Bent Stemhead Fitting

[stevebirch2002]

Hi Ken

After being the subject of the dismasting I am now paranoid. It is not a
nice experience having the mast coming down with a bang!! I have now
changed my bow fitting to a double bow roller with inbuilt chain plate and
all made from 6mm stainless 316 plate.

Kind Regards Steve Birch
At 20:40 13/06/02 -0000, you wrote:

 

[kenpreston46]

Thanks to everybody for the "rigging dimension" responses. The
remark about dismasting after a failure of the stemhead fitting hit a
red button here. I noted in my survey that the pulpit had
been "tweaked" about 1.5" to starboard at some point in her career
and at least some of the bend appeared to occur in the stemhead
fitting, not the upright portion of the pulpit. I couldn't see any
sign of cracking or distress anywhere but I resisted the temptation
just to wrestle the whole thing back into alignment (once bent, twice
fatigued or some such). So, before I head off on a leisurely 900
mile beat to weather, any suggestions?
Thanks, Ken Preston

 

[bbach1949]

Hello: A couple of years ago, I took my stemhead fitting to a
welder/machinist friend who welded another "fin" to the existing one. It's
hell for stout now. He did a great job - it's just thicker than the original
with more weld bead between the deck flange and the fin and the pulpit tube
and the fin. Bill Bach V1071