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Mast Inspection Opinions

4049 Views 36 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  GeorgeB, 
casey1999
Got the mast down to inspect and repaint. The fitting shown in attached pic looks to be 316 SS and is riveted (heavy stainless rivets) and through bolted (at the tangs used for forward and aft lower shrouds). This fitting clam shells around the mast and is fit perfectly to the mast shape. If not sealed well, however, water and salt could work its way between the fitting and aluminum mast and corrode- if that happened the mast could break as this must be a high stress point- seeing the mast is very firmly connected with 4 lower shrouds and a baby fore stay- a total of 5 connection points at this fitting with the addition of the spreaders. Note the spreaders do not pass through the mast- the spreaders fit into sockets in this fitting and held by one stainless through bolt (as shown in pic).

So request opinion- does the fitting look ok to leave as is and assume no major corrosion (note I can get a fiber optic camera and inspect the inside of the mast at this location- to make sure no corrosion through the mast wall)? Or would you recommend to remove the fitting? I would like to remove the fitting- but afraid I might open a can of worms and not be able to get the fitting installed as well as it is now- fitting might spring open on removal.

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J
Well ... there is already a lot of info available on SN. Boogie Nights, who posts here far too seldom, has a homepage which describes this:
Boogie Nights

Usually not much to see from the outside, but open the can of worms and you will see. OPen ing is recommended.

/J
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J
casey1999 said:
I skimmed some of that sight- found nothing on masts- could you give me date or location of the reference?
Click to expand...
Oh, the link did not link all the way. However, there is a clue in the link, it ends with "this game is rigged" (english humor ..) which also is the name of the chapter. Think it is dated "20th May".

Anyhow, Jayne has a Dehler 36. The mast is in Alu, and ss fittings. On the advice of a rigger she did remove the ss things and found some lack of Alu where it should have been. She got a new mast.
It is a good read for all those having an Alu mast with ss fittings. :)

This is the problem with ss fittings on Alu. One usually doesn't see how bad it is without removing.

/J
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