Corrosion on Lightning mast

[Seamus603]

Bought an "NTM"(New to me) Lightning late last year. Pulled it out of storage the other day, and was inspecting it prior to stepping the mast, and found the corrosion above the halyard exit plate- it's in the picture. The aluminum is eaten all the way through above the exit plate.Options? Thanks

 

[jssailem]

That looks a little strange.
One option would be to remove the exit box, by drilling out the rivets. Than have a talented welder with knowledge aluminum welding fill in the broken gap.

It could be that when the exit box was installed for the internal halyard that the opening was not prepared cleanly. It looks cosmetic not a structural flaw. You would want the mast to be smooth in the area of the halyard. You do not want the halyard to be chafing as you raise or lower the sail.

 

[Seamus603]

Thanks for the input, I'm asking around for a recommend on a good welding shop.
Jim

 

[dLj]

Where are you located?

dj

 

[Seamus603]

Manchester,New Hampshire

 

[Seamus603]

Manchester, NH

 

[LloydB]

It looks like the mast was drilled at an angle for the halyard before the plate was installed and then sometime in the past the mast was dropped exactly onto a hard edge above that thinner cavity on the face of the mast but not on the halyard entry plate. It may have been like that from the original manufacturer or maybe somebody hit it with a bottle of champagne when it was first launched.

 

[thinwater]

Take it off and have a look-see. The rivets will drill out with a 3/16" bit. As JS said, you want the area to be smooth.

I would not weld it. The mast is very thin and the result will almost certainly be weaker.
A reinforcing plate is a possibility, though probably not needed. Perhaps all you need to do is move the exit plate up, or better, find a longer exit plate.