat. ARC leaves them secured as it is required for the shroud release system used to help right a boat. I would not use a cotter pin, I am not aware of any cotter pins designed to support a load anyways. Ring dings work great and are very reliable. Keep some extras on hand as they are easy to lose and do eventually need replacement.
Edited by bacho on Feb 09, 2015 - 10:48 AM.
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 11:59 AM
I am referring to the Pelican striker not Dolphin. From Wiki:
Pelican striker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pelican striker is a small vertical spar or pyramid arrangement attached to the top of the crossbar joining the two bows of a catamaran. Its purpose is to resist the upward pressure on the centre of the crossbar where the forestay is attached.
It is to this vertical stainless rod that my forestay attaches via the pin and "ring ding" -
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 12:10 PM
The length of the lines attaching the trap wires to the ends of the main beam do indeed need a small amount of slack when the mast is down, ready to raise, as the distance from the hounds to the ends of the beam increases slightly as the mast rises onto the ball/post. But once those lengths are determined(with the mast erect, and trap lines snugged), they shouldn't need further adjustment. I have short lengths of line with snap hooks on either end that are dedicated for this task, so they're always the correct length.
Bacho is correct, that if all is in order, all the load is on the clevis pin, and nearly none on the ring ding, which is there just to keep the Clevis pin from falling out. If you're seeing something that looks like it's loading the ring ding, post a pic and well try to help figure out what's amiss.
He's also correct that the pin holding the mast base to the ball stays in place while sailing to facilitate the self righting system of shroud extenders on the SC/ARC products.
If your boat has a spin pole, the rod between it and the bridle wire junction is correctly called a pelican striker.
Dave -
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 12:27 PM
Appreciate your input, Dave.
Not sure where mast base pin came into play. I really had no questions about that.
So the clevis and split ring (ring ding) is standard. MN3 stated that the split ring was "terribly wrong".
Maybe he thought I had only the ring and no pin.
I suppose that if the pin and ring work they work.
Just was pondering something different like a shackle with screw , cotter pin through the pin or maybe a keyed shackle. I know the ring ding just holds the pin in place but to my eye it looks "flimsy" but hey they have been in use for how long??
So I suppose they are proven
This is all new to me and I'm just looking to see what is what and if it can be improved upon -
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 12:49 PM
i was saying a ring ding could never support a rig, but the pin/ring combo is standard and proven. again tape up pin/ring where you can to avoid a line snagging it, or your shorts on the side shrouds -
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 01:29 PM
Got it understood.
It is the pin/ring not just a ring. That would be a pretty poor idea.
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Posted: Feb 09, 2015 - 02:24 PM
Sorry I had mast step on my mind when I read the questions.
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