Hunter 36 mast strut damaged - anyone had this issue?

[AndyL]

Our 2004 Hunter 36 (with conventional mainsail) has somehow suffered damage to the starboard mast strut. It has a noticeable bend in the strut making it very loose in the fittings. I also noticed that the port side strut is now completely "solid" in that I can't rotate or move it in any way.

I can't be sure but I thought that both struts originally allowed a small amount of back and forth rotation, in the sense that they weren't under significant load when we were just sitting at the dock. The installation instructions in the manual would appear to back that up because they say to adjust the threaded rode until the upper pin can easily be inserted. At the moment I can't see how the upper pin could be removed from the port strut without significant hammering, if at all.

Has anyone had any experience with anything like this? I'm trying to understand how it could have happened and what it means, plus what we do now. There has been a suggestion that the starboard strut could be straightened and suffer no loss of strength. But I'm worried about the level of impact that would have been needed for this to happen and why the opposite strut is now under such load.

I'm a bit freaked out because it wasn't like this at the end of last season So my theory is that is happened when we were hauled and put on the hard, but it's not easy to see how. I suppose having the mast pulled and everything inspected by a rigger is the final option, but the rigger would be working for the same people who hauled the boat so not sure if that's a concern. Plus, it's a big expense and no sailing for a while, so I don't want to do something that's not needed.

Input welcome.

 

[AndyL]

FYI... my visual inspection doesn't show any other obvious damage and the rigging tension appears equal on both sides based on my highly accurate pulling back and forth on the wires I also called the Hunter Owners Store and these can be custom made if that's required. I'm still hoping the bent one can be straightened.

Still have no idea how this happened. We're going to talk to the yard but I can guess how that will go.

 

[smokey73]

Pictures?

 

[shemandr]

I bent the bolt of one of mine by attaching my whisker pole to it. It was easily repaired with a new bolt. But I was surprised at low little force it took to bend it which is the point of this post.
If it were my boat I would look towards a new strut. Unbending SS seems dicey to me but I'm not a metals expert. I would sure like to know what bent it before replacing it. The fact that the other side is too tight suggests rigging tension. As I remember mine had some play.
If I can speculate I'd remind us that boats deform when put on the hard.

 

[AndyL]

Pictures?

Not sure that would help or even show the problem, but I'll try later. The image below is not our boat but it shows the two metal supports that make a triangle with the mast - one of ours is now got a curve to it.

 

[smokey73]

Is the strut bent inward (toward the mast), outward (toward the stays) or fore/aft? Might help us provide perspective?

 

[chuckwayne]

FYI... my visual inspection doesn't show any other obvious damage and the rigging tension appears equal on both sides based on my highly accurate pulling back and forth on the wires I also called the Hunter Owners Store and these can be custom made if that's required. I'm still hoping the bent one can be straightened.

Still have no idea how this happened. We're going to talk to the yard but I can guess how that will go.

I've never seen anything like what you're describing and I've been on a lot of 356/36s. As you said, the struts should be lightly loaded at the dock,and you should be able to turn them a little. Is your mast straight and vertical? I don't think you could do that by overtensioning the rig - the lever arm is so short on the struts I would expect the mast to bend first. Are there any marks on the strut, like an impact? That's a thick wall stainless tube, it would be tricky to straighten it and maintain its strength.
When you can, pictures would help.

 

[Windpilot]

Something happened, but not from sailing. I have a 410 with those struts, I lost a strut mid Pacific, Hawaii to CA, top mounting bolt broke ( alway replace with new I learned). I saw the motion/pumping the mast does in a seaway, 20k wind.
The strut is not meant for compression, the top ball joint bolt will bend (my experience).
Since the mast/rig is tuned before the struts are put on the struts are fitted when the ball joint lines up with the bolt. There is no loose or tight option, any back and forth motion should only the the ball joints limited movement.
The bent strut is pulling the mast over enough to tension the other side it seems is all. Did something/someBody fall on the strut, was the mast hit hard (I don't think), who knows???
Take the struts off, pay a good rigger to really check mast position and adjust rigging if needed.
Unless you plan on really taking off and crossing big oceans I think a good repair would be just fine, it won't compress if the othe side is holding it.....
Double check the bolts/balljoints, buy new mounting bolts at least, don't lose the little spacers if you have them, I made new ones and got new ball joints, but I'm far from home in Mexico as I write.
If you sail closer to home or coastal it's always easier to fix things and get help.
Just saying, I think you'll be ok but I'd very interested in knowing how it bent in the 1st place.

 

[AndyL]

A quick update. First, I've decided not to DIY this and have asked the yard to get involved - I'd rather have experienced people look at the rig. They have no idea how it could have happened and neither do I. It's hard to imagine how something could hit this because the standing rigging would appear to be in the way and there are no marks on the tube that would show an impact (the bend is down, towards the deck).

The current plan is to take the strut to their metal shop and have them make an assessment. We'll see where it goes from there.

 

[wpatch]

Mine had a slight bow in it. We bent it back in place just on mast. Wasn't that severe. Both of ours move freely and our rig has been recently inspected. A retune shouldn't be that crazy. Random question was your 04 at Annapolis Sail School before you got her?

 

[AndyL]

Random question was your 04 at Annapolis Sail School before you got her?

We bought it from an owner in VA. Don’t know who owned it before that.

 

[AndyL]

So we appear to have a credible answer as to why this bent. When the strut was removed and inspected by the metal shop, it was full of water. Not only had it bent but the shop confirmed that the tube was bulging slightly in the center. In their opinion, the trapped water froze over the winter and caused the damage. As a result, we've agreed to have them fabricate a new strut.

Our boat is hauled and shrink wrapped over the winter but we did have some unusually cold weather this year, so it's possible that water was present in previous years but didn't freeze. Don't know. Most likely we'll be checking the other strut and perhaps trying to put some sealant on the threaded rod. Just heard this news so haven't formulated a plan yet.

 

[chuckwayne]

So we appear to have a credible answer as to why this bent. When the strut was removed and inspected by the metal shop, it was full of water. Not only had it bent but the shop confirmed that the tube was bulging slightly in the center. In their opinion, the trapped water froze over the winter and caused the damage. As a result, we've agreed to have them fabricate a new strut.

Our boat is hauled and shrink wrapped over the winter but we did have some unusually cold weather this year, so it's possible that water was present in previous years but didn't freeze. Don't know. Most likely we'll be checking the other strut and perhaps trying to put some sealant on the threaded rod. Just heard this news so haven't formulated a plan yet.

Please let us know your plan. Escape is stored mast down, shrink wrapped, but it does get cold up here - I'll keep an eye on her struts.....

 

[shemandr]

@AndyL for the update. That update is helpful to all sailors who have struts. I never imagined that water could accumulate in the strut.
I wonder if a drain hole in the bottom of the strut would work? I don't remember the configuration of the bottom.

 

[chuckwayne]

@AndyL for the update. That update is helpful to all sailors who have struts. I never imagined that water could accumulate in the strut.
I wonder if a drain hole in the bottom of the strut would work? I don't remember the configuration of the bottom.

the bottom is welded SS plate with a threaded boss for a second ball joint. a hole might allow water or damp air in, and because the strut's at an angle a puddle might collect against the inside of the weld. a caulk seal at the ball joint threads might work better, you usually don't have to adjust them.