How do I fix the bend in my mast?

JRacer · Jun 6, 2012

I don't think its permanently "bent". I think it is more likely incorrectly tuned.

Go here http://www.shoresails.com/onedesign/j24guide.htm
and read the section about rig tuning. While not specific to your boat, the principles apply. The idea is first to get the mast centered in the boat then to draw down shroud tension in such a way as to induce the proper amount of "prebend" based on the specs from your sail maker then tune for wind conditions, tighter for heavier air to keep the rig from "falling" off to leeward and to flatten the sail plan to depower things.

It is pretty easy to "pull it out of column" with incorrect shroud tension. And most of the time when you get to that point its generally quicker and easier to loosen everything up and start over.

You could also talk to a local sail maker (the sail maker you bought your sails from is the best place to start) and see if they have a tuning guide specific to your boat or look for a McGregor Group and see if they have a tuning guide.

Good luck.

Ross · Jun 6, 2012

slacken the upper port and tighten the upper starboard. Read what you wrote and think about it.

NYSail · Jun 7, 2012

As Ross said, Tune the mast....

tommays · Jun 7, 2012

I would get everything back to SLACK and see if the mast is in column as you would have had to make something crazy tight to achieve that shape

Ross · Jun 7, 2012

He has a lateral bend just as you would get a fore/aft bend on a fractional rig. I bet that the lower portion of the mast is also bowed to the starboard.

MrBee · Jun 7, 2012

Well Gee,
Upper Port Tight, Lower port loose....
Upper Starboard Loose, Lower Starboard Tight....
What to do What to do. Definitely do not try to bend with a come-a-long .
It IS possible the mast is messed up but Have you thought of starting from the begging and adjusting the rigging

justsomeguy · Jun 7, 2012

As we've been over this before, you may need to do some shroud and stay adjustments. It's got a heck of a lot of pre-bend already, though.

http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=140281

Sumner · Jun 7, 2012

tommays said:
I would get everything back to SLACK and see if the mast is in column as you would have had to make something crazy tight to achieve that shape

I agree and would do this first, but if I'm seeing the photos right it is bent to starboard and that is where the slack lines are. If that is true then the mast is bent and not bent due to the shrouds.

Your boat and mine are a fractional rig and the bottom shrouds will straighten the mast, but....

.... I don't think they will in the area that appears to be bent. They should pull the mast fore/aft and side to side at the spreaders in a much longer more gentle bend between the deck and where the forestay/top shrouds attach. The bend I'm seeing seems to be pretty localized. The top shrouds are the main ones that oppose the forestay and are the main ones that will tension the forestay and will set the rake of the mast fore/aft. Just use the mast raising equipment or whatever you do to pin the forestay and unpin it and the situation will be apparent in a couple minutes of work.

If you try and bend it I wouldn't use the trees as that would 'spot' load it in one place. I might try something like a rounded curb in a parking lot. Lay the mast on the pavement and use a tire on one vehicle to locate one end of the mast and then try and bend it using the curve in the curb. If you don't have enough leverage you might need a second vehicle positioned where you could use a block and tackle attached to it and the mast.

The above might not be practical at all, just a thought. Take it slow as I'm sure you will have to over-bend with tension and then let it spring back and you wouldn't want to go too far in the other direction.

Good luck and I'd do something as sailing with the loose shrouds on one side could maybe lead to other problems,

Sum

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Sail123 · Jun 7, 2012

That mast is toast. It is now weaker at that point. Bending it straight in that one spot will weaken it even more. A machine shop can straighten it so it looks good again, but it will only bend again. It could fail next time resulting in injury or death when that smacks someone in the head.

