Chinook mast extension snap collar. Snapped

husby_d · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 16

The pins sheared off and took an inch off my downhaul.
I thought the snapping sound was my boom breaking, so I got to shore and checked it out. No boom problems, so I sailed on, but with an uneasy feeling due to the realization that something unknown had broken, and my sail was slightly out of balance.

I didn't discover it was the downhaul until I derigged.

Is this a common thing?
This could have been much worse if I had several inches of extension, and was sailing at the Coast.

I bought the $16 replacement collar, but I wonder if it would be safer to use the old style stainless steel pin-and-collar instead.
Has anyone tried this?

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Notice they switched to a new semi flexible pry apart collar.
I have put together the clamping collar slightly askewed several times when in a rush and not paying attention.
The pivot gets loose over usage and it's possible to snap the wrong side first, so it never correctly alighns but still allows the mast to slide over.
Both my bases have well over 200 days of usage.