C30 Masthead Casting Shortage?

[Ward H]

All right, who bought up all the C30 masthead castings at Catalina Direct?

I'm 10 days from launching our C30. While installing a new masthead light today I found a crack in the masthead casting. Its located where a failure will drop the aft stay.
Immediately called CD and was told they did have 4 on the shelf but they all sold in the past couple of weeks. They have more being cast but expect it to be 4 weeks before they are finished, anodized and ready to be shipped. That will push out my launch date to 5 weeks or so. Ouch.
I know, s**t happens. I'm just a bit excited and now impatient to get to use our "new to us" C30 for the first time.
So, I put one on order but hoping maybe it can be repaired for this season. Then I will change it out next spring.

I called a good machine shop who does a lot of work for the company I worked for pre retirement and I sent them the below photos.

They have a couple of ideas so I'll be pulling it tomorrow and seeing what they can do with it.

PS: Anyone happen to have a spare laying around?



Thanks

 

[LeslieTroyer]

Bumber, but at least you caught it before the rig went down. Good luck on a replacement or repair

Les

 

[Daveinet]

Looks like you could make up 2 steel plates to sandwich over the top of what you have. Where you now have pins, you could use longer bolts to go through the outer plates.

 

[The Shadow Knows]

Ward,

Give Len a call @ Catalina in Largo FL.
Give him year & make for your replacement.

I found a crack 6 years ago & got the right replacement from them
at an affordable price.

I'm not crazy about Catalina Direct........or their pricing!
Call: 727.544.6681

 

[jssailem]

Ward... Very smart inspection. You should have a good replacement and will be very happy that you shifted the splash date over time. The alternative is too scary to consider.
Anything we can do to help? i.e. help search for a part? part number?

 

[Ward H]

Update:

Shadow,
Good idea. I just tried calling Len @ Catalina but missed him. Will try again tomorrow.

Les & John,
While disappointed at first, yes, I'm very glad I caught it before the mast went up. I did have the standing rigging inspected by a rigger and he found a cracked swag fitting on the bob stay. So, I went ahead and had all the standing rigging replaced.
Apparently the crack was on the down side of the masthead and the rigger missed it.

Dave,
That's an option the machine shop suggested over the phone and is considering.

I pulled the masthead this morning. Came off surprisingly easy. Took it to the machine shop. We talked about several options. They did a quick test of the metal and think they can weld it. For additional support they plan to do what Dave suggested, plates on both sides held in place with bolts replacing the clevis pins.
And to top it off, a cover plate.

They have the tools to make a complete new one if needed but feel they can make this one safe.

Thanks Everyone

 

[jssailem]

@Ward H The clevis pins are there for their breaking strength where they hold items like your stays (which incidentally move and can wear against the pin) and the sheaves (which require the smooth surface of the pin to spin with the least friction). Replacing these pins would not be my first choice. If there are pins that serve only a function to hold the mast head together then a bolt would serve that purpose.

The clevis pin form also serves to facilitate removal when a couple of box wrenches are not available.
Ideas for thought.

 

[Ward H]

@jssailem
We discussed clevis pins vs bolts.
The feeling was that the side plates would need to be fastened to the masthead, not float on the clevis pins. Using bolts instead of pins would do this.
If used, they would need to be shoulder bolts with no threads on bearing surfaces. Also considered was that I have ball bearing sheaves to install so friction shouldn't be an issue.
If we go with clevis pins we need to find another way to fasten the side plates.
Good point on the pins for the stay attachments. Maybe pins for the stay connections and shoulder bolts at the other locations?

 

[Ward H]

The clevis pin form also serves to facilitate removal when a couple of box wrenches are not available.
Ideas for thought.

I do hate it when I find that someone has used a bolt to replace a clevis pin.

 

[Rick D]

Give a second thought to ball bearing sheaves; may not be the best for that application where there are continuous loads. Just do a bit of research on that before making that decision. Good luck! Sounds like a plan.

 

[jssailem]

I do hate it when I find that someone has used a bolt to replace a clevis pin.

 

[Ward H]

@The Shadow Knows

Your Da Man!
Called your buddy Len this morning. Should have a brand new masthead by end of day tomorrow.
They had a couple on the shelf in Florida.

On the side note, the machine shop reports they got a real good weld on the old masthead. Luckily now I don't have to rely on it.

Thanks

 

[jssailem]

Great for you @Ward H. So when I come to NJ the mast will stay up and the boat in the water?

 

[Ward H]

Well John, that’s the plan.

 

[Daveinet]

I do hate it when I find that someone has used a bolt to replace a clevis pin.

Don't the stays hold the mast up? I can't imagine a circumstance where one would be able to to ascend the mast which does not have all of its stays holding it upright. What am I missing?

 

[Ward H]

What am I missing?

The fact that I will never find that someone replaced a clevis pin with a bolt while I'm at the top of a mast since it's a good bet I will never ascend a mast?
I was referring to deck level finds.

 

[Ward H]

The new masthead arrived Friday as promised by CTY. I made up an aluminum cover plate for the top and drilled and tapped the masthead for it. I then drilled and tapped the cover plate for the wind transducer, anchor light and windex.
Went down on Monday and went to install it and it didn't fit. Broke out a belt sander, rubber mallet and a 2x4 and by the end of the day had it installed along with all new light wiring, coax, VHF antenna, anchor/tri color light, windex and halyards.
As I left the marina today after re bedding the chainplates the rigger arrived. They were going to work late to step the mast so I could be on schedule with my Friday launch date.

Getting a bit excited.

 

[jssailem]

I would be too Ward.
Hammer and sander. Thought you were going to say you needed another one. Happy you made it fit.
Fingers crossed that it floats on Friday. Have the bilge pump working just in case. Remember to close the thru hulls and any other thing that may leak unwanted water.
My stuffing box dripped when they splashed my boat. It was to be expected. It stopped after 2 hours. Bilge pump did what it was supposed to do.