If you are going to continue to race, replace the mast with something stronger. Fixing this one and using it as a mast again is asking for trouble. Let's say you fix it yourself and someone gets killed a year later. That would be a kettle of worms to swim through. Sell it for scrap and get a new one.

anchorclanker · Jun 7, 2012

I wouldn't do anything until I played with the stays. By your own words, one stay is tighter than the other. Loosen them all up enough to reduce tension to see what it looks like. If its truly bent and you want to straighten it, take it down and do it properly, not with a tree. Find the high point and work it from there. You could safely use a Gin pole and a come along to straighten it, if you use your noggin. An old aircraft mechanic taught me metal has memory. And it does. If something is bent slightly, but not so much there is visible damage, it can be bent back in a press to true. Its done on crankshafts all day long. If you work it right the mast will return to its original shape, but you have to over bend to reach straightness. Sail 123 is correct that the mast will be weaker at the area of the bend, but weaker by what percentage? Straightened properly the loss would likely be in the low single digits percentage wise, if not virtually imperceptible.

Joe Diver · Jun 7, 2012

I agree with the "loosen up" advice.

Loosen up every bit of standing rigging. Not so much the mast falls over, but plenty of play.

Now look at the mast. Is it straight? Don't worry about it leaning port/starboard or fore/aft...everything is loose....look to see if the mast itself is or is not straight.

If it is: Tune the rigging per plenty of linked methods, or search on your own how to tune rigging and do it.

If it is NOT: The mast is gone. Don't try to bend it and fix it. It will just bend again in the weak spot or worse; break.

Don12364 · Jun 7, 2012

Presumably it was not bent originally and now it is. Something has changed.
If you can identify what, then the solution might be obvious. A rigging failure might be imminent.
It certainly looks to me like it now has a permanent 'set'.
If you know of a mast maker in your vicinity I would ask their opinion and then take it to them. When masts are first built it is not uncommon for the extrusion not to be perfectly straight and makers do actually straighten them before sale - though normally not as much as your bend.

In my Olympic Star boat days my place on the UK's squad was secure because they used to stand me against a telephone pole or lamp post then with two guys on each end, they put the kink of the bend against against my stomach and PUSHED.
They completely disregarded my screams and the mast was straight again in no time.
We fixed larger bends than yours overnight in the middle of regattas so the boat was able to complete the series.
Sorry but I am too far away to assist!
Good luck.

Ross · Jun 7, 2012

I wouldn't hesitate to attempt straightening that mast.

Sam Salter · Jun 7, 2012

It's toast!
A new extrusion will cost you about $995.
Bit the bullet!
sam

(I work at a Macgregor dealer - the price is close)
(That's in $CDN - $US might be a little more - sorry couldn't resist!)

justsomeguy · Jun 7, 2012

Sam Salter said:
It's toast!
A new extrusion will cost you about $995.
Bit the bullet!
sam
(I work at a Macgregor dealer - the price is close)
(That's in $CDN - $US might be a little more - sorry couldn't resist!)

Ooooh, snap!

Sumner · Jun 7, 2012

finding41 said:
.... may as well drop the mast and try and adjust it again. This time I will tighten everything and the other loose shrouds and for stay. I'll have a guy to help so it won't be a big deal if we raise the mast 3 or 4 times. .

If it was ours I'd try and straighten it off the boat. The shrouds just aren't in the right place to take a bend out like that where it is located. I also agree with the other post that if you can get it straighter that you are not going to loose that much strength in the mast. Saying that I would work the bend out slow if possible and not go past where you would then be bending it back the other way again. I also wouldn't expect it to look 100% straight when done.

If you have the money spend it, but if not do the best you can and then see how you feel about it after trying. I'm not sure what a used Hobie mast would cost or availability, but I believe that others have used them on our boats with success. Check some other treads on that on the Mac board here.

One last thing. Have you checked the shrouds/forestay good, the thimble ends and such and made sure that they all look good after whatever bent the mast? They are not expensive to replace yourself...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/rigging-24.html

Good luck,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

BobM · Jun 7, 2012

If you straighten it...

...and it does weaken a bit...and some day far from now it breaks...have you really lost anything? How to fix it? That is a tough one. The following thread may interest you.

http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=123740

higgs · Jun 7, 2012

Is there a crease where the mast bends? If it were me, and there was no actual crease, I would buy a Loose tension guage and get everything equal and go from there. If you have an identifiable point where your mast is bent, then I would be concerned about its integrity.

How do I fix the bend in my mast?

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