Mast Corrosion

rchrdcoe · Jun 25, 2012

A welder that can work in alum. should be able too plug the holes. You might have to unstep the mast, however. Richard

reefmagnet · Jun 25, 2012

Ouch. What caused it to corrode like that? Hopefully a proficient TIG
welder can fix it for you although I'd be double checking if annealing
around the weldments is likely to lead to problems.

SVFlyAway · Jun 26, 2012

I don't know where you live, but, if you have a really good rigging shop
near you, I'd ask a professional rigger. My Vega had serious corrosion
right at the hounds and I had Brion Toss inspect it. Since the mast was
down, I had his shop do a complete rig inspection. After looking it over
and discussing repairs, I decided to bite the bullet and get a new rig. Not
cheap by any means.

I had the new mast built in Canada, but think I'd go with a Selden if I had
to do it over again. While I was at it I had all new standing and running
rigging added. Probably not worth the expense as it was pricey, but it is
sure a nice looking stick.

vegatern · Jun 26, 2012

I had a similar problem, although not as extensive, on my boat. Cleats had been mounted on on the mast and the fastenings had corroded the aluminum mast. I took the mast to a professional rigging shop and they made patches that were installed over the damage. I guess the best description of the repair is they made what amounts to a splint. I had expected them to suggest installing a sleeve on the interior but it was explained that this was superior. I will get a picture of the repair and post it in a few days. It was a smaller repair than what you are facing however.
I had looked around the boatyards for other ideas and considered welding, or replacing with a mast from another production boat. Welding was discarded fairly quickly. I don't think I would be able to trust a weld in that it might look fine but I would never know what the heat had done to the surrounding metal. Maybe I just don't want to put that much trust in a stranger.
There are other boats with masts of similar dimensions and that would have been my next choice.

Craig Tern 1519

tim_klynn · Jun 27, 2012

Most likely there the mast has some kind of temper, from what I read, welding on tempered aluminum may remove the temper.
It seems like it would be a bad idea to lose the temper in a ring around the mast or in a substantial area of the mast.

When you see an aluminum section for sale, it is generally listed with something like 6063 T-6, where the 6063 describes the specific alloy of aluminum and the T-6 is the temper added to the aluminum section.
Hopefully your welder will know. I see masts that have been cut and welded to be tapered etc, but I don't know if they retemper the mast after welding, or if welding in just a few spots doesn't really affect the overall strength of the mast.

I bet someone on the forum knows alot more about this than I do. Tim
________________________________
From: hcohen3333 hcohen3333@...
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 2:48 PM
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Mast Corrosion

I bought he boat liek that. The mast was off for over 3 years and was not stored well... it was on the bare ground actually. The result you see in the picture is after i thoroughly cleaned it with a wire brush and water with soda bicarbonat.

I was thinking to ask a professional welder to weld on some sort of an attachment or a patch that would cover the entire infiected area.
Do you tink it would be a better solution than just filling the holes?

pjacobs55 · Jun 27, 2012

Chris,
I'm in your area and may (I hope not) need a new mast for the Ballad. Who in Canada did you use? Were you please with the work? Is there a local Seldon outlet in the PNW?

When my 44' mast was lowered it was dropped the last few feet onto the pushpit, landing on it's side about 8' from the top, slightly damaging the sail slot and putting a very slight bend in it. I'm hoping to pry it straight again and work open the sail slot, but if this doesn't pan out a new one is in order.

