straightening a mast
A pine tree jumped out of the boat ramp parking lot and broke our original mast in two. I located a mast from a dealer in FLA, and got a very good deal because it had been bent slightly in shipment (with a new 26X it belonged to). I anchored each end of the mast to the bumpers of a truck at one end and a SUV at the other. In the middle, I supported a hydralic floor jack under the bend. I protected the mast at all times with wood and carpet. By carefully jacking up at the bend, I was able to straighten it. A problem is that the mast will want to turn as you apply force, so use the holes in the mast to tie off the mast so it will not turn once positioned. You may have to use a bolt through one of the holes and attach a board to steady it from turning. Go slow and a little further bend at a time, checking your progress with a line strung end to end. You will have to put quite a lot of bend on the mast, and it may fail, ruining the mast. I was lucky and got away with it. Go slow and make sure you are always working against the predominant bend. If you get it close, the shouds and stays may help with the rest. Best of luck, and use this technique at your own risk!
