axial crack in rod head

[holoino]

At the 10 year inspection of the rig, I noticed the crack on the rod's head on the lowers shroud. 

New rods will be ordered soon, but in the mean time, what would do with that ? It's gonna take 3-6 months before I can get the new shrouds where I live (and these days..) but I still want to go out sailing .

The crack may have been from the press process 10 years ago, staring from a microcrask then oxidizing since.  since they are not in the direction of regular use (the stemball sleeve actually closes the crack) I suspect it does not (yet) affect working load ?

Any enlightened and expert thought welcome 

 

[Frogman56]

Scary territory! If the rod has been in use for more than (say) 5 years it needs replacement, reheading maybe an interim measure?

 

[ROADKILL666]

Don’t chance it just wait.I know it sucks but the alternative is not good.

 

[European Bloke]

Is that a second crack on the left on the image? 

If you drop the rig and the insurance company find out that you knew this you will be on your own.

 

[SloopJonB]

The crack may have been from the press process 10 years ago, staring from a microcrask then oxidizing since.  since they are not in the direction of regular use (the stemball sleeve actually closes the crack) I suspect it does not (yet) affect working load ?

View attachment 395403

You have to ask yourself one question - "am I willing to bet my rig that I'm right about that?"

 

[casc27]

Nothing to worry about. That rod is just going retro and converting itself into 1 x 19 wire. So, just go sailing. After all, thousands of boats are using 1 x 19 wire already with no issues!

(Seriously, heed the advice above and wait for replacement. I think the bit about potential insurance issues is quite salient.)

 

[El Borracho]

New rods will be ordered soon, but in the mean time, what would do with that ? It's gonna take 3-6 months before I can get the new shrouds where I live (and these days..) but I still want to go out sailing .

You cannot sail on the tack that loads that shroud while maintaining sanity. Back it up with a spectra safety line. I flew a replacement rod to a remote place. About a one meter coil. Came in one day as a tourist's "sports equipment baggage". Even in the current situation an express company or freight forwarder can get it there. 

 

[Zonker]

I flew Vancouver to Panama with furler foils in a cardboard tube. I called them "deep sea fishing rods" because sporting goods flew free at the time

If you are in New Caledonia can't you get something from Oz sooner than 3 months? I would not chance it either.

 

[Haligonian Winterr]

Scary territory! If the rod has been in use for more than (say) 5 years it needs replacement, reheading maybe an interim measure?

Re-heading can be a long-term measure. Dye-testing the other heads is a good idea.

HW

 

[mgs]

@European Bloke what you see on the left is from the dies from when the head was formed. 
 

the crack is in the grain of the rod, so there is a chance if you re-head it it will still form along the same path. 
 

Brion Toss has a bit in his book about rod split completely vertically is still sound. 
 

Navtec has/had guidelines in the old grey binder about what is acceptable for verticals cracks and divots in rod heads. I know for divots as long as it doesn’t enter a certain diameter of the rod head it’s still good to use. 

 

[Varan]

Is that a second crack on the left on the image? 

If you drop the rig and the insurance company find out that you knew this you will be on your own.

good reason not to post known issues, but for the rest of us.... thank you.

 

[Gouvernail]

GET NEW WIRES!!!!!!

 

[RImike]

I thought for some reason that the reason for the vertical splits in a rod head is because it was already re-headed and the head was located in the "grip area" of the dies where it was headed the first time. 

 

[markvannote]

For what it's worth, if I saw that rod while working at Hall Spars I would condemn it. No crack is "good" but that one carries on to the waist of the head where the stemball bears. The shape of the head from the heading process is never a perfect shape as compared to the stemball which was machined and who knows wear the true point loading is on that circumference. Assuming the load is being bridged across the crack evenly could be a big mistake.

- The other line that someone mentioned is "flashing" from the two parts of the die not being perfectly aligned during the heading process. Fairly typical but a good rigger will buff those out.

- Mike has one point in that the first rod diameter's length in the die does get fairly work hardened during the process. If you do re-head, which is perfectly fine, you do want to cut about a rod diameters distance down from the waist of the head. I have also just had bad runs of rod, usually bigger stuff, which would split at the major diameter no matter what you try. Rod up to around -60, sometimes -76, is extruded to diameter which is a dark art in itself and no two coils are the same.

- Someone, maybe joking, made a potentially great suggestion. Could you get a wire stay made up and sent to you quickly to get you through the rest of the season?

Thanks.

Mark

 

[mgs]

For what it's worth, if I saw that rod while working at Hall Spars I would condemn it.

It would be a surprise if a rigger saw that crack and didn’t mention to replace it; however, if you want to believe documents from 1992...

Navtec tested a piece of rod that they cut with a hacksaw from the top of the rod head down to ‘just short of the end of the radius where it joins the base diameter rod below the head.’ The rod broke at above the rates breaking strength in the straight section of rod. 

 

[Marshy]

Dont use it... Thats a crack you can see - die penetrate test will show more. And that crack could mean a piece of the head coming off.

Find a local rigger with a heading press and get it re-headed temporarily if you need it short term (Cut current head off and re-head old rod - you only loose 1.5x rod diameter in length if done right.)

 

[charisma94]

I can't believe we're even discussing this. Don't go sailing with a defect like this - it's fooked - end of.

 

[holoino]

I ended rigging 12mm dyneema in backup, and take it easy until a whole new set of rods arrive. Thanks for the different comments ! 

In the mean time, I'll take recommendations for riggers in NZ or Oz who can do rods (not a huge job, it's for a J35,  lowers in 12, middles in 8 and uppers in 10) 

 

[Clipper]

I ended rigging 12mm dyneema in backup, and take it easy until a whole new set of rods arrive. Thanks for the different comments ! 

In the mean time, I'll take recommendations for riggers in NZ or Oz who can do rods (not a huge job, it's for a J35,  lowers in 12, middles in 8 and uppers in 10) 

Where are you at the moment? Do you needs new rods shipped?