Will appreciate any advice.
Bill Smith
Bent mast
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Bill Smith
- Deckhand
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 1:49 pm
- Location: Orange County, California
Bent mast
Aside from the Suzuki engine problems listed elsewhere, we also have a mast bent three inches from straight (to the right facing) starting halfway up. Anyone see a problem with this? Is this normal? Should we buy a new mast ($400)?
Will appreciate any advice.
Bill Smith
Will appreciate any advice.
Bill Smith
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They Theirs
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Shroud tension might cause a smooth bend, especially the uppers. But a kink or twist will be very difficult to remove.
Last edited by They Theirs on Wed Mar 29, 2006 4:52 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Frank C
How the heck did THAT happen?! 
Edit to Add:
By subsequent reading, I now recall those pix of Rich's mast. In fact, the pix posted by TT are simply pictures - unedited, uncommented, innocuous. I don't see any intent to mislead. But any value for the OP's basic question is a little vague, too?? Truth is, maybe "the trailer's wagging the truck" a bit in this thread.
I think TT is a fine forum neighbor these days, although his stacks & stacks of uncaptioned pix are sometimes overwhelming. In partial reaction, I actually requested Heath if posted photos could be forced down to a limited size - the logic being, those with interest can easily click to a larger view. True to his word, TT had answered my question within 15 minutes of my posting this question last night.
Just one opinion ... maybe we've veered off the shoulder of this thread!
Edit to Add:
By subsequent reading, I now recall those pix of Rich's mast. In fact, the pix posted by TT are simply pictures - unedited, uncommented, innocuous. I don't see any intent to mislead. But any value for the OP's basic question is a little vague, too?? Truth is, maybe "the trailer's wagging the truck" a bit in this thread.
I think TT is a fine forum neighbor these days, although his stacks & stacks of uncaptioned pix are sometimes overwhelming. In partial reaction, I actually requested Heath if posted photos could be forced down to a limited size - the logic being, those with interest can easily click to a larger view. True to his word, TT had answered my question within 15 minutes of my posting this question last night.
Just one opinion ... maybe we've veered off the shoulder of this thread!
Last edited by Frank C on Wed Mar 29, 2006 4:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Catigale
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Bill - if you are just cruisers like us, check the mast carefully for stress cracks and signs of damage and just use as is...I bet you wont notice change in performance
Im guessing someone stepped the mast with a shroud plate twisted and bent it while winching up (one of the very few justifications for hand stepping the mast.)
Im guessing someone stepped the mast with a shroud plate twisted and bent it while winching up (one of the very few justifications for hand stepping the mast.)
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richandlori
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YOU GUYS ARE BEING SPAMMED....
Those are photos of my bent mast before I replaced it and sold the Enterprise Sea....
Up to his old tricks again...he just can't help it....
Meanwhile....I'm off today to Santa Cruz for my trip south to Avila Bay.
THIRD DAY looks pretty good with her New Standing and Running rigging...about $5200 all said and done...but the SS standing rigging is good for at least 15yrs...
Those are photos of my bent mast before I replaced it and sold the Enterprise Sea....
Up to his old tricks again...he just can't help it....
Meanwhile....I'm off today to Santa Cruz for my trip south to Avila Bay.
THIRD DAY looks pretty good with her New Standing and Running rigging...about $5200 all said and done...but the SS standing rigging is good for at least 15yrs...
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They Theirs
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richandlori
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Is it really that difficult to get the FACTS...then? The funny thing is that the actual story WAS and IS posted for all to see....funny 
.
I wasn't a New owner on my first time ever tow....
I wasn't unsure of setting my Spars...ha ha ha...didn't "catch the shroud or stay"
The winch rope did not give way...it was a under rated carabiner that brike in half when the mast was 70 deg.
A Spreader is $24 not...$50..
Lesson...consider the source of information...
The big point is that, the level of damage shown in the mast wasn't from some tweaking or short fall. It occoured when a non-load bearing caribeaner broke in half when the mast was about 70 deg...the mast and mast plate suffered damage.
. I wasn't a New owner on my first time ever tow....
