Best Turnbuckles ?

[Brian Duff]

So whats your opinion. I am talkin about turnbuckles which accept a threaded stud into the top, and use a t-bolt toggle or threaded eye and toggle on the bottom, such as the majority of boats are rigged with these days.

I guess Arco is about the standard turnbuckle, we use them and the Sta-Lok Turnbuckles a lot, but I have gripes with both. The Arco's are pretty nice but the T-Bolt stud is rather poorly forged so that its not round where it sits in the toggle, and the components aren't polished really well, just electro-polished mill finish really. The Sta-Lok has excellent shape and finish, but the threaded 'nut' that makes the T-Bolt is prone to corrosion and cracking. I think the bottom T-bolt from the Hasselfors turnbuckles is great, except they pinch the toggle on , and their turnbuckle bodies are stainless steel, and have no bridge in the middle...there is a start to the discussion anyway.

Whats your favorite turnbuckle and why ?

[Brion Toss]

Hi Brian,
Yeah, not crazy about how Sta-Lok threads the stud into the jaw, but overall their fit and finish — and customer service — is much better than Arco's. But how about Hayn? They have great quality control, and really care about their customers.
Fair leads,
Brion

[Douglas]

Hi Brian,,,, I use and very much like (Love) my bronze 1/2" J to J turnbuckles,,,,, they are hard to find, but I perfer them over any thing stainless.

I purchased my 28' BCC in Honolulu, circa 1996, and the existing ss turnbuckles had a "T" bolt stud on the bottom, and a wrap around toggle that was clevis pinned to ss chainplates.

The pre-purchase surveyer stated in his report to replace all ss structural rigging, as it was over 10 years old, and constantly used in tropical waters.

It wasn't until after I pulled the stick, and was micro polishing the ss chainplate clevis pin hole areas, that I found "spider-web" type cracks eminating from the clevis pin holes, and going outward to the edges of the chainplates.

Obviously, that surveyor knew his business,,, The folded over the "T" stud ss toggle , had been contributing to crevis corrosion on the chainplate, which wasn't noticed until it's removal and subsequent polishing of the chainplates.

The Surveyor had a bench mark,,,, any ss structural fitting used continously in tropical marine environment, over 10 years old, should be replaced,,,,, after this example, on my own boat,,,, I can agree with him !

I found that the folded over ss "T" stud toggle, could very possibly, create a corrosion problem,,,, in that it allowed salt water to linger around the chainplate clevis pin hole, without draining,,,, and that "stagnant salt water" , caused an electrolysis which resulted in the crevis corrosion , I noticed , after that survey.

I concluded at that point to not use "T" bolt ss stud-to toggle system any more, because I could not easily inspect the chain plates for cracks, with them in place.

OK , I also changed the ss chainplates to Bronze ones cast by Pete Langly, of PT Foundry,,,, thinking that I was building in a "reserve of neglect", that I think Brion would approve of !

I have found that the marriage of bronze and ss is a good one for me,,,, ie: ss clevis pin and a bronze toggle,,,, that does give me, in my opinion, a reserve of neglect !

Douglas, S/V Calliste

[Ian]

Brion
It may be worth looking (if you are not aware already) at the BlueWave fittings: www.bluewave.dk/.
I used them after seeing a great write up on their swagless fittings and wanted an alternative to the standard fittings used in Australia.
Ian