I have been using nylon / plastic cable ties - the very fine ones for a
number of years now with no problems.
I prefer to use coloured ones as it is easy to do a visual check they are
in place, and I think it would be easy to spot when one is missing (hasn't
happened yet).
I also use them for shackles that have holes in the end of the pin.
Whenever I have needed / wanted to make an adjustment or remove some
equipment that had the turnbuckle or shackle seized with wire or pins,
(often taped on top), it required more time and tools, making a quick fix
into work.
The cable ties go on easily, come off easily, and are cheap.

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
I had the privilege of sailing with Rod Stevens years ago when he was
chairman of the ship committee for a sail training vessel I was designing.
He gave the whole lecture on cotter pins which I think was basically, ends
cut short and spread no more than 15 degrees, then taped. The rational,
which makes perfect sense to me, is that bending long ends all the way
around fatigues and changes the metal so that the bends are susceptible to
corrosion and breaking off. The pins then fall out. Slight bends still keep
the pins in and do not weaken the cotters.

This approach creates sharp snags, thus the tape. The turnbuckles of Rod's
day also had more room to hide the pin ends than the more streamlined
fittings found on many boats today. I'm using split rings for the time
being and keeping a close eye on them but they have ends that can snag
rope and lead to pulling out.

It seems to me that stainless steel seizing wire through the hole and
around the body with the ends tucked well in might be the best and least
snagging approach. I'd like not to depend on tape to protect sails and
fingers anymore than necessary. I also object to plastic boots that hide
critical components from pre-sail inspection.

Any experienced opinions?

--

Roger Long