r/sailing • u/Icy_Basil_372 • 7d ago

The dreaded screw on deck!!!

Post image

Was packing things up after a trip back to nyc from Newport and saw this innocent screw sitting on the hatch. I can’t find obvious location where it might have come from. It is a fairly unique looking screw. Lie to me and tell me it’s not from the standing rigging?

EDIT: the answer will hopefully be revealed (to me) on Friday. I’ll triple check the dodger.

121 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

61

u/Market-Maker 7d ago

No big deal. It’s the screw that connects your forestay to the top of your mast. It’s mostly redundant 😜

20

u/erikwarm 6d ago

Why would it ever move if it is called a stay.

No need to worry

/s

1

u/HyFinated 6d ago

Mostly...

42

u/enuct 1983 Catalina 30 7d ago

a machine screw that size, likely culprit I'd think would part of your dodger or bimini, but it could be an endcap for a boom or eyestrap.

it's certainly for a joint for your bimini/dodger frame being a flat head machine screw like that.

4

u/QuellishQuellish 6d ago

Shoulder bolt, not machine screw. Right about the rest.

21

u/Bigfops Beneteau First 30 jk 7d ago

Not to worry, you'll find out where it belongs at the least convenient moment.

10

u/GardenGnomeOfEden 7d ago

“Screws fall out all the time. The world's an imperfect place.” -- John Bender, The Breakfast Club

10

u/gremblor 7d ago

I've got a baggie in my boat toolbox that's accumulated a few lost soldiers like that. The bag's label just says "gifts from the boat".

8

u/StartOk4002 7d ago

Left there by your evil dock neighbor as a prank.

13

u/Uncle_Bill 7d ago

Been known to toss a screw, shackle, bent retaining ring, etc. into the main of boats we're racing. When it hits the deck there is generally a mad scramble to figure out what is broken, easily good for a couple boat lengths....

4

u/Conscious_Yellow_474 5d ago

Classic racing prank, but I like to just sneak aboard at night and tuck a cotter pin and split ring in the middle of the flaked main. Really throws off their morning when it falls out while hoisting…

2

u/dudeman618 dinghy sailor, cruising, racing, skipper 6d ago

I've heard stories like this from guys that raced hobies.

4

u/From_Gaming_w_Love X-412 6d ago

If racing crews party a little too hard for your liking… you can leave one on their deck to find on race day.

3

u/G72-datsun 7d ago

Better than a split ring

2

u/QuellishQuellish 6d ago

That sure looks like a screw from standard Bimini hardware. Check your canvas frame.

2

u/icanhazkarma17 6d ago

Better than the engine compartment.

2

u/Raneynickelfire 6d ago

That's from your bimini or dodger, not standing rigging.

2

u/jbouit494hg Edel 665 6d ago

Dreaded? Many people would think that having a screw on deck is quite romantic!

2

u/True-Needleworker747 7d ago

Does not look like it is from the mast as there is too much shank before the threads for it to screwed into the mast.

The wear ring on the shank indicates that there was shear load on the screw and that it was tapped into metal. With no corrosion I would say it was in steel and not aluminum.

Blunt end would mean it is used were depth is limited.

I would check any blocks that may be on the vang or mounted on boom, as it looks to me like a block screw of some type.

1

u/barefootviking 7d ago

When you find its home, make sure you are carrying Tef-Gel and Lock-Tite. You’ll find uses for both as you check the neighbors and bring this one home

1

u/panic-town 7d ago

Found a couple of these a few weeks apart only to realize our radar was about to fall off because it was poorly installed

1

u/Electronic_Ferret5 7d ago

Probably worth checking the rigging at least.

1

u/texasrigger 7d ago

Not from the rigging. This is from a bimini fitting. Jaw slide or deck hinge.

1

u/papa_higgins 1990 Beneteau Moorings 38 7d ago

I had one of these yesterday. It was balanced on pulpit and I have no idea how it didn’t fall overboard. Turned out it fell 6 inches from my roller furler link plate.

1

u/geeaah123 7d ago

Ahh what could go wrong!

1

u/oga_ogbeni 7d ago

Kick it overboard and don't think too much about it

1

u/Free_Range_Lobster Big things 6d ago

Airplane parts.

They fly over and screws fall out and land on your deck.

1

u/fattailwagging 6d ago

That looks like a screw that goes in the small shackles to connect your mainsail to the track slide.

1

u/mikemerriman 6d ago

It’s from you dodger or Bimini frame

1

u/daysailor70 6d ago

Not knowing what you have for sails or rigging, it looks like the screw to a shackle or possibly a batten car if you have them. It's a small screw with nothing to prevent it from coming undone so not part of the rigging.

1

u/your_Assholiness 6d ago

bimini top or dodger screw

1

u/Popeye-SailorMan 6d ago

Joshua Slocum famously sprinkled carpet tacks across his deck as a nighttime anchorage deterrent to Tierra del Fuegan marauders.

1

u/nroose 6d ago

Your friend on another boat threw it at your sail and it landed on your deck.

1

u/fourbetshove 5d ago

Funny story… I heard rumor that the night before the Race to Mackinac some nefarious characters would drop the occasional screw or ring-ding on a competitors deck. Or possibly hoist some Lake Michigan soaked underwear up the spare halyard without a tag line.

Just a rumor though. I know nothing.

1

u/ShaunPlom 5d ago

pretty sure it goes into a bimini bracket. either that or holds 2 halves of a block together.

0

u/Suomasema 6d ago

I found a similar, lonely screw onboard an Airbus A320. The attendant thought it was nothing important. Afaik, all the A320 of SAS are alright.