Mast track rivets

[Cherp]

On Tuesday next week I will pull the mast on our Adams 12 for a refurbishment. A rigger will oversee the operation and will make up new stainless rigging. Meanwhile, I will sandblast those parts of the mast which need it and prime, fair, paint etc. the question I have is about the rivets which hold the main track to the mast. Do people use aluminium rivets with an aluminium shaft, Monel or stainless. I can see problems with stainless through the dissimilar metal path and with Monel through the cost. Any people with experience in this?

[Weyalan]

Depending on how much load a fitting is going to see I use aluminium rivets (for low load applications) or Monel rivets (high load applications) I use plenty of either Duralac or Tefgel as an anti-corrosion jointing compound - especially with Monel.

[delmarrey]

What type, and material of track?

If an aluminum track, use alum rivets. If a SS track then SS rivets. But do use TefGel or Duralac to slow dissimilar metal corrosion, as Weyalan suggested above.

Q: what rivets came out, and why are you removing the track from the mast?

[Cherp]

I don't yet know what sort of rivets are in there. As I am repainting the mast, I thought I would have to take off the track in order to sandblast it and fair the mast under it. It would be hard to sand on there I think, with rivet heads and so on. It is an aluminium mast. I guess the load on the sail track for the main is spread over a long area, so if I take out the existing rivets I may be able to replace them with aluminium as this would give me an aluminium to aluminium join.