Mast step

[Murray Raff]

That's a nifty arrangement Josh! Too late for us I'm afraid. Here we are (below) checking the bolt holes align before taking the girder back for powder coating:

IMG_0591.jpg (113.5 KiB) Viewed 3121 times

Hopefully we'll refit the finished product this weekend!

Best wishes
Murray

[Phillip]

Couldn't see the front, did you put the drain holes in for the mast section?

Seems a few Top Hatters are replacing their mast girders at the moment.

[Murray Raff]

Hi Phillip! Yes, holes for drainage and pulley shackles for the halyards and other lines were added after this operation. Your advice on the issue has helped the issue to appear a far easier and more achievable operation than when I first thought about it, that's for sure!

Kind regards
Murray

[Macintechno]

Hi Guys,

I am digging this thread up as I am removing the mast in a couple of months and want to prepare for some girder maintenance.

Now, I have noticed that your masts are sitting in the girder where mine seems to sit on an attachement piece between girder and mast.
I am not sure if this piece is actually part of the mast or if it is a piece thats not attached to mast or girder and just sits in between.

I am looking for some guidance on what I should do when the mast is down. I have enquired with a local aluminium fabricator who said he can make one for me within 5 days while the boat is out of the water.

If I were to make a new one how do we go with this piece in between? Looks like its some cast material.... Really stumbling in the dark as I have no experience with this.
My feeling is the maststep does not look too bad at this stage. Any suggestions?

Greetings
Daniel

[Phillip]

Daniel,

Looks like you have a later base fitting than most other THs.
From what I can see there is nothing to change.

But, while you have the mast out I would take the mast girder off and that mast base
for general TLC and an appropriate repaint and reseal back on.

No need from what I can see to replace it.

[steve]

Hi Daniel,
I agree with Phillip that it looks like there is no need to replace your girder.
The casting at the mast base is presumably aluminium. What is the girder material? Almost all were galvanised steel but I wonder if yours is painted aluminium. Is is magnetic?
The fixings which hold the girder to the boat look curious. Are we seeing a mound of sealant on each fixing?

[Macintechno]

Thanks a lot guys.

I think it’s a galvanised steel base but need to verify next time I’m out there. Haven’t thought about it too much and not done the magnet test. Will have a closer look soon.

Yeah, I know. There seem to be old blobs of sika all over the deck.
One of the previous owners has fiddled around with sika. I will take it all off and re-bed half the boat when she’s out of the water.
Butyl tape around the bolts and sika around the base is fine for me.

Greetings
Daniel

[Murray Raff]

Hi Daniel

The arrangement you have has the advantage that the halyards, etc, fan out with less complications heading to the cockpit.

Your girder looks fine also in my view. We had to replace ours because it was painted steel that had been galvinising incurably with the aluminium mast (and no doubt rusting as well). Deterioration was so advanced that it broke when someone at the fabricator's workshop dropped it on concrete!?

We're very happy with the new one but it did cost money I could have spent on something else!

Best wishes
Murray