Hi Rick, I found that I had enough takeup with the turnbuckle to allow for the added length. If necessary a shorter turnbuckle can be incorporated. Or, better, if necessary you can remove the end of the turnbuckle completely and use the becket/clevis pin assembly on the end of the snap shackle to attach the body of the turnbuckle directly to the stem head shackle via the snap shackle itself. The 1/4 inch clevis pin in the snapshackle becket will fit inside the body of the turnbuckle where the threaded part of the turnbuckle end used to be. All the loading on the turnbuckle will be exactly the same as stock. That will allow you to add or subtract forestay tension using the remaining trunbuckle screw. The swiveling becket end of the snap shackle will prevent twisting of the forestay cable as it too rotates. That should allow plenty of length to play with. And all the parts involved will always be attached to the boat within easy reach. Just found an email website that has great prices for these 3-4 inch snap shackles with swivel beckets on the end opposite the snap opening. http://computerpiks.com/snap-shackles.html..........that site should get you there. The prices are really good. I know also that Harken makes one such item, their #885 large snap shackle with clevis is exactly what I have on my boat. I have used this setup for years on my first M17 and it never opened prematurely. I also never tried to remove the skin from the end of one of my fingers when I got it caught in a loop of safety wire attached to a removeable pin again either. Have fun and enjoy. Tom B, Mont.17 #258,'77 On Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 9:25 AM, Rick Davies <jdavies104@gmail.com> wrote:
Tom,
How do you attach the snap shackle to the forestay, and how do you compensate for the added forestay length?
Do you replace the turnbuckle with the snap shackle?
Rick M17 #633 Lynne L
On Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 10:09 AM, Thomas Buzzi <thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com> wrote:
Clevis pins, spring pins, etc. I started with pins of one sort of another and found that trying to hold tension on the forestay while trying to align the tiny holes for the pin to slide through the stemhead fitting as well as the ends of the turnbuckle was an exercise is frustration highlighted with the possibility of allowing the forestay to slip out of my hand altogether ending my sailing day with a mast bent double over the transom or the pin falling on the ground out of my reach unless I lowered the mast to retrieve it or that fatal "sploop" sound as it deep sixed itself. etc. etc. etc. What to do, what to do???? Stay home and drink pins coladas? No, find a way to make it so easy and fool proof and safe so that not even sitting on my patio with said pina colada would deter me from a day on the water. So....my placing a shackle through the holes on the stem head fitting I created a LARGE target to hit with whatever I was aiming with. Then I attached a three inch snap shackle to the end of the forestay. Voila! Now I had one hand for the forestay and ONE HAND to slip the pelican hook type end of the snap shackle through the large target shackle on the stem head fitting. My closing the snap shackle by simply squeezing it together I also tensioned the rig. The only thing easier is falling off the proverbial log, unless you prefer falling off the bow of your boat trying to align pins with holes while juggling a dancing forestay. Try it, you will like it.
Sailing in Rockport, Tom B, Mont 17 #258, '77