Fruits Of My Labor (A-113)

[ebb]

My original masthead fitting looks like it was dumped into a bucket of acid. Worst corrosion there than in the cast fitting in the bottom of the mast.

I had Ballenger Spars fabricate a new one.
They started with a 3/4" thick piece of aluminum loosely cut to fit into the mast.
Then there is a 1/4" cover plate shaped to the exterior mast dimension SCREWED onto the insert with 4 #14 flathead screws.
They are well INSET on the plate so that fastenings thru the mast wall will less likely run into them.
If you had trouble getting the old fittings out you may have less options for new fastening placement.

Welded to that plate down the length are twin vertical 3/16" plates that almost exactly follow the tipped-hat style of the original:
the front being tipped lower than the aft. Like the original.
The twin plates have a space between them 9/16" wide. Outside to outside measure is 15/16". Just like the original.

The high end, about 3 3/4' H measured up from the cover plate has two holes drilled through, one for the backstay. The shorter (2 1/2") front end has one hole thru for the forestay.
There should be two. I'm trying to find a reason why the jib block cannot be hung off the masthead?
It is an excellent fabricated rendition of the original casting.

The two plates are welded together across their flat top with a narrow strip. My copy has the welded piece go all the way FORWARD to the rounded tip. So while the original casting has 'ears' on both ends of the plates, the Ballenger version has the plates welded together further out over the hole for the forestay. The radiused end tips have been lopped off and corner rounded. The reason being that
immediately above that we've added a single loop spinaker bail. Which is fastened with three 1/4" bolts thru 1/4" s.s. plate of the 5/16"D rod bail ....and thru the extended welded strip on top the fitting. Honking!
The holes for the stays are the original 3/8". I may be going larger.

It weighs in at 3.10lbs. With the old one actually slightly heavier. If I had immediate access to a laser cutter I'd unscrew the 3/4" insert and have it hollowed out like the original cast one. But as a straight side 7/8" wide donut .... that might take two or three ounces off the total.

Hope this gives you some ideas.


This description assumes you want to reproduce the original masthead fitting.
The dimensions of the various aluminum plate were well chosen by Ballenger to end up with a new fitting that is lighter than the original.
And perhaps stronger than the original if not only for the fact that it is built from plate and not cast.
www.onlinemetals.com can supply you with small pieces of 6061T6 plate. If I felt I had the time, it wouldn't be two big a deal to cut and shape the pieces.
Yours truly would then go to a pro with a TIG to have them welded. I might start with a mock up out of plywood and cardboard to be sure
of dimesions and create patterns for jig sawing and/or router. And to think about whether I wanted to slavishly copy the Pearson outdated original.
For an exposed cast aluminum fitting that worked hard for more than 45 years it's amazing how well it lasted!

The obvious option is to call Ballenger to see if he can make you a copy. His work is always delivered anodized. He would probably have the specs for what he did for A-338
No idea what it would cost! www.ballengerspars.com