Hey, All! My mast slot has a small ding about half way up. An mainsail with bolt rope would still go thru it. But I just installed plastic slugs on my main and would really want to straighten the sail slot. What is the best way of doing it? I guess, Ideally, I should make the exact profile of the slot out of some hard plastic and just hammer through the slot all the way from top to bottom...??? THANKS doktorpalka@mail.ru
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Steve Paul
Find a repair company
Alex, you're going to get a lot of answers here from knowledgeable guys. I don't know the hardness of the mast you have but would guess you don't want to work harden this stuff at all. Suggest calling Charleston Spar and talking to someone there before you pound aluminum. Your idea sounds good though. there are mast repair companies on the net. I'd call one of them if you can find them. I looked at some of them when my mast was damaged but went for a new mast. Didn't keep the names, sorry. Steve
Alex, you're going to get a lot of answers here from knowledgeable guys. I don't know the hardness of the mast you have but would guess you don't want to work harden this stuff at all. Suggest calling Charleston Spar and talking to someone there before you pound aluminum. Your idea sounds good though. there are mast repair companies on the net. I'd call one of them if you can find them. I looked at some of them when my mast was damaged but went for a new mast. Didn't keep the names, sorry. Steve
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Richard O'Brien
Yes exactly
Yes exactly! Cut a piece of wood, or just buy some 1/8" flat stock. Check it for thickness, and if necc. table saw it to fit, then slide it up and down. The aluminum is very soft, wiggle and work it till your sail slides slide. Use some silicon. Be careful of using screwdrivers or anything too sharp. I've done that and you can scar it up a bit along the edge.
Yes exactly! Cut a piece of wood, or just buy some 1/8" flat stock. Check it for thickness, and if necc. table saw it to fit, then slide it up and down. The aluminum is very soft, wiggle and work it till your sail slides slide. Use some silicon. Be careful of using screwdrivers or anything too sharp. I've done that and you can scar it up a bit along the edge.
clean up mast slot
I'm thinking if it's that minor: Glue some very fine Emory cloth to one side of a wooden dowel of the appropriate size, Carve down a portion behind the Emory for three or four inches to form a sort of neck so with a slight bend you have the Emory inside of the slot on the top and the smooth wood on the bottom of the slot, and a handle outside for you to push it back and forth, giving an upward friction inside the slot. And remove the internal hump in the area of the bind.
I'm thinking if it's that minor: Glue some very fine Emory cloth to one side of a wooden dowel of the appropriate size, Carve down a portion behind the Emory for three or four inches to form a sort of neck so with a slight bend you have the Emory inside of the slot on the top and the smooth wood on the bottom of the slot, and a handle outside for you to push it back and forth, giving an upward friction inside the slot. And remove the internal hump in the area of the bind.
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sailorsue
been there......
done that..... did not properly secure the mast when trailoring and it bounced off the support post. I have plastic slugs and while they would go through the bent area, it took alot of effort. We used "duck beacked" pliers over a cloth. They are shaped the way that sounds, wide. This was enough to correct our problem. Good Luck. How did yours happen?
done that..... did not properly secure the mast when trailoring and it bounced off the support post. I have plastic slugs and while they would go through the bent area, it took alot of effort. We used "duck beacked" pliers over a cloth. They are shaped the way that sounds, wide. This was enough to correct our problem. Good Luck. How did yours happen?
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Alex
thank you all
Hey, All...thanks for your advice... I just might post a before/during/after pic when I'm done. THANKS!
Hey, All...thanks for your advice... I just might post a before/during/after pic when I'm done. THANKS!
tire spoon
I've used something similar to a tire iron,but the end is flated out more like a spoon.I just stick it in the mast slot and if one area is to tight,I just push it from side to side and it opens the slot more.I've run it from the bottom to the top and my sail goes all the way up ad drops with out any binding.A large screwdriver would do the samething because all your doing is prying the slot open again.Good luck. JIM
I've used something similar to a tire iron,but the end is flated out more like a spoon.I just stick it in the mast slot and if one area is to tight,I just push it from side to side and it opens the slot more.I've run it from the bottom to the top and my sail goes all the way up ad drops with out any binding.A large screwdriver would do the samething because all your doing is prying the slot open again.Good luck. JIM
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Alex
FIXED IT
Hey ALL! Finally got my hands on my mast. Was so excited to fix it that forgot to take a"before" picture. It was not that bad...the opening was reduced to about 1/8 if an inch and the dent itself was about 3 inches long...but is surely would make my main snag... Anyway, I found this piece of plastic and cut it with a jig saw to fit the sail slot almost perfect. The part that you see sticking out of the slot i had to carve a bit more with a dremmel tool to fit the slot. Removed the goose neck bolt and ammered the plastic piece all the way to the damaged part . Actually, the plastic fix glided inside the slot quiet freely until i got to the dent. Then I had to use the hammer to push it thru. The problem was that it was not enough. It opened the slot a little. I had to hammer the piece from the side a few times (PIC.2) Thanks for all of your interest and input! Alex
Hey ALL! Finally got my hands on my mast. Was so excited to fix it that forgot to take a"before" picture. It was not that bad...the opening was reduced to about 1/8 if an inch and the dent itself was about 3 inches long...but is surely would make my main snag... Anyway, I found this piece of plastic and cut it with a jig saw to fit the sail slot almost perfect. The part that you see sticking out of the slot i had to carve a bit more with a dremmel tool to fit the slot. Removed the goose neck bolt and ammered the plastic piece all the way to the damaged part . Actually, the plastic fix glided inside the slot quiet freely until i got to the dent. Then I had to use the hammer to push it thru. The problem was that it was not enough. It opened the slot a little. I had to hammer the piece from the side a few times (PIC.2) Thanks for all of your interest and input! Alex
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Alex
PIC.2 (mast slot fix)
Here is pic.2....it was easy,bit every little fix or improvement makes me love my MAC-22 even more. Lake Michigan is such a great place to sail :O) Happy sailing to ALL! Alex
Here is pic.2....it was easy,bit every little fix or improvement makes me love my MAC-22 even more. Lake Michigan is such a great place to sail :O) Happy sailing to ALL! Alex
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