stainless steel and thimbles

[Mighty Mouse]

Is it safe to wrap stainless steel around a thimble on my stay ends? I have heard many mixed opinions. 3/16 ss wire, 20 ft boat. And any opinions on using a swage at the mast head end and a turn around a thimble at the deck end? Thank you.

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
The thimble itself is the big variable. If it is too small, it is vulnerable to collapse and/or cracking. Too big, and it won't fit into the right size turnbuckle. This is why, for standing rigging, solid thimbles are preferable.
Then there's the relationship between thimble and wire. Especially with 1x19, the radius of the thimble might be less than the wire needs to avoid deforming/weakening in the bend. Which is why extra-wide-radius solid thimbles are preferable for standing rigging.
Most of the time, when people use thimbles, they seem to do so as a cheap expedient, and it usually works -- that is, doesn't fail immediately and catastrophically -- regardless of thimble size or type. But getting the lower terminal consonant with the rest of the wire is important.
In your case, you could probably tie a Bowline in the end of the wire and put it directly onto the turnbuckle clevis pin, with no problems; 3/16" wire on a 20ft. boat? Really?
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Mighty Mouse]

HI Brion,

Thanks for this. What do you mean by this:
But getting the lower terminal consonant with the rest of the wire is important. ?

re: the wire, yes, I did not have a lot of knowledge when purchasing and this is what I was sold for standing rigging(!). Then I discovered books and professionals. I now know it is 7x19. I suspect it could be smaller than 3/16 right? Anyway, it's being swaged now at the top end and a mechanical fitting will be used at the bottom as it has a core. I hope this will be fine and I will have safe and happy sailing for a few years. Any major concerns I would appreciate hearing about and will approach re rigging differently the next time. First timer.

I do have a question about toggles on the turnbuckles. My spreader width is within an inch of the width of the boat at the chainplates. Should I toggle the turnbuckles? At one end? both ends? There is a shroud to the spreader and one to the mast head. Note: some of the forks in my turnbuckles have slight bends. Actually not sure which wire they came off of and not sure if they were there before put on the boat in the first place. The last time it was re-rigged was over 10 years ago. Thanks!

[Joe Henderson]

Dear Mighty Mouse,

Go quickly to the loft or website of your nearest professional YACHT rigger and prostrate yourself in front of his bench/webpage and beg him to help you.

7X19 is not the right wire for your standing rigging.

Bent turnbuckles have no place in a rig that you want to provide you with "safe and happy sailing for a few years."

Regards,

Joe Henderson

[Mighty Mouse]

gulp. You're scaring me. I have been working with someone considered to be a professional rigger who felt the 7x 19 will suffice for my 20 ft boat and who felt that the slight bends in the forks on a couple of my turnbuckles were not scarey. So I am hearing to question that seriously and start over? Brion, your comments?

[Stumble]

7x19 is used for wire halyards, not standing rigging. Personally I don't think it has any use on a boat anymore but some might reasonably disagree, but I don't know anyone who would use it for standing rigging.

A bent anything, is definatly compromised. And likely seriously. I don't like to reuse 316 bolts that have been in place for more than a year, I defintly wouldn't reuse a bent piece of critical equipment. any rigger who suggests otherwise I would have doubts about. Either he really doesn't kow, or is afraid to tell you to replace the part because he is concerned about loosing your business, not selling you the right equipment.