I wasn't unsure of setting my Spars...ha ha ha...didn't "catch the shroud or stay"
The winch rope did not give way...it was a under rated carabiner that brike in half when the mast was 70 deg.
A Spreader is $24 not...$50..
Lesson...consider the source of information...
The big point is that, the level of damage shown in the mast wasn't from some tweaking or short fall. It occoured when a non-load bearing caribeaner broke in half when the mast was about 70 deg...the mast and mast plate suffered damage.
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They Theirs
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This M mast set-up and adjusted,was damaged, and could not be corrected with shroud tension
Relaxed in the tow position, the M spar twist and kink is more visible.
Relaxed in the tow position, the M spar twist and kink is more visible.
Last edited by They Theirs on Wed Mar 29, 2006 4:50 am, edited 10 times in total.
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They Theirs
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Frank C
I edited my original post above - did we "veer off the shoulder" of a thread ??!
Back to the OP ... seems by hearsay evidence that a Mac dealer thought the bend pictured here was okay to fly as is. Other members say the same. If it was MY mast, I'd probably spend a couple of hours on trying to straighten it ... picture the mast under a couple of pickups, then a engine hoist lifting at the bend???
If that left me with any doubts, new mast ... just one opinion.
Back to the OP ... seems by hearsay evidence that a Mac dealer thought the bend pictured here was okay to fly as is. Other members say the same. If it was MY mast, I'd probably spend a couple of hours on trying to straighten it ... picture the mast under a couple of pickups, then a engine hoist lifting at the bend???
If that left me with any doubts, new mast ... just one opinion.
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Chip Hindes
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I would certainly not try to sail with a bent mast, regardless of what others say about this; I can't believe a reputable dealer would even suggest it. Even if it can be straightened nominally by adjusting the shrouds, the shrouds on one side will be considerably higher in tensile load than those on the other side, and that is not acceptable and asking for trouble.
If it can't be straightened out with the shrouds, then ditto except more so. A bent mast destroys the sail shape.
Like Frank, I would attempt to straighten mine before buying a new one. His idea of two pickups and an engine hoist has merit, but I would go with maybe one pickup, the boat trailer and a five ton jack. Suspend only the bent part of the mast between the "tie downs" and pad it well with rags, foam etcetera at the contact points. Go very slowly, checking frequently, as overbending it in the opposite direction would be stupid.
If it has kinks or a crack in it, don't bother, and don't use a mast with a kink or crack even if you can straighten it out. In that case, bite the bullet and buy a new one.
Personally, I don't think it wise to heat or attempt to weld a mast as you will certainly destroy the temper, though somebody familiar with welding aluminum would know better.
If it can't be straightened out with the shrouds, then ditto except more so. A bent mast destroys the sail shape.
Like Frank, I would attempt to straighten mine before buying a new one. His idea of two pickups and an engine hoist has merit, but I would go with maybe one pickup, the boat trailer and a five ton jack. Suspend only the bent part of the mast between the "tie downs" and pad it well with rags, foam etcetera at the contact points. Go very slowly, checking frequently, as overbending it in the opposite direction would be stupid.
If it has kinks or a crack in it, don't bother, and don't use a mast with a kink or crack even if you can straighten it out. In that case, bite the bullet and buy a new one.
Personally, I don't think it wise to heat or attempt to weld a mast as you will certainly destroy the temper, though somebody familiar with welding aluminum would know better.
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Frank C
Good point, Chip. Using the shrouds to fly a bent mast simply means I'm inversely (conversely?) bending my Mac's hull & deck!!Chip Hindes wrote: ... Even if it can be straightened nominally by adjusting the shrouds, the shrouds on one side will be considerably higher in tensile load than those on the other side, and that is not acceptable and asking for trouble.
Where's the logic in that?~!You did raise a couple more thoughts tho ... if the bend is near the spreaders of a 26X mast (and assuming I had access to another bent X-mast), I might ponder adding an external sleeve after rebending. The X-mast is demonstrated to be vulnerable at spreaders anyway, so the sleeve can add enhanced value.
If this mast is from 26M then I've understood that factory prebend is only an inch. Rebending or sleeving has even fewer implications than for the 26X-mast.