Mast tuning

[Vines]

Well, we finally rebuilt the masthead on C229 using the aluminum sandwich one of you guys pointed me to. Thanks for that. Now that the mast is back up we have used up all the threads on the turnbuckles and the stays still seem too loose. I admit we didn't really pay enough attention to them before we took it down but something just doesn't seem right. Anybody had this problem? Solution?

[Bill]

SS shrouds will stretch a bit, but this sounds like more. If you can't tighten the turnbuckles, you may need to cut the wire

[bill@ariel231]

Sounds like wire cutting time.

Two other options..

1. insert a plywood pad between the mast and mast step. This will raise the mast by the thickness of the plywood pad you insert. If you are 3/8th to 1/2 inch short this might work. it a short term fix but it will get you going.

2. Commander #35 is being parted out. she includes a mast. You might get the whole mast or just the mast head from her. I believe the early pearson 26 also shares our mast head casting. These masts also show up on ebay.

good luck
bill

Question.. are all of the shrouds short or just a couple??

[Vines]

I really don't want to have to cut the shrouds. I just can't figure out why they appear to be too short, though. There's only 2 of the 7 that aren't bottomed out. I wouldn't mind leaving all of them like they are but the mast is bowing to starboard in the middle. Or, maybe the top of the mast is bending to port. I can't tighten the upper starboard shroud because I have no more threads on the turnbuckle. I could tighten the forward port shroud but that turnbuckle is also bottomed out. Just how tight should the shrouds be? These have never been like piano wire like some of the racing boats around me. And I wouldn't mind leaving them like they are if, again, the mast were straight. I had considered using some of the 1/4" aluminum as a shim to put under the mast step. Just how high can I raise it and still feel like it's not going to come loose at the bottom?
You mentioned that was just a temporary fix anyway, huh?

[Bill]

You also might consider hiring a rigger to check out things. If you did not replace the wires yourself, then maybe it's time. Might be cracks in the sweages or broken stands somewhere

Manual has detailed directions on setting tension.

[bill@ariel231]

The other scenario here is that the mast step has dropped. I had this sort of problem when the core under the mast step failed a couple years after my initial deck re-core. Since I had replaced the beam under the mast step, the drop in A-231 was a total of 3/8th inch. The failure presented itself as a dished area in the deck around the mast step.

If the shrouds are good and the chain plates have not moved (a possibility for all but the forestay). Then a plywood pad the same dimensions as the existing mast step can raise the mast 1/4 to 1/2 inch. I say this is a temporary solution if the failure mode is like mine (e.g. good beam under the mast and a squashed deck. if the beam is compressed stop! it's time to replace the beam). If you bed the plywood shim in '5200 it won't move till you grind it off.

As far as debugging this problem I'd start at the bottom and work up:

1. is the mast beam sound?
2. is there any sign of deck movement and headliner distortion on the interior below the mast step?
3. is the mast step the right thickness? The original should be 1" thick fwd/centerline tapering to 13/16" aft/centerline(the original mast step is/was plywood. are any layers missing)?
4. is deck dished in the area of the mast step?
5. are the chain plates in order? any sign of movement on the interior bulkheads or at the deck?
6. are all of the shrouds sound? any cracks in the swages?

If none of these issues have occurred, then I'm with moderator Bill. It may be time for some professional consultation ...