410 mast strut

[Don Lucas]

Anyone else even break a mast strut? Inspecting my rig this morning I found one of my had a 6" split along the tube seam. I had always kind of felt the struts were not really needed, but guess that isn't true as they must take a pretty good stress.

Guess it shouldn't too hard of expensive to have the tube on the assembly replaced, far as repairs go.

Anyone ever take theirs off/on and have any hints as I bet it will not be a perfect fit when trying to install.

 

[Ed Caldwell]

Don, Selden says do NOT sail without the struts installed. One of ours acquired a bend out of column (about 2 inches over its length) and I took it to a machine shop with tube bending equipment and they were able to straighten it, a similar operation should be able to replicate a replacement.

You should be able to adjust the length at one end. I wonder if water got in yours and froze? Was the split at the lower end?

 

[Don Lucas]

Split was at the lower end. Freezing might be a good theory, but now I'm concerned about the one. But I would think if water had gotten and froze the whole tube would needed to be filled.

 

[Don Lucas]

The more I think of it and the location of the where the seam was, the more I'm considering the freeze theory. I would think this to not be all that rare if that was the cause and if so we should get the word out.

 

[Rick D]

The more I think of it and the location of the where the seam was, the more I'm considering the freeze theory. I would think this to not be all that rare if that was the cause and if so we should get the word out.

Could you drill a small weep hole on the bottom?

 

[Don Lucas]

Could you drill a small weep hole on the bottom?

I think I will when it is out as I don't see a downside of doing it.

 

[Don Lucas]

well it appears it can just be rolled out and rewelded, I notice in the owners manual that there are suppose to be jam nuts on the upper screw, which there isn't on my boat but those would have kept water out (now to find some)

 

[Tantor]

I had exactly same - water froze in. I rolled tube back and tig welded. Drill weep hole on the bottom! Top threaded rod is wrong from manufacturer it should be left and right thread for easy tension adjustment (I changed that). Strut should by always under tension will not hold compression.
John

 

[Don Lucas]

I had exactly same - water froze in. I rolled tube back and tig welded. Drill weep hole on the bottom! Top threaded rod is wrong from manufacturer it should be left and right thread for easy tension adjustment (I changed that). Strut should by always under tension will not hold compression.
John

where did you read that it should be under tension?

 

[Tantor]

Don,
It is thin wall tube and that constitutes for no compression load. Never less my manual says strut should be loose (page 52 H410 B&R RIG), but I prefer a little tension load on the strut and is not rattling when you go on deck and touch it.
John

 

[Don Lucas]

Don,
It is thin wall tube and that constitutes for no compression load. Never less my manual says strut should be loose (page 52 H410 B&R RIG), but I prefer a little tension load on the strut and is not rattling when you go on deck and touch it.
John

It may be thin walled, but it is pretty large diameter for what it is. My manual also says it will be loose so I just wanted to know if you had found something somewhere saying it should be in tension. From a static point of view I don't think it really matters as the force should be the same as long as both sides are even.

 

[Don Lucas]

well it was a $20 repair, can not complain about that