T-ball conversion

[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