Help Determining 1997 Hunter 26 Mast Type

[Wind Dreamer]

Hey Hunter Owners,

Had a bit of a catastrophe this season, a pin failed and the mast came down while out on the water.
Got pretty lucky, no one was hurt, and the damage to the boat was pretty minimal.
The boat is stored for the winter, and I'm now beginning the process of ordering all the replacement parts for the mast so I can install them in the spring.

I've been able to find pretty much all the parts I need on the HunterOwners web store
HOWEVER, I have been unable to locate a direct replacement for the Spreader Bracket that got bent in the fall.
I don't believe the mast brand sticker is still on, so I'm hoping someone can help me ID the mast from some pictures so I can order the replacement parts. Does this picture ring a bell for anyone with a Hunter 26?
If not - what else can I take pictures of next time I'm at the boat that would help with the ID?

Thanks!!!

 

[Phil Herring]

That's a bummer @Wind Dreamer, but I'm glad no one was hurt. If you'll post a photo of the gooseneck or mast foot we can ID it from that. I suspect it's a Z-Spar rig and if so, the bracket you need isn't made anymore. It was replaced with a wrap-around bracket that uses airfoil shaped spreaders.

 

[Wind Dreamer]

Thanks for the quick reply Phil!
Here are the only two pics I have of the mast foot right now, maybe this helps:

If it does end up being a Z-spar mast, which now uses the wraparound style spreader bracket - does anyone know if it is possible to slide the bracket down the mast and into place without taking everything off between the top of the mast and the mounting point?

Thanks again!

 

[rgranger]

I’ve done that.
Got all the parts I needed right here

 

[Phil Herring]

It is a Z-Spar rig and it will need the wrap-around bracket, which looks like it will need to slide onto the mast.

Hunter 26 spreader bracket, wraparound

Hunter 26 spreader bracket, wraparound

shop.hunterowners.com

 

[Wind Dreamer]

Phil & Rgranger - thanks for the help!!!

On a side note - has anyone ever removed old spreader brackets and bent them back into the correct position?
And if you did that, is it even possible to get the old (not airfoil) style spreaders anywhere these days?

Just curious, weighing my options

 

[rgranger]

I had the foil type... and the bracket was flexible enought to open and slide over the mast. A gentle wrap with a rubber mallot popped it into place. Then a few rivets to keep it from sliding.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

For what it is worth, z Spar re-invented itself as US Spars located near Gainesville, Florida but order the parts thru this website

 

[Wind Dreamer]

Alright y'all,
Finally circling back on this project.

From what I've been told, if the mast base has the 1101 stamped part number, its indicative of the "Z-Spar diffusion" mast, which should work with the wraparound spreader sold on the Hunter Owner shop site. Let me know if anyone thinks this is wrong, but my mast base does have 1101 on it, so I'll move forward with part# 800611 unless anyone objects.

Before I jump into fixing the mast, I was wondering if anyone could give me a little insight into how the mast foot and the new wraparound spreader bracket are typically attached to the mast. Specifically, how many rivets are typically used for each part, what size rivets to use for each part, any anything else to be aware of / careful about when replacing these parts. I assume the rivets are 1/4in dia stainless rivets, but I'm unsure what the final material thickness will be when each part is in place. Also unsure what "style" of blind rivet people typically use - can I use basic 18-8 Stainless Steel Domed Head Blind Rivets? Or do I need something more specific/stronger?

I was planning on ordering the rivets from McMaster, they've got a million options:
McMaster-Carr

I'd love to see a few pics if you have them!
Thanks for the help!