save this mast !!!

[Judy McCullough]

I have a lovely little 19' Oday sailboat I recently aquired. The mast, which was supposed to hing at the deck on a bolt which had, unfortuneately fused itself to the bushing within the mast. In order to lower the mast, I had to hacksaw through the bolt and bushing, which had broken free of the mast. Pictures are so much better, but to sum all this up. I am having trouble getting the bushing or aluminum pipe to weld back into my aluminum mast. Where do I go to either have it done, or buy the aluminum pipe that hardware stores don't seem to carry? It's got to be 1/2" outside diameter, 1/16" (not 1/32") thick and 2" long. I can cut a piece of pipe but I can't find that thickness.

 

[Rod Johnson,]

Possible ideas

It sounds like you have either a Rhodes 19 or a Mariner, I'd try contacting D & R Marine (508) 644-3001, Rudy may know of a source for what you need. Although I'm not really sure that what you have is "stock". All the Mariners that I've seen had an aluminum tabernacle (deck hinge) and a stainless-steel pin that stayed in the mast. The pin would fit into a pair of slots in the tabernacle then the mast would be pivoted up. This pin was held into the mast by 2 cotter-pins inside the mast. I know that Rudy at D & R will have or be able to get this pin.