Mast base corrosion: Repair or shorten?

[Alastair A]

I have seen a mast "skip out" from the base in heavy seas. It is a most ugly tangle, in most trying times. Over-baord and sailors lives are at risk!
Have you done the right repair for your vessel's mast base and for the next purchasers of your vessel?
Seriously. A.

[four winds]

AlastairA, your concerns are unfounded.

The material issue was addressed a few posts back.

[Alastair A]

OK, I will look back. Is this recycled kitchen chipboard? Or is it marine grade thick board material? Please be straight. Please reference or provide pics ongoing also please. Best wishes sailing. A.

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by Alastair A

OK, I will look back. Is this recycled kitchen chipboard? Or is it marine grade thick board material? Please be straight. Please reference or provide pics ongoing also please. Best wishes sailing. A.

As addressed by Gord in post 40 above, the material the 'plug ' is made from is 'fiberglass sheets left over from porthole cutouts', presumably from the same boat.

Would have been nice to make a 'washer' of the same material to isolate the aluminum mast from the stainless baseplate...

[Alastair A]

Please CF team. Can you assist me. I dream with storms to this day. I climb difficult full winter alpine mountaineering mean times. Please let's not make hassles. A.

[AmericanVagrant]

Originally Posted by Alastair A

OK, I will look back. Is this recycled kitchen chipboard? Or is it marine grade thick board material? Please be straight. Please reference or provide pics ongoing also please. Best wishes sailing. A.

It is fiberglass/fiber-reinforced plastic/glass-reinforced plastic/plastic. Not any type of chipboard/particle board. The photos on my webpage show this.

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

AV, there are two problems with using a thin layer of epoxy to isolate the mast and the stainless plate. One is that epoxy that is not reinforced can easily chip. The 2nd is that unless the epoxy is painted it will deteriorate from UV exposure. Both of these situations may leave you with the exact same problem that you have been attempting to fix.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

Would have been nice to make a 'washer' of the same material to isolate the aluminum mast from the stainless baseplate...

I understand this concern - as is seen in the photos on my webpage, the primary source of the corrosion was not between the base levels but rather the alignment tangs, which have been removed. Additionally, UV degradation will not be an issue given that the coating will not be exposed.

100% of the 3500+ Albin Vegas built used this configuration, and nearly all that are still around continue to do so. My replacing the SS tangs with a FRP plug was an extra precautionary step which few people take. This one was built in 1968, if it goes another 59 years before needing to be addressed then I feel that I've executed a suitable repair.

Without the tangs, the accumulative corrosive depth would have been around an 1/8". So another 1" off the base would require what, 472 years? Maybe at that time I'll be kicking myself.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Alastair A

OK, I will look back. Is this recycled kitchen chipboard? Or is it marine grade thick board material? Please be straight. Please reference or provide pics ongoing also please. Best wishes sailing. A.

Dude!!! Read the thread!!!

Imho this repair is a step above the work that was done at the factory....like AV said, if it lasts another 50 years it'll be no problem to take another inch off of the mast.

[DeepFrz]

I certainly don't see any safety issues here.

[Alastair A]

Please look carefully at the pic image. I don't mean any hassle.
What is the material in the 3 oval mast internal insert boards?
A.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Alastair A

Please look carefully at the pic image. I don't mean any hassle.

What is the material in the 3 oval mast internal insert boards?

A.

Alastair, I'm not trying to be overly rude here.......go read the thread!!! It's been said over and over again what they're made of!!!

However I'll say again what's already been said.....

The material to make the oval insert is fiberglass that was left over from cutting out holes for the ports. It is not cabinet plywood!!!

Stop asking!!!!

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Alastair A

Please look carefully at the pic image. I don't mean any hassle.
What is the material in the 3 oval mast internal insert boards?
A.

The "3 oval mast internal boards" are fiberglass

From AV's website......

"I cut the flanges off the foot, which caused the corrosion in the first place. Instead I created a plug with fiberglass sheets I had leftover from cutting out portholes"

[Alastair A]

OK. Please pardon me. I have seen much worse in this place. It did look similar to me. No worries whatever. Cheers. A

[Alastair A]

I confirm my future sailing hospitality in Sydney, Oz'tralia. Good on Ya. I'm not usually a skeptical guy. Please understand my asking of your materials. Cheers. A.

[chris95040]

Originally Posted by Alastair A

I confirm my future sailing hospitality in Sydney, Oz'tralia. Good on Ya. I'm not usually a skeptical guy. Please understand my asking of your materials. Cheers. A.

When we all come to visit, are you going to spend the morning reminding us to put toothpaste on our toothbrush?