Help

[Bill1565]

Phil, MS, somebody help!! I tried to resurect a 2003 thread about pulling masts that MaryD found. I could subscribe, but not add a posting. There was some good stuff from Ed Schenk, a guy named Tom and others that I wanted to keep. I am going to pull my mast, and it looks farily well corroded to the base, looking for all the help I can get.

I could always start a new thread, if opening up the 2003 thread is difficult.

 

[Ed Schenck]

That would be Tom Hadoulias and I miss him on here. He did so much good work and documented it so well. But he had to sell her and I never knew to whom or to where.

Are you referring to this thread about the mast step? http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=221455&highlight=mast .

 

[Phil Herring]

I opened the thread but you'll need to post a reply to pull it back into the present.

 

[Bill1565]

Thanks. Hope it wasn't too much work for you.

 

[Bill1565]

Well, I hope I'm ready. Looks as though somebody welded mast to step. Ground it down pretty well, also mast is rotted away over the filet, and on both sides. If it hangs up,it looks to me like the mast will rip.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Now there's a familiar picture! So your plan is to lift the mast off without taking the step up with it? I thought you were going to loosen the keel bolts first. Of course then it won't go out through the hole in the roof. Were you able to get the bolt out that goes through the mast and the step?. Looks like it is still there in the picture. Once I got my mast out the first time the step was not bad at all. But then the boat had always been in fresh water.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

I cannot believe someone could have welded that in place. Some POs really take the cake.

Are you sure it is not just corroded together? If there is any dissimilarity between the spar and the step it could happen, more readily if there is stray electrical current in the bilge (like a dockside system grounded to a hull plate or keel bolts in the presence of long-standing bilge water). This illustrates why the spar and step should always be of the same grade of aluminum, or very close.

And here I thought taking MY mast down was a total schmozzle (aluminum had welded itself to the SS bracket so well that the tip of the spar bent before releasing it).

Do let us know how you conclude this, Bill.