Sleeving A Broken 28' Mast

C

campbmic

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Mar 12, 2014
7
Mac Gregor Venture 23' Dallas
Hey guys, about a week ago I purchased my first sailboat a 1975 Ventura 23'. A few days later the mast got into a fight with an electric line and lost. The mast was snapped in half right at the spreaders and also has a slight bend right at the break.

Can you sleeve a mast at the spreaders? What part of the mast has the most pressure against it? My plan is to bend the mast back (with a hydralic car jack or some other method) and buy a few feet of the DM-6 from dwyer. Compress the DM-6 to fit inside the old mast then rivet it together.

I'm looking for any and all guidance or advice, I don't know much about sailboats. How does my plan sound?

Mast Dimensions: The mast is 28' long with a 3" x 4" base shaped like a tear drop (similar to the DM-6). The boom attaches about 2' 3" up the mast and the spreaders attach at about 17.5'. The spreaders are both 3' long.









Thanks!
 
Sailvayu

Sailvayu

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Jul 25, 2007
320
-Irwin -Citation 40 Wilmington, NC
Sleeving is done all the time and should not be a problem. The bend on the other hand may be an issue. I would try massaging the bend out first and see if you can get that straight, if so then go ahead with the sleeve. If you cannot get the bend out I would suggest looking for a used mast. there are a lot out there. I had a broken mast on my boat when I bought her and ended up getting a mast on ebay for a fraction of new and it came with in mast furling and harken jib furler.
 
C

campbmic

.
Mar 12, 2014
7
Mac Gregor Venture 23' Dallas
I've been searching all over for a mast with the same dimensions, mast foot, and sail track but cant find a single one. If I can get the mast straight how long of a sleeve should I put inside to give it the most support?
 
finding41

finding41

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Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
campbmic said:
I've been searching all over for a mast with the same dimensions, mast foot, and sail track but cant find a single one. If I can get the mast straight how long of a sleeve should I put inside to give it the most support?
Click to expand
You will have a hard time finding the "same" mast. I'd aim for a mast form a Hobie Cat. I'm not sure of the length because there different for each different Hobie model. The reason I say Hobie Cat.... is there are a bunch of them out there for sale.
It it's too long... Cut it off from the bottom and attach the Mac foot. If you want the same Mac top plate you will need to modify it.
If yo can get the bend out of the original broken one I'd think a 4' sleeve would be ok. (I'm not an expert though...)
 
Flamingo1

Flamingo1

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Nov 17, 2013
141
Catalina 22 Scottsdale, AZ
campbmic said:
I've been searching all over for a mast with the same dimensions, mast foot, and sail track but cant find a single one. If I can get the mast straight how long of a sleeve should I put inside to give it the most support?
Click to expand
Check out the V21s and the Macgregor 25s - they may work (but you may have to change some rigging, too). That mast sail track looks a lot like my V21. I thought my mast was about 30 feet - but it could be 28. Looks very similar.
 
C

campbmic

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Mar 12, 2014
7
Mac Gregor Venture 23' Dallas
Even if I can find a mast that is 28' or larger with a mast head and mast foot. Won't I still have to modify something to allow the shrouds to work on my boat?
 
topcat0399

topcat0399

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Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
I don't why any comparable mast wouldn't work. Sure you might have to change some fittings around and mount a step that would work but I don't think its a war stopper.

That's a sweet looking Venture and thanks for reminding me to look up when trailering with the mast up!
 
T

TLW

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Jan 15, 2013
271
Oday 31 Whitehall, MI
I think that mast extrusion might be available from damco.com, but there is noting magic about that particular section and many similar ones would suffice. And, yes you need to keep the shroud tangs, etc from your existing mast unless you want to buy all new. One big consideration with a used mast is that you need TWO FORESTAYS for your cutter rig. Again, all of that can be salvaged from your mast. Simple measurement and geometry to convert another mast section.
 
MrBill_FLL

MrBill_FLL

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May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
if you decide to sleeve it, would inside sleeve and an outside over wrap (fishplate) be smart or just overkill?

I don't see how you'll get that bend out, without cutting some of it off. but raising the mast up off the deck to compensate should work, no?


BTW, I love that model Venture. will be very nice when you get it going. GL!
 
Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
That's a tough break on such a nice boat. I would probably look for a close match or order a new extrusion. I lucked out when I was looking for a trailer for my clipper marine 26. A customer of mine said I could have his trailer for free if I took the boat that was on it. It was a 1990 Mac 26s. He didn't have time or ambition to find a replacement mast (tree fell on it while in drive) anyway. The boat was better than my clipper with a leak so I took the 26.5' mast off the clipper and put it on the Mac. I had to make 4 - 2" chain plate extensions and all is good. When I buy sails, I buy clipper sails (sized for the clipper). Other than that I got a great boat and trailer for free. Took the motor and salvageable stuff off the clipper and sent it to the dump.

Sometimes you just get lucky.
 
C

campbmic

.
Mar 12, 2014
7
Mac Gregor Venture 23' Dallas
I've spoken with the manufacturer about making a new mast and that would run around $1500. I've been searching all over for a mast that would work, however Dallas isn't exactly the sailing capitol of the world.

I've found a Hobie 18 mast that is 29'-7" for $150 and its only about 90 miles away from me. What do you guys think? I'm not for sure what a rotator is or diamond wires?

Hobie 18SX or Formula 18 Mast - Catamaran Sailboat Classifieds

Also, I've found this article about a guy replacing his Mac mast and all of the possibilities;
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/foru...hp?f=8&t=18602
 
C

campbmic

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Mar 12, 2014
7
Mac Gregor Venture 23' Dallas
I just contact him, that would be a great deal! I may actually just use the 25!
 
topcat0399

topcat0399

.
Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
campbmic said:
I've spoken with the manufacturer about making a new mast and that would run around $1500. I've been searching all over for a mast that would work, however Dallas isn't exactly the sailing capitol of the world.

I've found a Hobie 18 mast that is 29'-7" for $150 and its only about 90 miles away from me. What do you guys think? I'm not for sure what a rotator is or diamond wires?

Hobie 18SX or Formula 18 Mast - Catamaran Sailboat Classifieds

Also, I've found this article about a guy replacing his Mac mast and all of the possibilities;
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/foru...hp?f=8&t=18602
Click to expand

I don't know anything about Hobie 18's, but the length of that mast is about right isn't it? I'd probably take a drive to have a look if that's the only one around.

My mast is approx. 28 ft long, 3 inches wide, and 4 inches front to rear.
I don't know how thick the extrusion is, I've never measured that.
It handles at least 250 sq feet of sail and my boat is bigger than yours.

I'm pretty sure there are a lot of used masts out there - you have to hunt them down. Craigs list would be a good place to look - especially in the coastal areas. Ebay perhaps. Google the snott out of it.

There is a place on Yahoo for used sailboat parts. I get to it through the Venture 24 users group. I've seen a lot of masts on there fromm all over the country.

Don't give up the ship!
 
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