mast foot/deck connection

[ron]

I need to find a replacement mast foot for my hunter 23...the bottom of my mast has a foot/plate which has a bolt hole connection to a deck plate, my mast plate hole is broken...any ideas onwhere i can search for this piece??? also, the rudder on my 23 has 2 bolts, one of which i believe is removed to raise the rudder when mooring in shallw areas, however raisng the rudder is a chore..anyone else having issues with a 23 rudder (circa 1987)???thanx y'all

 

[Brian M H23]

Odd...

rigrite.com has a lot of mast parts- we have a 3350 MORC mast. There are actually lots of diferent mast feet- take a look.As for the rudder- I dont know what you are describing. The headstock (steel) mounts to the pins on the transom, the tiller bolts to it, and the fin pivots inside of it. When you pull the rope, the rudder fin should go DOWN. Then you cleat it off on the headstock of the rudder.

 

[mike]

87 H23

It sounds like you have a 1987 model. This is important. I also have an '87 H23. It came with a Z spar mast. It's silver aluminum, tapered at the top. unlike the white painted (Kenyon) mast on later models. Parts can be had from US Spars in florida. Find them at www.usspars.com. Talk to Julian. The mast base is cast aluminum and mine has also worn. I've thought about replacing it as well. Julian has helped me many times with mast and boom parts for this boat.As for the rudder...........it should float up when you pop the "hold down" rope out of the cam cleat that holds it down. There is one bolt it pivots on sandwiched between plates of aluminum. Unless your rudder has been somehow modified. It should never be bolted down. Otherwise it won't kick up when you hit something as it's designed to do.

 

[Brian M H23]

Rudder Mod

This past weekend I just did some changes to my rudder, and plan some more. The first step was repairing the harken block bolted in there, but thats because mines been busted and chafing the line since I got the boat. Next was to bolt a small cleat on top of the housing, to tie the rope down after the cam cleat WITH A LITTLE SLACK. This way, if it does pop up, it doesnt pop all the way and you still have some steerage. Next on the list: repairing some prop-chop (from above situation), adding a motor-tiller rod, screwing a hook into the upper rudder stock for using the rope to lock it UP, and perhaps making the lower rudder pin longer.