Rivets in mast base -

[Will Carter (aka - better dumb and lucky)]

Better dumb and lucky .....I tried to make a 4 man job a two man job when bringing the mast down last week for winter storage. I sail at a remote lake with few resources and where the water level drops during the early winter months requiring me to pull the boat each fall. This was my first year with a '88 Hunter 26.5 and being a little inexperienced with this boat (and mast size) and impatient (dumb) I allowed the mast to move off the center line when I was lowering it back with the front stay which sheered the three rivets where the mast base attaches to the mast. No serious damage. All parts are ok. (LUCKY!!) The hinge pin on the mast base and the tabernacle are ok. I just need to reattach the base to the mast. Any ideas? I'm thinking that stainless steel screws might work just as well and save the cost of bringing a technician out to the boat to install the three revits . Also, any ideas on building an A-frame for stepping a 26.5 mast? I'd appreciate any help.

 

[Bill Sheehy]

Rent

Why don't you rent a rivit gun and do it your self. A regular pop rivit gun won't work with stainless rivits.

 

[Mark Sanford]

Use a Rivet gun

I had to remove the gooseneck from the mast of my H23 this spring. This was attached to the mast with four (4) 1/4" diameter aluminum rivets. Most common guns cannot handle this size. In the end, I had to disassemble the actual rivet and grind the shank of the pin down to a smaller diameter so it would fit into the commonly available pop-revit gun. I then reinstalled the pin into the rivet and reattached the gooseneck in the normal fashion. This worked fine for the aluminum rivets and would probably also work for the steel. It might not work for the stainless steel. Double check your old rivets, they may be aluminum. If they were stainless they probably would not have sheared off quite so easily.

 

[Philip Teter]

Rivets in mast base

Will: It sounds like your mast base is about the same as the one on my 1984 20'. The revits on the 20 are 1/4" diameter. Pop revits are available in the 1/4" size. I had to have two revits replaced, Next time I'll purchase a pop revit gun for the 1/4" revits and save myself some money. You can get stainles steel pop revits that should last almost forever.

 

[Michael Bell]

Been there, done that.

Make REAL sure that the base piece is not bent. If it is, and you attach it back to the mast, you will have a very difficult time getting the pin back in. My suggestion, have the pin in the base piece – everything in place - when you rivet it back on. That way, you know it will go in. If the base piece is twisted or bent – replace it.Also check the end of the mast carefully. I had to have mine re-welded.I re-attached the base piece by drilling and tapping - using a fine thread stainless steel bolt.