Would You Worry About a Bent Mast ?

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Ocean Roads

snip

As a potential world cruising boat, how much would you worry about this mast and boat?

Masts Bend!! Thats why we have Backstays on fractional rigs and diamonds and cap shrouds to create pre bend.

What you need to be concerned about is how much bend there is. The fact that it is bent could just be the wrong prebend that needs to be removed.

Dont let it put you off, but, as others mentioned. Get a rigger to have a peek at it for you.
Cheers Oz

[Stillraining]

OK For anyone needing a mast here are the guys that quoted me around 8K. for my 56' Stick single spreader compleat. ( Less winches of course)

One Small correction to what I said before, is that Irwin built their own masts not this Company....One or more guys in this shop worked at Irwin building them if I remember the story right now.

JSI, The Sailing Source

Contact Dave Johnson ..he is the guy I talked to....supper guy and a straight shooter.

[rgscpat]

to paraphrase,
"What the world needs now is a $5,000 carbon nanotube 56' mast."

[Joli]

Rule 1: Rigs move, if they don't move, they break.

Rule 2: If the rig is loose the rig will not be straight, if the rig is not tuned properly it will not be straight.

As others have said, hire a good rigger that knows how to tune a rig and will teach you.

We tune our 3 spreader 93' rig every spring when it is set back in the boat. It takes about 3 hours to get it close then I fine it tune after loading a couple times. We are a bit different in that we load the cap shrouds with a hydraulic ram, you won't need to do that, you can load the caps with a couple of big wrenches.

Ok, what to do: since the rig is a triple, keel stepped, in line section you will first need to unload everything, back it all off, you now have a noodle.
Next take a block to the bow and tie a line around the base of the mast, go forward to the block on the bow, then back to a winch. You want to remove all the shims in the mast block and tension that line. This pre-loads the mast (adds mast bend), shim the mast in place. Why do this? Without prebend the mast is unstable. Next, center the rig side to side, it should already be close if the caps shrouds turnbuckles are set the same. If the rig is centered bring the cap shrouds on bar hard with a pair of wrenches. I like to bring on some number of turns (maybe 2 full turns) on one side then go do the other side, going back and forth. When the caps are bar hard I move to the d1's bringing them on pretty hard, not as hard as the caps but pretty hard. Then keep working your way up, d2's next, then d3's. D2's less tension, D3's least tension.

I am making some assumptions here, guessing the rig is rod and continous (all turnbuckles at deck level).

Couple other notes: Clean and lightly grease the turnbuckles annually, do it before you tune the rig. Seriously consider re-installing the runners.

Good luck, Joli

[Stillraining]

Thats a lot of mast Joli....Im guessing you have to pull it every year as the travel lift cant get under the boat due to the stays?

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Masts Bend!! Thats why we have Backstays on fractional rigs and diamonds and cap shrouds to create pre bend.

Yeah, but in most cases they unbend afterwards!

[Joli]

Actually, we pull the rig to store the boat and mast indoors for the winter. I envy those that have year round sailing seasons.

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Thats a lot of mast Joli....Im guessing you have to pull it every year as the travel lift cant get under the boat due to the stays?

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Joli

Actually, we pull the rig to store the boat and mast indoors for the winter. I envy those that have year round sailing seasons.

I envy those that have a 90 foot shop to stuf a boat into..

[Ocean Roads]

Now I have been sailing and racing and cruising my entire life and my general thoughts on this have been:

The taller the mast on a cruising boat, the more smaller spreaders instead of one big pair, spreads the load so less ware and tear on one set of spreaders.

More spreaders/gear on a racing boat, more sail control = more speed.

Smaller inshore & near costal race boats have light weight spars, needing extra support and sail control, while offshore race boats will have beefier spars, with beefier extra support spreaders for more sail control.

The boat I want in question was build to race, but redesigned to cruise.

While it is obvious the rig was damaged, I won't know the full amount till I get the "full" story from my buddy, climb the stick, and have a rigger check her out.

Can't make everyone happy, nor have I every tried.

As of now, and before giving any a close inspection:

First choice is my buddy's free (or very cheap) '80s 35'ish triple spreader boat. Boat has been to Mexico, Cuba, Bahamas, and the Dry Tortugas over a dozen times. I LOVE the lay out, know the boat, the price is right.

Second is a '82 31' Irwin I found online, but have not seen in person.

Third is a '81 28' Liberty Cutter I found online, but have not seen in person.

Still searching online every day.

Any boat I buy will be getting new standing and running rigging, all new wiring and LED lights, solar/wind gen, EVERYTHING re-bedded, updated electronics, sails over hauled, engine overhauled, etc. etc. etc. My "any boat" to-do list is about 4 pages in my note book.

[Stillraining]

Well that Irwin aint no blue water boat...I don't know what a liberty is...Buy you buddy's boat!...if the mast is all that's wrong with it even a brand new one will be cheaper then the purchase price of either the other two boats unless there a heap of junk....This is one of those " Opportunity only strikes once " kind of deals....Just MHO

Wheres the bend?....Hack saw it off and sail it........might be slower but you wont suffer a knock down as easy...

[Ocean Roads]

The buddy's boat is where I am leaning. Boat/cabin layout and price are a big factor.
Lack of a real shower will take getting used-to.

Irwin- 1982 Irwin Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Liberty- 1981 Liberty Cutter Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Just weighing all the options...