Do I Need A New Turnbuckle

[salmonlv]

My old furler is in bad shape, so I got a new one, but the pin at the base of the new one has a bigger diameter than the old one. Do I need to get a whole new turnbuckle to attache to the new furler, or is there a different way to attach the new furler to the old turnbuckle? Thanks for any advice.

-Sam

[roverhi]

you'd probably be fine with the old turnbuckle though it would be ideal to have the same size pin on the turnbuckle as the puka in the furler. What size puka in the headstay chainplate?? Personally, do not like those close bodied SS turnbuckles and would by a bronze open bodied turnbuckle and Ebay the current one.

[salmonlv]

I'm not familiar with the term "puka." The problem is that the diameter of the pin in the new furler won't fit in the turnbuckle, and the pin the the turnbuckle isn't long enough to go all the way through the new furler.

[Stu Jackson]

It is really hard to tell what the connection to the new furler is from the picture.

What you need is a new tang connection to the furler.

The closed body turnbuckle should be thrown overboard, get an open body one.

Are there no riggers in Las Vegas?

Sailboat Riggers in Las Vegas, Nevada with Reviews & Ratings - YP.com

[roverhi]

Puka = hole in Hawaiian. With all the Hawaiians that have moved to Vegas or vacation there, surprized you haven't heard the term.

You can buy clevis pins from Chandlers in a large variety of lengths if you want to use your existing turnbuckle. Sounds like the new furler has a larger diameter clevis pin than your current turnbuckle. As I said above, I'd get rid of the current turnbuckle and go with a bronze open bodied turnbuckle with the proper pin diameter. If you go that route, be sure the stemhead fitting puka will take the larger diameter pin or you'll have to use a smaller pin. Wouldn't reccomend drilling the stem head puka larger to fit the new turnbuckle.

[salmonlv]

I'll stop at a shop today to see if I can get a new pin. Money is an issue, so I'd like to use what I've got if at all possible, so I'm sticking with the turnbuckle since it still functions. Now I know to get an open body one for next time. Didn't know that before.
Thanks for your replies.
-Sam

[bcboomer]

I'd ask a rigger but I think it's dead wrong to mix pin and hole sizes. A small pin in a large hole is going to put all the load on a point. Having your forestay come down could ruin your whole day.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

I'd ask a rigger but I think it's dead wrong to mix pin and hole sizes. A small pin in a large hole is going to put all the load on a point. Having your forestay come down could ruin your whole day.

This is apparently (?) just a 15 ft daysailor....

[holmek]

It appears that a new tang is required to accommodate a larger pin. Do not put a small pin in a large hole. It does not matter what size the boat is, - it is all relative, - a failed forestay could indeed ruin your day,(sailer's rig!) If you cannot make up a new tang yourself, an engineering shop can bend you up a new one easy.

[Cheechako]

if I'm reading this right, the new furler pin is larger than what the boat normally has...?
Maybe you can get a bronze bushing at the hardware store to slip in the furler tang and a longer original size pin...? or maybe a piece of small SS tubing to make a bushing...

[salmonlv]

Yes, its just a 15' day sailor, and I definitely don't want a failed forestay and ruined day. Even so, I went to a couple of hardware stores and found no pins the size that will fit in the turnbuckle (3/16") and long enough to go through the furler (which has a 1/4" hole), so I got a 3/16" dowel pin and a couple of collars (seen in the photo). Before you all tell me, I know this isn't a good idea. It isn't a permanent solution, just long enough for me to order the proper pin from the internet. Unfortunately, I was unable to muscle the dowel pin through the furler/turnbuckle anyway, so it was pointless. Even if I had a pin 3/16", I wouldn't be able to muscle it through the setup anyway.

At this point I'm thinking of using holmek's idea of having an engineering shop fabricate a new tang. Or maybe my son who is currently attending an engineering high school might be able to do it at his school shop.

[salmonlv]

After spending more time thinking about my problem, would it be easier to just buy a new turnbuckle? I can swing $30 to $40 if need be. If so, how would I ensure that I get the correct one for my purpose. A simple internet search resulted quite a few different types and sizes, and I'm not sure which one to order.

-Sam

[Cheechako]

What size hole is in your chainplate?

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

What size hole is in your chainplate?

I was just about to post this. You can tell from the photo that it's the same as the old turnbuckle. So if you buy a turnbuckle to fit the furler, you'll have to modify how it currently attaches to the bow of the boat. That could be as simple as enlarging the hole in the chainplate. Or worse.

Can you return the furler for one that will match the current rigging on the boat? That seems easier to me. It will be easier down the road for spare parts and no goofy modifications.

Sent from my XT1080 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[salmonlv]

The boat is at my brother-in-law's, so I can't measure the chainplate now, and the furler was a christmas gift that I just now got around to trying to install. So I can't just return/exchange it. Can one buy parts of the turnbuckle separately? If I could just buy the part that screws into the turnbuckle with a 1/4" eye end fitting, that might work.

But I know the chainplate is more like a loop rather than having a hole the precise size.