Got my boat lifted and set on my trailer this week. 1987 Oday 272. I store it in my shed over the Winter. The marina lifts the boat and uses a truck-mounted crane to unstep my mast. I carefully explained that the mast had to be laid to the stern to a 45 degree angle to allow the pin in the base plate to slide rearward out of the base. The crane operator snugged the crane boom against the mast but with the head beyond the mast, and he had the yard hands pull the pins on the stays and shrouds. He did not adjust the boom upward or inward to snug the sling against the spreaders, so the mast immediately leaned 15 degrees to starboard, toward the boom head. I was yelling as they did this that they could not let the mast lean to port or starboard, or it would tear the pin out of the deck plate. I was wrong... not in a positive way. The lean on the mast tore the lobe, which holds the pin, off the mast base. Pretty substantial damage, but my base plate is still usable. As long as I do not step the mast myself, the pin, and the lobe on which it is mounted do not function during sail, and so do not hinder me.
I am disappointed. The crane operator said it was my fault because my sail was still on the furler foil, and that somehow inhibited the use of the boom. I do not understand. I do not agree. I held the foil/sail out of the way of the boom. He did not adjust the boom height or extension to snug the sling against the spreaders.
The photos show the lobe and pin on the mast base on the lower right. That entire lobe was shorn from the base.
Cognitively, I feel a reluctance to make a claim against them, asking them to reimburse me the cost of acquiring new parts to adapt to the base plate (a replacement part is out of the question... This is an '87 Oday 272... the base plate is out of production and on backorder for 5 years..), or at least asking them to not charge me for a lift / unstepping that caused damage. If I make a claim, I fear I will be blackballed. On the one hand, I cannot imagine they would be so unprofessional. On the other, they may refuse to step my mast, and I cannot step it myself now because they ripped the stepping pin off the mast base.
I know some of you have experienced similar problems, and I seek your guidance on how to proceed or whether to proceed at all with the yard.
On the one hand, the pin provides no structural support while the mast is stepped, so it does not stop me from sailing next season. On the other hand, I knew it would be a pain in the butt when we unstepped the mast, so I was super-careful to point out the requirements.
I have purchased a stainless steel, hinged base plate which I believe I could modify by cutting a slot for the base tang to fit between the base plate and the deck plate if I want to step it myself. It leaves the damaged base in place, and it leaves the current deck plate in place, per my design which can be changed, of course. It will add 1/2 inch to the spread, and I believe my stays and shrouds will accomodate that without changing them out. The base plate cost me a little less than the charge for unstepping my mast. You see what I am getting at here.
This is my first season with a marina lifting my boat and un/stepping my mast.
What say you?
Thanks,
Andrew
I am disappointed. The crane operator said it was my fault because my sail was still on the furler foil, and that somehow inhibited the use of the boom. I do not understand. I do not agree. I held the foil/sail out of the way of the boom. He did not adjust the boom height or extension to snug the sling against the spreaders.
The photos show the lobe and pin on the mast base on the lower right. That entire lobe was shorn from the base.
Cognitively, I feel a reluctance to make a claim against them, asking them to reimburse me the cost of acquiring new parts to adapt to the base plate (a replacement part is out of the question... This is an '87 Oday 272... the base plate is out of production and on backorder for 5 years..), or at least asking them to not charge me for a lift / unstepping that caused damage. If I make a claim, I fear I will be blackballed. On the one hand, I cannot imagine they would be so unprofessional. On the other, they may refuse to step my mast, and I cannot step it myself now because they ripped the stepping pin off the mast base.
I know some of you have experienced similar problems, and I seek your guidance on how to proceed or whether to proceed at all with the yard.
On the one hand, the pin provides no structural support while the mast is stepped, so it does not stop me from sailing next season. On the other hand, I knew it would be a pain in the butt when we unstepped the mast, so I was super-careful to point out the requirements.
I have purchased a stainless steel, hinged base plate which I believe I could modify by cutting a slot for the base tang to fit between the base plate and the deck plate if I want to step it myself. It leaves the damaged base in place, and it leaves the current deck plate in place, per my design which can be changed, of course. It will add 1/2 inch to the spread, and I believe my stays and shrouds will accomodate that without changing them out. The base plate cost me a little less than the charge for unstepping my mast. You see what I am getting at here.
This is my first season with a marina lifting my boat and un/stepping my mast.
What say you?
Thanks,
Andrew
