Mast Pumping

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J

John H

I have tryed just about everything to keep my mast from pumping when the winds are gerater than 10 knots. Help! Sleep deprived in Michigan.
 
M

Mike

Sailing, or at marina?

Are you sailing and getting mast pumping? Or is your boat tied up at the dock? If it's pumping while sailing, you may not have your sails sheeted properly. If it's pumping at the marina, your standing rigging may be too slack.
 
J

John

Pumping at the dock!

Mike, Thanks for the response. The mast pumps when I'm docked. It doesn't pump while sailing. The rig was tuned during port and starboard tacks and shrouds on the leaward side are properly tensioned.
 
May 10, 2004
207
Beneteau 36 CC Sidney, BC, Canada
vortex

John, I understand that some masts pump while at anchor or dock because of the air/wind swirling around the mast. A halyard or two wrapped around the mast can sometimes interupt the flow and might help. ??
 
Jun 6, 2004
173
Catalina 38 San Francisco Bay
Fore and Aft ??

John, We had fore and aft pumping caused by our backstay supported radar mount in +15 kt winds at the dock. The added weight of the radome partially supported by the backstay would develop a rhythm and the whole boat would shudder. I was able to nearly eliminate it by running a line forward from the backstay to the mast and pulling tension on the stay. My case is different from yours but according to my rigger, if your fore/aft stays are tuned correctly, you should not have significant mast pumping at dock or anchor.
 
C

c

mine too

The rig on my just-purchased Catalina 36 pumps in 15 knots at the dock; it's definitely unnerving. First thought of course is that the rig needs tuning. Or, it's got a radar reflector on the backstay... maybe that's doing it? Interestingly, though, I talked to someone who used to sail a Catalina 36, and the first thing he mentioned was that it "shook" in gusts at the dock. Either Catalina owners, as a breed, don't know how to tune rigs, or there's something else going on here.
 
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