DINGHY PARTS

Idon84 · Post by **Idon84** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:22 am

OK I've got what may be a dumb question. Got a Thistle to keep me sailing while I'm working on the Cosmic Dancer and the mast took some damage this winter with all of the snow we got.

Where does one find parts for dinghy rigging? Specifically I have these little jumper stays, 3 total each side of the mast, on the mast that consist of 3/8" round aluminum tubing with a 1/4" flat head screw inserted in the outboard end which acts as an adjuster for the jumper stay rigging...

[img][img]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj14 ... titled.jpg[/img][/img]

David · Post by **David** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:58 am

My guess is you will find what you need at Annapolis Performance Sailing:

http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e920.asp

Good luck,

David

Idon84 · Post by **Idon84** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:15 pm

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately they and several other links that were given to me didn't have anything that small. The closes was 1/2" OD.

It seems as if everywhere I look, boat parts can be found MUCH more economically and easily through the internet even with shipping added. Hence finding parts online tends to take front seat over searching locally.

BUT on this instance, and one other previous, after giving up looking online, I called my local welding shop where if you can get through the drab unwelcoming front desk person you become amazed at what they carry and can do. Not only do they have many grades of Stainless Steel, bronze, etc in any shape and size you want, but they also carry 3/8" OD aluminum tubing! The ID is a shaver less than 1/4" but they asked me to bring in the parts and they will make it work! All of this with prices that are LOWER than what I can find online for SS backing plates etc.

I don't know why I'm going into this but after becoming frustrated at the extreme prices at my local chandleries it is nice to find someone local to help with projects where my money will stay close to home. I wish everything was like that. Now if they only sold quantities of epoxy!

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:00 pm

Idon84 wrote:I called my local welding shop where if you can get through the drab unwelcoming front desk person you become amazed at what they carry and can do.

Why do those people seem disproportionately attracted to being receptionists? Within that category is the subset who really couldn't give a hoot, and then those who take active pleasure in thwarting a potential customer.

Of course there are the helpful, smart, and wonderful receptionists too, but it's weird how many fall into the latter category in service businesses.

R.

Quetzalsailor · Post by **Quetzalsailor** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:12 pm

You should know that I'm a dinghy guy, myself. Some might say, dingy. I've got three Flying Dutchman project boats, one of which is getting major work done. I've always loved the Thistle (but second to the FD). (For my FD bonafides, check out the pics on Photobucket; search Quetzalsailor, then the FD album)

Suggest you Google and locate the Thistle Class organization and chat there. Also go on the Sailing Anarchy site and add your query to the Dinghy Anarchy forum.

Seriously, if all else fails, find your local independent fabricating shop and bring in your pieces. The kind of folks who do semi-custom commercial kitchen work is one sort of capable shop.

I'm not clear about exactly what component you need. Perhaps McMaster Carr would have the tubing stock. Their site is borderline reasonable to work through, and they have all sorts of stuff reasonably well explained, and they are willing to sell smidges, online.

Idon84 · Post by **Idon84** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:19 pm

Got a HUGE fleet here in Seattle. The only problem is that my mast is the Original OLD stiff mast. Just about every thistle around here has the more flexible aluminum or carbon masts which have a totally different set up. I did speak to a few of them but all they wanted to do was sell me a "better" mast. That's all I need, 2 project boats.

I like my mast and I don't race my thistle except local small time family racing. It's more of a expedition boat. Pack up the thistle with camping gear, mount my 2HP honda to my Fatty knees and tow the thistle and all of the stuff to our camping spot. A grand way to go camping in my opinion!

Thanks for the ideas though. I just went to the local welding shop, which is friendlier in person BTW, and bought 5 feet of the stuff and will have to increase the ID by 1/8". I'll do that tonight and let everyone know how it turned out.

Itching to hoist some dacron ASAP!
Cheers,

Idon84 · Post by **Idon84** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:21 pm

BTW I love that McMaster Carr place, once you get use to using the site. They seem to have everything.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:18 pm

They do have one of the best online catalogs that I've used.

And their paper catalog... hundreds of whisper-thin pages just bursting with information, and everything from crutch-tips to phenolic board. (However, I've found it to be quite an operation to get one out of them - took me years but I finally succeeded.)

