I recently was putting my mast down for my 23 columbia. It was windy and I lost control of the stay and mast and the mast went down while attached at center. As it crashed down it bent over the bumpers I had on the top deck that I use to keep the mast off the deck when I trailer it. So about 4 feet from bottom there is a about a 15 degree bend in mast. I am getting different advice from people. Its garbage, it's fixable, it may not be strong enough of straightened, but a motor boat and so on. I need advice on straightening it and if I do, is it safe to keep sailing?
Help with bent mast
- Thread starter chrisd1071
- Start date
Straighten it carefully, slowly and fill the interior with expandable foam.
use a form to keep it laterally straight.
- Will (Dragonfly)
use a form to keep it laterally straight.
- Will (Dragonfly)
My advice would be to cut it at the bend, straighten the ends, slide a sleeve inside it and rivet the two pieces back together. That way you have a straight mast without a weak spot and it will be strong as ever.
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This is a good option. The foam, while a lot of masts on small boats, mine included, is intended to prevent water ingress during a capsize, still adds weight. If you choose capta's method, I would like to suggest straightening the mast before cutting it. I think it will be easier to straighten as one piece. Then reinforce with a sleeve, as capta suggests.
- Will (Dragonfly)
Is it a bend, or does it have a kink? A bend you can straighten, a kink is a bit of a problem. straightening a kink will always be a weak spot Will has a nice idea about foam, and definitely try to straighten as he suggested, but I think the sleeve is the way to go, providing you can find one. you may have to fabricate a custom one.
I helped a friend straighten his bent C22 mast. Not quite as bad as yours, but close. We used two large tree trunks about 15' apart to brace the mast against, and a come-along to pull on it. It was astonishing how much we had to flex it to get the bend out. And a little scary.
We weren't able (or brave enough) to get it entirely straight, but close, it was a huge improvement. The remaining bend had no effect on how she sailed.
I would agree that a kink is another kettle of fish entirely, and probably cannot/should not be straightened in this manner.
We weren't able (or brave enough) to get it entirely straight, but close, it was a huge improvement. The remaining bend had no effect on how she sailed.
I would agree that a kink is another kettle of fish entirely, and probably cannot/should not be straightened in this manner.
Are folks recommending that you fully or partially fill your mast with foam? So much for internal halyards. Partially makes no sense at all because what happens to water that enters the mast from above and sits on top of the foam?
This is the best way. I did this on a Hobie 16 mast that was bent worse that yours, I couldn't find a sleeve to fit so I bent up a piece of aluminum to fit the front radius of the mast and the sides, then riveted it together. Also you can straighten the bend easier from the inside.
That is a good point. If internal halyards or in-mast wiring is desired, a PVC conduit can be added before the foam. Filling the whole mast may require a very long spray nozzle, but the ends can be capped with foam. A half inch length of rebar should punch a drain hole right up through the foam, also.
As for a kink. There's another thread on here about pushing a dent out from the inside that might be helpful.
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/mast-reinforcement-question.191229/#post-1469908
How about some closeup pics?
- Will (Dragonfly)
I would say more of a bend. This picture is a close up. I am thinking if I straighten it slowly the closed travel way for main will open back up. I think I will straighten with help of my boss who used to work in body shop, try foam in affected area and then rivet in a support column around it, I may be back on the water. Hopefully
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I think you can succeed.
The track will be the issue to be careful of.
take it slowly (days).
- Will (Dragonfly)
The track will be the issue to be careful of.
take it slowly (days).
- Will (Dragonfly)
That’s your best chance. The majority of the rest of the advice here is pure crap.
If you cut it at the bend before you straighten it how will you line it up straight? you sure as hell will not straighten any bends at that point! If you are going to cut the mast please straighten as much as possible before you cut.
One way to BEND a pipe safely is to fill the BEND area with something like sand. Plug with a rag past the area (tied to a pull out string) then plug again after filling the area, might make it so it won't kink the sides while straightening it.
When filling a tube to prevent collapse during bending, I have always used Lipowitz's alloy, which is also known as Wood's metal or Cerrobend. I have never tried sand nor foam. Lipowitz's alloy is easy to get back out when you are done. It melts in hot water.
I have straightened tubes that were bent much worse than that, with good results. I typically straighten tubes to within .010" total indicated runout or better after over-correcting the bend by around 10% to relieve internal stresses.
I have straightened tubes that were bent much worse than that, with good results. I typically straighten tubes to within .010" total indicated runout or better after over-correcting the bend by around 10% to relieve internal stresses.
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I had a kink in my T26 mast. Straightened it to the point where it became straight without tension. Then riveted a sleeve on the forward outside of the mast. Stainless rivets with grease to prevent electrolysis. This was early 90’s both boat & mast are still around.
If that was mine, I'd try to unbend it. Maybe with a setup like this: http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?192561-straightening-an-aluminum-mast