To Spartite or not to Spartite - that is the question?

[killarney_sailor]

The mast partners on by boat have 22 teak (of all things) wedges. They seem to support the mast admirably but they creak in a seaway. I am thinking of replacing the wedges with Spartite. I had Spartite in my last boat and was quite pleased with it, but if I can avoid the expense and hassle that would be a good thing.

Ideas? Spartite - does it have other advantages than being quieter? Lubricate the wedges somehow? Live with creaking? I want something that will work well on a heavy displacement cruising boat starting out on a 30 000+ mile trip - I keep thinking of going around the Cape of Good Hope when the weather window is not as good as it appeared so it has to be reliable.

[sailor50]

I think you have answered your own question! Open the cruising kitty, sleep like one at night/day - heck they sleep for hours.

[Stillraining]

Ill be doing mine soon...went to quit some expense to prepare my partners for its application...by-by wedges..

Whats not to like...future stick sets will be spot on centered from the get go...Just make sure your partners have a little taper to them.and apply a very thin coat of Vaseline to them but not the mast...best invention since self tailing winches.

[DwayneSpeer]

Those of us that don't use it can't possibly tell you whether or not to use it. I don't and am perfectly happy and see no need to change. I made my deck seal from a piece of neoprene rubber that I got from a dive shop and it has never leaked. Also I believe the wedges are there just to keep the mast in the correct place until the stays are attached and tensioned. I think you can remove them.

[Faster]

I have a spartite seal that doesn't really seal all that well, but it is a really nice mast locator and I'm not worried about losing any wedges from the boat working some in a seaway. I've had the mast out and was able to re-use the spartite "spacer" again.. but I've always had to add a boot seal as well.

On another boat we did a similar job with an industrial 2-part rubber compound called "DevCon".. if you can find it, as a non marine product it may be cheaper.

ITW Devcon | Fix/Repair/Rebuild Flexane® 80 Liquid

[lancelot9898]

Originally Posted by DwayneSpeer

. Also I believe the wedges are there just to keep the mast in the correct place until the stays are attached and tensioned. I think you can remove them.

I tend to agree with you on that even though if I was going around cape horn I would probably go with the epoxy. I've used a whole tube of the best GE caulking that I could find reasoning that when it hardens it should provide extra support even though I doubt the real need for that support once the shrouds gets tensioned. Even with that caulking in there and a mast boot I recently had some leakage with this recent rain on the east coast.

[Faster]

Originally Posted by DwayneSpeer

....Also I believe the wedges are there just to keep the mast in the correct place until the stays are attached and tensioned. I think you can remove them.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with that one, Dwayne. Any keel stepped mast that has prebend induced is going to want to be pushing forward pretty hard and is held centered in the partners by the wedges (or some other solid filler). Removing the wedges without some other form of spacer there the mast will bow forward to the front of the partners and open up the gap at the back.. Also sailing forces and loads will push the mast from one side edge of the partners to the other laterally when beating... it's a recipe for wear and abrasion on both parts.

[Stillraining]

Fasters spot on in regards to not removing the wedges...

Also spartite themselves recommends still using a boot...its a mast wedge system not a sealing system...The reason for not putting vaseline on the mast itself before pouring in your spartite is so it will stick and say in place on your mast...that way when you reset it it is exactly where it was before...hence the need to be very precise with getting your mast in coulum before you spartite it.

[killarney_sailor]

Spartite is not a seal. In my previous use I put a bead of sealant around the mast at the top of the Spartite and put tape over the Spartite/mast partner join. I then put a Sunbrella wrap around the hole thing for sun protection and cosmetics.

[Parclan]

We caulked the wedges in place and have a pretty heavy rubber gasket around the mast. Then from the underside, I filled the gaps with the expanding foam insulation stuff in a can. Solid, dry, quiet.