I'm looking for solutions to release the forestay with minimum fuss. I keep my 22ft boat on a mooring in the river and have to drop the mast to pass under bridges on the way to the ocean. To do this I have to detach the forestay. Currently this involves taking the split pin out of the clevis pin in the rigging fork which is a pain in the ass on a tight foredeck.

I have tried using a shackle instead of a clevis pin - the pin of the shackle is just the right size to go through the rigging fork, stem head fitting and screw tightly in to the u of the shackle. Easy to remove with a shackle spanner and unlikely to come loose by itself.

What do people think of fast pins for this purpose? They small spring loaded catch seems unreliable to me.

Any other suggestions?

I need something that locks in positively and won't come out until I want it to, and then when I want it to, comes out easily.

I use quality SS R pins for a number of applications instead of split pins etc.
Forestay, rudder pintles , mast gate.

I use a a safety pin I bent from s/steel weld rod, just like a shark clip.
I have the clevis pin and the pin clip tethered together so I won't lose them. The tether goes through the fitting so it all stays together. This is for my removable inner fore stay

A shackle is difficult to undo???? Really????

Another possible solution would be a hyfield lever, these were used on running stays. If you used one of these you could quickly remove the loading and could look at a snap hook style fitting, nothing to loose or fall overboard then!
cheers Richard

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Stockie said..
Another possible solution would be a hyfield lever, these were used on running stays. If you used one of these you could quickly remove the loading and could look at a snap hook style fitting, nothing to loose or fall overboard then!
cheers Richard

That removable clevis pin I have in the photo is actually connected to a hyfield type lever. The lever is locked in the over centre position with a spring loaded toggle pin.

I said above I use R clips for many applications. Actually for the forestay pin, rudder pintles and pin for main tack to gooseneck I use Ronstan retaining clips (RF413) . Compact and strong.

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Jolene said..
I use a a safety pin I bent from s/steel weld rod, just like a shark clip.
I have the clevis pin and the pin clip tethered together so I won't lose them. The tether goes through the fitting so it all stays together. This is for my removable inner fore stay

This is a winner! This is exactly what I was looking for.

I have a Highfield on my inner forestay and have a spring loaded clevis pin in that. There is a piece of pvc pipe covering the stay and lever that will help stop any pins coming free when they aren't supposed to.

No Highfield is needed on the forestay as the tension comes off the masthead rig when I release the backstay.

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Jolene said..
I use a a safety pin I bent from s/steel weld rod, just like a shark clip.
I have the clevis pin and the pin clip tethered together so I won't lose them. The tether goes through the fitting so it all stays together. This is for my removable inner fore stay

I have stacks of shark clips laying about. I cut the rope end off and bend the end over to make the retaining pin.