Stainless Steel Dead Eyes

Hi All
Please help my boat has stainless Steel dead eyes. I assume one would use ss cable to rig them. Question how are they tied off.

Regards
Butch

 

Hi Butch,

Not sure what I'm seeing there... and not really sure what you're asking.

It could be that they hook into a shaped bracket where they cannot pull out, but can be removed when the cable is slack.

Or they fit into a sheeth and four bolts on each

Or a combination of the above

Cable gets crimped under high pressure using a ferrule.

 

Butch,

I would not put SS around those hard corners, personally I would use Spectra/Dymeea and I would look at softening the turns. Have a look at the stuff Precourt Systems do to get an idea.

http://www.precourt.ca/

Check out their deadeyes...

Cheers
Mbz

 

I think those deadeyes are for rope as well. The issue is tying off. On my boat the deadeyes adjust very easily and the tails wrap several times around and then a half-hitch is made.
Easy as pie, but imagine tying off stainless wire! You could use Spectra or any rope that fits the eyes and whose multiplied strength figures to be as strong as the single wire above.
My guess is the most humble of dacron laid rope times five would be double the strength of the wire.

Alan

 

Yes, I'd agree..the strength factor is not the major issue, stretch is the reason to use the Spectra. If stretch is not a major concern do the numbers on some quality double braid.

 

True about stretch---- I use dacron, which is low-stretch to begin with, but nowhere as low-stretch as Spectra and the like. Then too, mine's a gaffer with no big jib to keep taut. A large headsail or sails and marconi rig demand low-stretch as you can get.

A.

 

Hey Thanks Guys. I was wondering if I should replace these with more standard type fittings. The are obviously home made. The other end(attached to the hull) seem pretty worn to me.

Regards
Butch

 

Some people like deadeyes, most don't. I don't know what you mean by wear, but I can't imagine why there would ever be any wear, considering my own deadeyes are orders of magnitude softer than stainless, being wood, and they are probably fifty years old.
There should be, from when they were produced, channels ground in the sides to allow the rope to pass smoothly around each turn. This is not wear of course.
what then would be wear? I can't imagine. If you price the replacement (meaning longer shrouds AND new turnbuckles), you will find that you're talking about some serious money in comparison with buying a few feet of rope------ and without any real improvement in performance or ease of maintainence.
That said, if you see that these are not well made, particularly where they've worn (at the attachment holes, which I assume means enlarged, sloppy holes), then you're better equipped to decide than people here. The ones you show are not like regular deadeyes in the way they are set up to attach to the chain plates. Normally, a strop is looped around the deadeyes, which is nowadays usually made of stainless wire. Yours appear to bolt or pin directly to the chain plate eyes and some fittings at the bottom of the shrouds.
You COULD fix enlarged holes easily enough by welding and re-drilling, by the way.
A.

 

Thanks Alan. I am not sure as to the grade of stainless used. There seemsto be rust on some of the eyes The chain plates are ok no streched holes .I dont have a clear photo but I have attached one and you can just make out the discolouration on the eye.

Regards
Butch
PS I would like to retain the eyes in some form

 

A little rust is normal regardless of stainless type if no polishing was done. These are thick parts, and won't rust to any degree that they lose strength by the looks of them.
What you see may be very insignificant. What's not actually the eye itself, the toggle or attachment to the chainplates, is possibly worn, but that has nothing to do with the deadeyes.
So...? You alone can determine whether or not those parts are working--- just run some rope through the holes and see how they run. The holes should be more than simply relieved---- they should groove out in the direction of the rope's run. If you don't know what I mean, go to a website showing a close-up of a deadeye.

Alan

 

Thanks Alan. Know what you mean. I found heavy burring on a few of the holes. This led me to assume that somthing other than rope was used . They polished out nicely

Regards
Butch

 

Substances with 'oxidene' in them brings the protective layer in SS out. If you use ie dioxidine (it is a rust inhibbitor for iron at hardware stores) it would help to prevent the rust.

If you do a google for SS cleaning you'll find articles describing the reaction SS makes in bringing their protective ingriedient out.

 

Dankie Fanie. Gaan dit goed

 

Fun tastic thanks Butch. Just the normal work interfering with my private ( boating / fishing / etc) stuff Nothing much new.

He he... is that you on the boat

 

Ja toe ek die roes of die staniless sien skrik ek myself pikswart