Peter
www.sintacha.com

SVFlyAway · Jun 27, 2012

Peter,

Ouch, that\'s not all that good on a mast or the pulpit. I would suggest you
contact Brion Toss in Port Townsend and see if he might be in your area
(since your mast is down). He travels around a lot and would be a good
person to look over your existing mast and make suggestions as to how to
fix it. I consider him one of the best yacht riggers in the world (but then
I\'ve known him for years). Here is his website:

Brion Toss Yacht Riggers - Synthetic Standing Rigging

The authority in Dyneema Dux & Synthetic Standing Rigging - Visit our Shop | Explore Services (Rigging, Survey, Consultation, Education) | Peruse Stories

www.briontoss.com

Many years ago I was the Operations Manager for Sound Rigging in Seattle
and we were the only Selden Dealer in the area. One of the coolest things I
got to do was to spend several days at the United States Selden facility.
Sound Rigging merged and then changed hands totally and no longer exists.
However, Selden now has several representatives in the Puget Sound region.
Here is a list of their US Dealers. I see that Brion Toss is now listed.

When I did my mast I had the boat in Port Townsend having work done on it
at the yard in Point Hudson. Toss\'s loft is right there (as is Carol
Hasse\'s sail shop). Btion had it built in Sydney, BC. I believe by
Yachttech or Mainstay (same company I believe). They have a complete
rigging facility available. My mast is great. I didn\'t have it painted, but
they clear coated it for me. I used the existing boom and they fit it all
on.

The other thing I did was to add a plastic track into the existing slot so
the slugs slide really easily (Strong Track is the name). Not cheap, but it
won\'t break the bank. If you use existing sails it will require new sail
slugs (they have a special slug). I was having a new sail built by Hasse
and she was able to order enough slugs for my old main as well as the new
one she was building.

Here are a couple websites that should give you contact information. Good
luck.

Seldén Mast AB

World leading manufacturer of sailboat rigging systems and deck hardware

www.seldenmast.com

<Seldén Mast AB>
US <Seldén Mast AB>

www.*yacht*tech.com/

Chris

tiempo2010 · Jun 27, 2012

Here's the link to Mainstay/Yachttech HugeDomains.com - YachtTech.com is for sale (Yacht Tech)
Serge is excellent as is his crew.

pjacobs55 · Jun 27, 2012

Thanks Chris and Brian,
Good links that I'll keep on file. I need to get an expert to look at it, but they'll have to come here as I can't tow a 44' mast around, unless I can borrow a spar trailer somewhere ... have to phone around.
I still think it's a viable repair, just don't want to make it worse by approaching it the wrong way!

Peter
www.sintacha.com

vegatern · Jun 28, 2012

I would agree with Tim in a previous post that injecting the mast with foam is a poor idea. The mast on the Tern had been subjected to that treatment and it was a bit of a project removing the foam. ( I cut teeth in the end of a length of 1 inch PVC pipe and with each insertion removed a 1 or 2 inch plug, for nearly the full length of the mast.) The expanding foam sold in aerosol cans at the hardware store will absorb rain water and hold it inside the mast. Not particularly desirable .
Craig

igdunlop · Jul 4, 2012

You could remove the corrosion completely and then fill with a rivet or a filler & doubler plate over the damaged areas.
Have a look in the haynes spar & rigging manual for a suitable repair - i think there´s some shown.
Although It´ll most probably be ok if the corrosion is all removed, the holes are de-burred, the areas are blended (polished) to a large radius and smooth finish then locally anodised /painted to prevent further corrosion.
It looks from the pic that the damage was caused from something external to the mast - possibly a ss shackle or something chafing it for years causing dis similar metal corrosion - If you are sure that you can see all the damage - ie it is from outside and you monitor for further damage in the future, then I think you´d get away without the doubler repair initaly - It maybe reqd in the future should anything become evident.
Vega rigging loads aren´t so great and it is a very solid mast section used originally so i´m sure it will be ok. I had a similar prob although the pitting wasn´t right through - been fine for 7yrs and a few good blows. I´ve also done alot of aeroplane repairs but think they maybe a bit ott at the mo - if you do rivet be sure to use use monel rivets.
I may have a copy of the book here somewhere....
Use scotch brite discs rolocs or similar.
Should be fine if thats the only damage.
Ian.

vegatern · Jul 8, 2012

I've posted a photo of the repair to Tern's mast in her album. Perhaps it will help. Craig V1519 Tern