Broken part on deck, where did it come from?

[Gnilias]

Originally Posted by GILow

Rumour has it that a certain pair of mods on this site would slingshot such hardware onto the decks of fellow race boats, thus gaining ground while the other boat frantically tried to figure out if their mast was about to fall down.

Thanks Ann and GILow and others, it's not likely to be a prank in our situation but I guess I could always drop the part on someone else's deck to give them the dilemma!!

[Rumrace]

It’s likely the same guy who leaves O’Henry bars floating in the toilet.
It’s a stopper. If you have rolling stainless pipe to prevent steel splinters it could have spit out of there. Looks like more of half a traveller block. When you find the other half I think the mystery will be solved. If it’s a part discontinued let me know I can make you a new part from TPU. It’s a step up from rubber.

[s/v Jedi]

I have also observed hawks vandalizing masthead equipment a throwing it around. I saw this regularly in Panama but last year saw an Osprey do this violently in Florida as well. It ripped a windex off with it’s claws, it was quite a sight

What I mean to say is that it can come from a neighboring boat as well.

[RickG]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Is it an end stop from a track somewhere? Or maybe part of a stopper?
Also check ends of sliding blocks like on a traveler.

That is what my Lewmar track ends look like.

Cheers, RickG

[wingssail]

I'm guessing that it is half of a bracket designed to hold something tubular in place. Like a cradle for a pole of some sort. It could be for a horizontal stowage or vertical. You might not notice where it came from if the other half also fell off and bounced overboard. In that case there will be a bolt somewhere with nothing on it.

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by keepondancin

One of the most frightening things to find on deck when off shore is a cotter pin.

Shrug. I thought the most frightening thing to find on deck is a dead body. But sure, cotter pin is right up there...

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by jordanbigel

Shrug. I thought the most frightening thing to find on deck is a dead body. But sure, cotter pin is right up there...

I wouldn't feel too alarmed by finding a cotter pin. I know my rig intimately and no cotter pins are likely to fall from it (well I can think of a few).

In fact if anything landed on my deck I think I'd recognize it right away. Mostly that doesn't happen.

If a cotter pin or other item came down while the mast remained standing, I'd evaluate the situation, maybe get the sails off, and either go aloft to fix it or return to port and then proceed to fix it.