My mast broke this week-end!

[antoineH336]

I'm in pain, and looking for advice.

On Sunday, I was sailing the north part of Lake Champlain NY with a 20 knots wind on my 1997 Hunter 336 when in a blink of an eye, my mast snap 8 feet above the deck after being hit by an out of no where gust of wind that should have reach around 40 knots.

Everything went so fast and I was in a 70 feet deep bay with 5 feet choppy waves. The mast fall in the water with both sails and everything went bad. I tried to remove he sails but the waves where so intense that my only solution was to cut all shrouds and lines and let everything go.

I tied a 100 feet rope on the main sail line to attach a boat bumper. 2 hours later, a funny sailor untied it and left the line sinks in the bottom of the lake.

I’m actually dealing whit my insurance company to settle this nightmare, but I’m wondering how I will find a mast that will match my boat.

I sent an email to Hunter customer services, but every time I sent them email, I never heard of them.

Is there anyone here knows where I should turn my self to get some information about mast replacement for this kind of boat?

Thank for your help!

Antoine

 

[sailaway78]

Rig Rite

You might try American Rigging, or Rig Rite. One of them should know what you have and where to get it. Should be able to give you an exact match for yours. Possibly have to replace the step, but thats not such a big deal. Sorry to hear of your problems, and hope you get it all taken care of soon.

 

[Rick D]

Probably Selden...

...but I would call Hunter to ask. Your insurance company should take care of salvaging the rig (or replacing the sails) and should also do the research regarding the repair and parts, or at least coordinating it. Something broke that must have been fatigued since you should have been knocked flat without any problem to the rig. In one way, you are fortunate you had it 'stress tested' (or maybe not so much...) Rick D.

 

[Dave Groshong]

Try US Spars

http://usspars.com/

 

[r.w.landau]

I kind of agree with Old Salt.....

First off, forget e-mail when you want something done.
Second, if you replace the mast your self, what did you do wrong in the first place and will it happen again.
Third, Most manufacturers don't want bad press, especially on an independant web site.
I would call hunter. Then have them tell you what went wrong. Then see if they feel any obligation to the situation.
Then castrate the guy that untied the bumper.
If you know the location, a diver may be a cheap way to replace you sails if insurance doesn't cover it.
just some thoughts...
r.w.landau

 

[Ross]

How can you break the mast 8 feet above the deck?

That is about half way to the spreaders. If it is keel stepped it should break at the partners. If it is deck stepped it shouldn't break at all. Were the upper completely loose and the lowers the only things holding the mast up? I can imagine that it might buckle half way between the deck and the spreaders. I have a fore stay and back stay, two upper shrouds and four lower shrouds. It takes a long time to remove the mast from the boat even if I am trying to take it down.

 

[sailaway78]

I would begin

by inspecting the remains that is still there. There has to be a reason for this to happen. Corrosion, or something. Look at the stub you have left and see if you can see anything there. Or better yet have someone with some experience check it out. I agree that this is a very unlikely place for one to break, and that it shouldn't break at all under the conditions you described. Not too long ago, I broke a forestay, while offshore, with a 170 out. About 12 or 15 knots of breeze, and two foot seas. I managed to keep the mast up, and unbroken, even with that big of a sail flogging around. I would think there was something wrong where yours broke, before this happened.

 

[r.w.landau]

I think I know what happened.

If you click Antoine's avatar, he has posted twice. The first post was about water coming down his compression post.....
r.w.landau

 

[Joe]

Uh.... this may seem obvious...

...but I believe Hunter (the maker of your boat) might be interested in helping you out. You did call them, didn't you?

 

[antoineH336]

Build up water could cause aluminum to corrode?

Hi r.w.landau,

You are right, I had a leak coming from the mast, but I think this is a common issue while water poor down the inner mast and pass trough the wiring hole on the mast stand, right?

As asked by Old Salt, yes it's a a B&R rig, but no roller furling Main. As you all agree, I found this very strange to have the mast bent at 8 feet from the deck, but it appen so fast and everything had fall in the water, so I can't tell if it first snap at the top, make the mast fall by the wing foorce and then broke again at the 8 feet mark.

All my shrouds and diamonds where still attach when everything was on the deck, well, for the most part that was not in the water.

We will surely have a diver go down and help us bring everything up with a barge, and then, try to understand what went wrong. But one thing for sure, the mast has been install this spring according to the manufacturer indication and every shroud where tension the way they where supposed, or suggest to be.

Hope to make all the light on this

Thanks for your comments

 

[Alan]

After reading these posts...

... I completely agree that some part of your standing rigging failed and that was the reason your mast came down. It would be of great interest if you would post if and when the diver is able to recover your mast. Water induced corrosion might be possible in salt water but you are sailing on a fresh water lake. In the interim time while you are waiting for the mast recovery you could examine the remaining part of the mast for signs of metal fatigue or corrosion failure.
Incorrect rig tension is a possible source for this failure but it would still require that part of the rig failed. Based solely on what you have posted so far I would suspect the headstay as the most likely failure point.

 

[Cat30owner]

One more picture

I was wondering why the avatars were not on my post, Figured it out, one more picture.

 

[EatDrinkHealthy]

Hunter 336 and Seldon mast

Correct me if I am wrong. As I recall(have seen), Hunter 336 is deck stepped and use a Seldon mast. The mast is jointed about 8 feet above the deck with an internal sleeve with rolls and rolls of rivets.

May be you have a corrosion problem which weakens the rivets. They have problems like that in airplanes and needs frequent inspection. I think it is called linear fracture. Check with Hunter.

I don't like that design but the engineer should know better.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Ian4781]

spar replacement

Try E.B.Spars inc (514)327-7277 they are outside of Montreal...not far from lake Champlain.www.ebspars.com or info@ebspars.com