Is my mast ruined?

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by mogulskibum

They're 500 yards from my boat, which is about 28 miles away from me.

Next time I'm there, I'm taking the dinghy over to talk to them. Harder to ignore a person right in front of you.

Are you able to motor your boat to them? If they see it, they may have an answer in 30 seconds.

My guess is that it is not at all ok as it is now, but there will be several avenues of repair. I would not attempt or consider any of them something a casual owner would try.

Not being an engineer or any expert, given the rake aft that most masts have, most of the compression load is going to be in the aft of the mast. The shape of the sail track adds to strength in that area. So it doesn't matter how far forward the damage is. It is damaged at the strongest part, and the part that carries the most compressive load.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Masts that fold at the spreaders almost always fail because they lose a cap shroud. The mast is still supported at the spreaders by the lowers so folds there because of the loss of the cap shround. Don't think that is a valid reason to declare the mast a total.

I agree, I would take the boat out and sail the hell out of it.