[Rhodes22-list] Forestay Wire Size Upgrade

Mon Jun 2 16:22:04 EDT 2003

FYI:

The only wire jig/press that GB owns is 1/8, The only wire that dywer uses for GB is 1/8. Stan rather break wire then ripe out
fittings if someone hits a overhead(they do ;-) Unless a PO recut it 1/8, for what it wroth 5/32 is pretty good for the forstay and
sounds like he should get a CDI while at it,. only time for a quicky :-)

MJM

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger Pihlaja" <cen09402 at centurytel.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 3:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Forestay Wire Size Upgrade

> Bob,
>
> You would have to drill out both the furling drum & the bearing assembly at
> the top of the furling tube to fit the new larger wire size.  You may have
> 1/4" OD wire in your forestay, but are you certain you are not looking at
> the OD of one of the terminals?  The 5/32" OD wire which is rigged @ the
> factory is plenty strong enough, so you certainly don't need to supersize
> from 1/4" OD!  As I said in my earlier post, I suspect you may have somehow
> kinked the forestay at some point, thus speeding its demise.  Larger
> diameter wire will not help if there is some flaw in your trailering or mast
> stepping procedures that causes the forestay to get  kinked.  Stainless
> steel wire rope does NOT tolerate being kinked, not even once!  Take a close
> look at how you do those two operations & I bet you will solve the failure
> mystery.
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Keller" <r22yankeeclipper at hotmail.com>
> To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 11:19 AM
> Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Forestay Wire Size Upgrade
>
>
> > Roger & Rummy,
> > Could I super-size the stay by drilling a larger hole in the roller furler
> > drums?  Or would it be better to leave well enough alone and keep the size
> > the same.  I thought that I had 1/4" wire, but you (Roger) said that you
> > increased the size up to 3/16"  I'm confused (as usual).
> > Bob K
> >
> >
> > >From: "John Tonjes" <johntonjes at earthlink.net>
> > >Reply-To: johntonjes at earthlink.net,The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > ><rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > >To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > >Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Forestay Wire Size Upgrade
> > >Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2003 08:54:33 -0400
> > >
> > >Roger,
> > >Thank you. We tried to convince Captain Bob that the wire broke due to
> > >operator error and you helped to reinforce our opinions. Sometimes it's
> > >hardest to see the forest through the trees.
> > >
> > >Rummy
> > >
> > >
> > > > [Original Message]
> > > > From: Roger Pihlaja <cen09402 at centurytel.net>
> > > > To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > > Date: 6/2/2003 7:43:57 AM
> > > > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Forestay Wire Size Upgrade
> > > >
> > > > Bob,
> > > >
> > > > When I upgraded my roller furler from the stock GBI unit to a Harken
> > >Unit
> > >0,
> > > > I increased the forestay wire size from 5/32" OD up to 3/16" OD.  I
> made
> > > > this upgrade because 3/16" OD was the largest wire size that would fit
> > >the
> > > > Harken Unit 0 and the differences in cost, weight, & windage were
> > > > negligible.  There was a significant upgrade in safety margin as the
> max
> > > > tensile breaking strength was increased by about 35%.  Just make
> certain
> > >the
> > > > end fittings use the same size pins as you have now.  Before you make
> > >this
> > > > change in wire size, be certain your OEM roller furler can handle it.
> > >My
> > > > guess is that it will not be able to work with the larger wire OD.
> > >There
> > > > probably won't be sufficient clearance for the mechanism to turn
> easily.
> > > >
> > > > It is rare that a wire rope will simply fail W/O any warning in the
> > >middle
> > > > of its length, especially in light air.  Most the time, progressive
> wire
> > > > rope degradation or imminent failure can be detected by inspecting the
> > >wire
> > > > visually & running your hand or a cloth along it.  Single strand
> > >failures
> > >in
> > > > a wire rope usually show up as curled "meat hooks" that you will feel
> > >with
> > > > your hand or will snag a rag.
> > > >
> > > > It is especially important to inspect the fittings at the ends of the
> > >wire
> > > > rope.  Look for tiny cracks &/or discoloration (usually rust or black
> in
> > > > color) in the fitting or the wire near the fitting.  If you see any
> > >cracks
> > > > or discoloration; then, immediately take the piece to a rigging shop
> or
> > >just
> > > > simply replace it.
> > > >
> > > > Your post implies you suspect your forestay was somehow getting
> > >repeatedly
> > > > kinked just below the bottom of the furling drum as a result of the
> > > > trailering process.  If this is the case; then, you need to change
> your
> > > > trailering &/or mast stepping procedures.  In thousands of trailering
> > >miles
> > > > & dozens of mast steps since 1987, my forestay has never been kinked
> as
> > >a
> > > > result of trailering or mast stepping.  If your forestay was getting
> > > > repeatedly kinked in the same spot, this would be very bad for the
> wire.
> > > > Upgading to a larger wire size will do little to fix this problem.
> > > > Stainless steel wire rope is not very tolerant of kinks.  So, if your
> > > > trailering &/or mast stepping procedures are causing the forestay to
> be
> > > > kinked; then, figure out some other way accomplish the same task W/O
> > >kinking
> > > > the wire.
> > > >
> > > > Good luck, Bob!
> > > >
> > > > Roger Pihlaja
> > > > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Bob Keller" <r22yankeeclipper at hotmail.com>
> > > > To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > > Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 11:32 PM
> > > > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Frigging Rigging
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > While sailing today on a rather calm day on Lake Hartwell, my latest
> > > > > calamity was that my forestay broke.  Yep, it broke off right at the
> > > > bottom
> > > > > of the furler drum.  Could have been worse because Roger R shinnied
> up
> > >the
> > > > > mast (amazing thing to see) and tied a line just above the spreaders
> > >which
> > > > > we secured to the bow cleat to keep the mast from going too far.
> > > > Meanwhile,
> > > > > Rummy was mixing drinks below, oblivious to the goings-on up above.
> > >We
> > > > > motored back from Big Water and dropped the mast.
> > > > >
> > > > > Looks like the forestay was bent too many times, possibly from
> > >trailering,
> > > > > and it finally gave way.
> > > > >
> > > > > It was recommended to me to upsize the forestay to 5/16" (by the
> same
> > > > people
> > > > > who told me to pull my diamondboard  down all the way unti lit is
> > > > > perpendicular to the boat!).  Does anyone have experience or
> knowledge
> > >of
> > > > > using a slightly larger stay?  Any problems to be aware of?  Sounds
> > >like a
> > > > > good idea to me, but I wanted to check the list to see if anyone has
> > >done
> > > > > this before?  Thanks.
> > > > > Bob K
> > > > > s/v Yankee Clipper
> > > > >
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