Sleeved & Welded Mast

[shamrock6]

HI,

Can anyone take a look at this picture and tell mw what likely happened to this mast?

Are all masts sleeved and welded in the construction process or only when the mast breaks and they are repaired.

If the latter, does this look like it was done properly.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[mitiempo]

I believe most or all masts over 40' are sleeved and welded. Hard to ship something over 40' long.

Properly done there should not be a problem.

I assume it is a boat you are looking at. What reason were you given? Do you have a surveyor's opinion?

[TQA]

It looks like it is at the base of the mast. Not much bending load there just compression. Welding looks like it was well done.

How do you KNOW it is sleeved. I agree it SHOULD be but without actually checking the interior it would be hard to be sure.

If i was happy it was sleeved it would not be a deal breaker for me.

I looked at some boats with 2 piece 60 foot masts and the join was near the spreaders with no external welding just an internal sleeve and rivets. The brokers asured me that this was normal.

[shamrock6]

Thanks for the information! Have not gotten a reason yet.

Was just looking to see if this is a huge red flag.


Thanks!

[LakeSuperiorGeezer]

Looks like there is a crack going down into the track that the welder could not get to. Across where the actual crack is no tension forces can be transmitted to the other side so these forces concentrate at the leading edge of a crack. A hole is drilled ahead of a crack to distribute the forces around the hole rather than all of it right at the point of the crack, but there are still going to be stronger forces because no forces are distributed across the crack. Some one could argued that the mast is still standing so it is alright; however, maybe the boat never leaves the dock, or if it does, only with light winds for a day when there is a reliable weather forecast. There were enough forces on the mast to cause the crack in the first place. If there was a manufacturing defect, it still may be there in the mast. I would run away from this; however, I suppose you could get an estimate for the cost of a new mast and dicker from there.