mast stepping question

[chuck]

hi everyone, new to the site.
question for you all
looking at a 1984 36 catalina that is for sale
where the mast is stepped into/onto the keel there is an issue.
it has cracks and the mast has dropped about half an inch due to the fiberglass compressing and cracking
is this a serious issue or can the step be rebuilt after removing the mast
thanks for the help
chuck

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

mast step repair

Chuck
Get a surveyor to take a careful look. Some Catalinas have a wooden step that will require removal and replacement. At a minimum, this one will need to be reinforced and in addition, check out the deck as this problem also manifests itself in pulling down the deck which may also require repair. It may not be a "show-stopper" and the cause could be as simple as too much tension on the rigging over time but clearly reason to proceed cautiously and perhaps find another C36 if that's what your preference is - this isn't the only C36 for sale...

 

[higgs]

Red flag

I am not a surveyor, but damage to such a critical area would certainly make me very concerned. Unless the rest of this boat is really nice, or the price is fantastic, I would walk away.

Why is the step crushed - did the PO tighten the rig too much or push the boat really hard? These are things that pop into my head.

You might want to go to the Catalina forum here and see what those who know these boats better have to say.

 

[sailaway78]

Another thought

I recently went through this same problem, with a mast dropping down about an inch and a half. What I found was the bottom of the mast was eaten up with corrosion. The step and hull were perfectly fine. I simply pulled the mast, cut three inches off the bottom of it, and made a spacer from pressure treated material, saturated in epoxy, and put the mast step back on top of the spacer. Whole deal took about a week, including rewiring and painting the mast. Fairly painless and not overly expensive. If you have something in the hull compressed, then that would be a totally different story. Have a surveyor check it out, and find out for sure what has given way. If the material the mast sets on is wood that has rotted away, I would probably pass on the boat.

 

[chuck]

thanks alot for the info guys. I found out that the mast step most likely needs to be shored and rebuilt. Decided to pass on the boat . Found another for sale an 82 irwin 43 mkii it is one that is in really good shape. question, are there any issues i should be aware of that might not be in a survey report. sorry about grammar keyboard messed up. thanks alot chuck

 

[JoeD]

Welcome Chuck. Not sure you are looking for in a boat. Irwin had some very good looking boats. That is the best I can say about them. They didn't sail very well and construction was questionable at best. Many years ago worked for a Irwin dealer. So got to see the good ,bad and the ugly.

Ted Irwin was a great guy, but not a very good businessman.

So it gets back to what you are looking for in a boat. Good luck in your search. But you have gotten great advice about survey the boat what ever you pick.

 

[chuck]

thanks joe

yes i do believe that the irwin 43 mkii is one of the better looking boats that i have seen. i got that exited feeling when i saw her, if you know what i mean. of course there are a million oppinions about what looks good lol. i would have to agree with what i have read on this site; that its not really about the boat company, its about the care that the boat has seen in the past 20 years. functionally of this boat will meet all the criteria that needed to be met. and i can upgrade all the interior as i am a designer/fabricator/craftsman hopefully lol, wood veneer will do alot to cover the white cabinets ect. could write forever enough for now

thanks for the response
chuck

 

[JoeD]

Well, If she made your heart beat a little faster then she should be your boat.

Search the Irwn owners group. They will have tons of information for you. What to look out for ect.

But, even when your heart is telling you yes, Please make sure you are getting you think you are. (Surveyor that knows that make boat) will help you. Better to spend a little more on a good Survey then lots after buying a bad boat.

Good luck, and keep us up to date on this project.

 

[r.w.landau]

Almost anything can be repaired.....

If it is the dollars, make sure you can do the repairs within the dollars that you want to spend with some comp for a repaired boat.
If there other issues, as small as they may seem, double check them an assess those also.
r.w.landau