Rachel

earlylight · Post by **earlylight** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:50 pm

Rachel,
What was your secret in getting them to send you a catalog? I have tried everything. We requested one in the name of our yacht club, I tried using my business letterhead and two other members tried their letterhead as well. One would think that in these economic times that they would be doing anything they could to secure repeat business but they don't seem to care.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:55 am

Well, I never did succeed in getting one specifically for myself. But I worked at a business that had two major departments that were about a block away from each other And one McMaster catalog. Not too handy. So I thought I'd just call up and get a second catalog. Uh-huh, sure (as you found out).

But finally I did somehow get them to send a second catalog (I don't remember exactly what "did it," because it's been awhile, but it was not even in the first year that I asked). Then one year when the new catalog came, I took the previous version (that they were going to toss) for my own use.

So I guess what I'd recommend is to see if a business that has one might save you their old one when a new one comes out. Of course it's not right up to date - but I find that even though mine is years old now, I still really like to have the paper catalog, and then once I select something I can check it online.

I suppose they're pretty expensive to produce, but I was surprised at how hard it was to get one for the business when we ordered from them quite a bit.

Rachel
(With McMaster catalog on list of "Ten Books to Take to a Deserted Island" ;)

Post by **Tim** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:13 am

I have a catalog, and they send me a new one every year or so, but frankly I don't use it, as I find it's actually easier to find what I'm looking for on the website, and I always order online anyway. The huge catalog doesn't make comfortable bathroom reading.

That said, the print catalog is still one of my prized possessions. Not to make anyone jealous, but one day a few years ago the first catalog just arrived in the mail. I never asked for it. I buy a lot at McMaster, but am hardly a big customer. I almost cried.

Maybe they only send them to the people who don't ask...

Ronin120 · Post by **Ronin120** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:58 am

Yeah, put me down as someone who naively thought they could just call up and get a McMaster-Carr made-out-of-trees catalog.

Fail.

But, frankly, the online web-site is the best that I have seen and very easy to use. More than enough information to ensure that I actually order what it is I thought I needed. I'm thinking that M-C only ships the books to real businesses, not putzes like me.

Took me a while to get the big catalog from Jamestown Distributors too. I think I finally reached a level of financial expenditure ($$$) that they decided I was worth it. But I never seem to need it.

Off to order from M-C later today...

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:06 pm

Tim wrote:... but one day a few years ago the first catalog just arrived in the mail. I never asked for it.

:eyes bulge:

R.

Idon84 · Post by **Idon84** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:23 pm

Ok back to the tubing.

It was cake. Got them all done by drilling out to 1/4"

[img][img]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj14 ... G_0737.jpg[/img][/img]

Thanks again,

Quetzalsailor · Post by **Quetzalsailor** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:12 am

Bryon,

If I'm seeing aluminum tubing with brass or bronze nuts, I suggest you change 'em immediately to stainless steel. You will be amazed how quickly the threads on the aluminum will corrode. Even so, isolate the aluminum from the stainless with teflon tape or teflon pipe dope so that you will have some chance for getting 'em apart again.

I was thinking of your Thistle a couple days ago and remembered watching one being recovered after a capsize in weather that I chose to not take my FD out with inexperienced folk for crew. That Thistle, when righted, floated with the CB trunk below water. The three adults could not bail fast enough to overcome the influx. I've told this tale before, but I still do not know why the boat should have been so difficult to self-rescue. Perhaps it did not have the right amount of flotation.

D

Idon84 · Post by **Idon84** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:32 pm

D,

YES. My boat needs better flotation as well. My buddy capsized it about 6 miles from any other boat or marina and was out on a day that I personally would not have been out in. He was able to right (first time he ever capsized) because we went over the procedure ahead of time, thank GOD. Anyway he mentioned the same issue and the fact that the boat was pretty much completely filled with water and sitting VERY low. He had to run about 2 miles to drain her and then turn around and go up wind to get home. He got there after dark. That humbled this previously "invincible" new sailor.

This summer I'm going to take her to a lake and simulate a capsize to see what I need to do. My bow-tank in watertight but my stern tanks are NOT.

Thanks for the info, the parts are back on and I did indeed use the teflon tape as you mentioned. I did use the same material as last time though but will keep an eye on them.

Thanks for all the info!