Toggles or fork fittings
 

I am getting ready to re-rig my Hughes 25 and wanted to know if you guys recommend using plain fork fittings or toggles at the masthead. I am using Sta-Lok mechanical fittings and plan to use a toggle at the chainplate to connect to the turnbuckle, but the previous rig just used fork terminals to connect the mast head, and I'm wondering if toggles would be a better option. Thanks!

As un-fortunate as the excess weight aloft will be with those relativly bulky sta-lock toggles, you should use them as opposed to forks. Splices might be better still. Forks would be much more prone to fatigue on a boat like yours (googled Hughes 25- gotta love google !) with its bendy rig.
Sta-Loc says "It is recommended that a bar toggle should be used with all turnbuckle fork ends. " I would assumme the double jaw toggle on their wire terminal serves fine too..

Thanks Brian. I thought that would be the case, but it never hurts to ask someone who knows more than me (which is most everyone!). Thanks again.

Ryan

Option
 

Hi,
Instead of a separate toggle, you can get a terminal with a toggle built in. Less weight, bulk, and cost. Sailing Services in Miami modifies Sta-Loks like this, and I believe they are stock from Hayn.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

I am very much leaning towards the Hayn fittings because of this. Has anyone had any bad experience from Hayn that would make Sta-Lok preferable, or are they all good enough that it is just a matter of availability, personal preference, etc? Thanks.

Hayn Terminals
 

Ryan,

We are a stockist for the Hayn/Petersen Hi-Mods. We carry all the mechanical terminals on the market and we have found now weakness with any of the fittings (Norseman, Hayn, Sta-Lok) based against each other. The Hayn/Petersens do have an extra piece (the crown) to keep the outer strands aligned. Aside from that, asthetically, the Hayn/Petersens are a little more smooth and not as industrial looking.

Tom
Old Dominion Rigging

As with all the fittings they must be assembled carefully . That crown piece on the hayn, combined with right hand lay wire, can be a real fun time. I wouldn't use those hayns if you are using rh wire, as the strands don't like to stay closed around the cone/crown
.I think stay locks are probably the easiest to assemble because the piece you slide over the wire is the male threads, and the wire ends stick out of it, where as the hayn and norseman have the female threads on the shell over the wire, and the wire ends are down inside of it, a bit harder to work with , especially when the wire strands want to stand against the treads, and not leave room for the fitting to thread together. Can be a pain.

Has hayn changed the slot width on the nut side of their fitting (the cone that goes over the wire) ? I remeber adjustable decent size wrenches not fitting in the slot, but the most recent one I did seemed to have enough room for a wrench to fit ok, so that is no longer a problem I guess ?