T-ball conversion

[Lee Catlow]

Greetings,

Planning to replace our rigging on our 1976 Tayana 37 for extended cruising in tropics; externalizing the chainplates, replacing swaged fittings with Sta-loks, etc.

I get heartburn every time I look up at that unfair lead where the T-ball fittings are swaged onto the wire, and want to convert to tang-and-eye (or fork) connection.

What details need consideration on this conversion? Best practices for attaching tang to mast? (it's an Isomat NG 80).

Thanks for any enlightenment...

LC

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
I feel your pain, but it is usually not difficult to make the conversion. The simplest method is just to bypass the existing tangs, and making holes for conventional ones. The question is whether to do this above or below the old ones. How close to the spreaders are the old ones?
It is also possible to run the throughbolt through the old holes, though this leaves a worrying open oval above the new tangs. If you take this route, it would be worth considering reinforcing the mast there. The advantage of this method is that angles don't change, and no new holes are needed.
For those not aware of it. by the way, T-bar terminals have the highest failure rate of any termina.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Lee Catlow]

Thanks Brion,

"The question is whether to do this above or below the old ones. How close to the spreaders are the old ones?"

These are the intermediates, alongside the forestay, well above the spreaders (the lowers attach to tangs just below the spreaders).

So how about using the original oval hole for the T-ball, with a new thru-bolt and compression sleeve, and have the shear load carried on a good sized bearing plate riveted (?) to the exterior of the mast wall?

I forgot to mention in my original post that I'd also like to add running backstays; would it be appropriate to hang tangs for those on the new thru-bolt?

Thanks
LC

[Bob Oram]

This is a bit off topic but I'm new here and feeling my way.
Interested to hear that t balls have the highest failure rate.
We have some big cats using t balls for just about everything.
A crucial point is to align the wire with the fitting [err we simply bend them to align them]. To date we havn't had failures but check, check, check like everything else on the rig.
Does anybody know off a simple and elegant rotating hounds fitting/setup using as much synthetics as possible and the least amount of metal possible, or are still in experiment land!
Would like to have the shrouds forward of the section to ease over rotating.
Any photos or links would be lobely.
Thank you all
Bob