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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Old style turnbuckles

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chancewane
Deckhand

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USA
17 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/02/2004 : 00:42:19

I've owned this boat about a month now, and I am wondering how does one turn the enclosed style turnbuckle; there are two small holes in the part that turns. Is there a special spanner or will a nail inserted do? Sounds like a dumb question, but that's what this forum's for, right?

Edited by - on

Gary B.
Admiral

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USA
969 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 01:40:36

I now have the open turnbuckles, which I greatly prefer, but I can remember carrying around an ice pick for that job. I broke a few, as they can be brittle, but coat the threads with (shoot, I forget the name...Lamo something, I think), so they won't freeze up on you).

But, hey, if you have a nail lying around, it will work, too, if you can get enough leverage to actually tune the rig.....

Gary B.
s/v Encore!
Vice Commodore

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triley
Captain

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USA
251 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 05:35:02

I had them on my old San Juan 21 til I replaced them, and used an ice pick as well.

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 07:26:28

You might think about replacing them with open body style parts. They should be about 10 to 15 dollars apiece. Make sure that the studs are cross drilled though or figure out how to drill them. Dave

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 09:07:13

An ice pick, small scratch awl, or a small phillips screwdriver seem to be the tool of choice.

But, you'll like the open style turnbuckle a lot better if you have 'em.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 09:28:44

Pair of Vice Grips. (not very seamanlike, but what the heck). I've replaced most of my closed turnbuckles... but have a few of the old style left to go.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 11:16:30

I also used a Vice Grip on my closed body turnbuckles. It gouges them up, but since there was a length of PVC pipe covering them, no one would notice. The worst thing about those closed body turnbuckles is that they are stainless steel, and therefore much more likely to have the threads seize up than the open body turnbuckles, which are chrome plated bronze. If you have stainless staeel turnbuckles, you MUST lubricate the threads every time you make an adjustment, either to tighten or loosen them. The bronze turnbuckles are much more forgiving of being turned without oil on them.

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 13:05:41

I did the ice pick and vice-grip thing until the turnbuckles started to gall. Then I went with the new style Catalina turnbuckles with ss covers. Very functional and attractive.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 14:08:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Laux
 Make sure that the studs are cross drilled though or figure out how to drill them. Dave
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Ding Ding Ding!!!!
Original standing rigging has no holes for locking open turnbuckles.
I switched to the new Catalina turnbuckles and fortunately bought new standing rigging at the same time. The sleeves that cover the open turnbuckles make cotters and rings a tight fit, I am using SS swaging wire.

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jwilliams
Captain

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USA
357 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 16:23:35

Steve,

Once you get the turnbuckles free the first time, use "NeverSeize" on the threads every time. A tube costs about three bucks and lasts forever. The stuff is copper-graphite-grease.

Incidentally, anytime you put dissimilar metals into contact there will be some kind of chemical interaction. Steel and aluminum may be the worst, because combined with oxidation what is generated at the contact point is a kind of joining tougher than welds. When I replaced my standing rigging, at the head the SS clevis pins were so tightly welded to the aluminum that I actually cracked the casting in trying to pound them free...and had to purchase a new one from C.D.

Now, for every pin that goes into a hole, every screw that gets put in, every thread that is adjusted...they get schmooied with NeverSeize.

Jim Williams
Hey Jude C25fk 2958
SF Bay

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 20:26:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 
The sleeves that cover the open turnbuckles make cotters and rings a tight fit, I am using SS swaging wire.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Frank, for what it's worth, I use one nut to lock the new style turnbuckles from Garhauer. Quick and effective.

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 21:13:25

Ok, Here we go, IMO
First Never-Seize, which is copper, graphite,and goop is great on stainless steel but should not be used on aluminum that is exposed to seawater, just use regular grease without the metallic copper. Bed non moving fasteners in polysulfide caulk.
Second, some tubular turnbuckles do have cross drilled threads and others don't.
Third, I do not like to have vital fitings like turnbuckles on standing rigging covered by those plastic boots where things can happen that I might otherwise notice and correct before the rig comes down.
Fourth, when you have an aluminum casting with stainless fasteners stuck in it soak it in fresh water for a while, The fasteners will usually come out. You can also heat it very gently
Fifth, Lock nuts on turnbuckles are very unreliable. If you load the turnbuckle the nut comes loose cause the thread stretches. Tightening the nut preloads the thread between the nut and the body and reduces the load the turnbuckle can carry safely.
Dave

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2004 : 22:21:53

Just goes to show . . . sailing is a life long learning experience.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2004 : 00:50:35

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2004 : 07:31:28

Looks nice but I think I will still pass now that I can use rings to lock the open body turnbuckles. I think the plastic covers were mostly made to cover cotter pin ends and to keep them from tearing sails. BTW the graphite in Never-Seize is chemically a metal and grease with graphite should not be used near or on aluminum either. Just plain light straw colored grease.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2004 : 08:09:39

On one of my many shopping sprees from Catalina Direct (one of my favorite suppliers) I bought some lube made for turnbuckles. It comes in a little tube. Maybe this is just an overpriced three in one oil, maybe not, but it sure works great.
I also replaced all of my standing rigging and turnbuckles last year, so maybe that's why it works so well, no corrosion.
The PO had the boat slipped within 100 yards of an interstate, so I'm sure the acids from exhaust ate away at the rigging parts so it worried me if I was to sail offshore.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.