M_Boats: Cotter Rings

Jim Kimmet (jkimmet@compuserve.com)
Mon, 17 May 1999 14:37:37 -0400


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Last summer we were sailing my M17 on Lake Mille Lacs here in Minnesota.
The wind was 20 to 30 knots and we were beating upwind into 4 foot waves
under double reefed main and reefed jib. Suddenly the windward upward
shroud was dangling uselessly. Fortunately the lower shroud kept the mast
up. We fell off the wind to take off some of the pressure and I got out my
spare parts and put it back together in short order. In inspecting the
other cotter rings I noticed that many have small dings in them. I suspect
they can develop stress cracks and break, or there may be small defects
from manufacturing which act as stress risers and cause them to fracture.
Jim kimmet
M17 "Blue Skies"