Bent Mast

[Kevin]

I have recently aquired a 1971 Venture 22 with a bent mast for a song. The bend is about 20 degrees and is just above the slot opening. I wasn't interested in spending a lot of money before I got her in the water. Any suggestions for straightening the mast without having to replace it? And will this have a great effect on the strength or performance over time?

 

[Mike]

Take a deep breath and relax.A twenty degree bend in your mast is a definite Oh S**T. If you try to straighten a bend of this magnatude you will end up with a VERY weakened structure. The only saving grace is where it is. At this location you MIGHT get away with straightening it. Higher up or closer to the foot of the mast and I wouldn't try. Place the mast on two saw horses, each 1/4 the length of the mast from each end. With the high side of the bend up streach a line between the head and the foot of the mast. Don,t secure it with hooks at the end or on cleats or masthead fittings, but by wrapping the line around the mast. Use 3M Spray adhesive to give the mast a tacky surface to prevent the line fron slipping. Over the high spot of the bend place a wooden block about 1 foot long, with a three foot long cross member standing straight up, It should look like an old fashioned T square. At the other end of the three foot section attach a small compound block and tackle (about 6 to 8 dollars at harbor frieght). Hook the free end of the block and tackle to the line streached along the mast and place the 1 foot wooden block on the high side of the bend.By hauling in on the block and tackle you will streach the line that runs from the head to the foot of the mast. This is kind of like pulling on a bow string, The more you pull the more the bow bends. Unlike a bow the mast will not spring back to its' original positon. Straighten it out a little at a time and check for straightness with a masons line or a chaulk line. Check with one side of the mast up and then the other. Take it slow and do not over bend as you will have to bend it back and this will weaken it further.Remenber that your mast will be weaker than normal and this is always risky. If the mast buckles, DO NOT USE IT. Compared to the cost of a boat, a mast is relativly cheap.If the mast is beyond repair you might check with Perko, they sell replacement masts. If the cost of that is too much for your budget you might laminate a wooden mast for your bost. A properly built wooden mast is strong and light and varnished wood always makes a boat look better.Best of luck,Mike

 

[Dave]

Forget it

I think your asking for trouble due to a major lack of structural integrety. buy a new one. beeats being killed by falling rigging

 

[Art Tirrell]

too late 2 cents?

If the bend is just above the gooseneck - and I think that's what you're saying - here's an idea that once worked for me.I once put a nice crease in a Lightning mast by trying to step it alone. Being poor, I found a piece of the same section about a foot long and cut off the sail track (and back wall) with a hack saw. This left me with a shape the same as the mast - only open on one end (so it would compress and slide up inside the existing extrusion).I didn't have anything to drive it up in there with so I headed for the local scrap yard with my slug and eventually came up with a four foot long piece of steel tubing close to the same inside diameter as my mast. I first used a system very much like one of the other guys described here and it worked to pull out most of the crease. Then I drove the slug up inside the spar using the tubing and a sledge hammer. It was a tight fit and I really had to bang it to get it up there but it worked like a charm, pushed out the crease from the inside and acted as a permanent reinforcement. I know for a fact that mast is still in use and this took place a good 15 years ago.