Forums, Mast, Rigging and Sails, Urgent advice needed please

James Chew at 08/04/2013 23:57:37
Hello everyone, I have a 1973 Co32 and there is some corrosion on the mast. It was found behind the stainless steel fitting for the kicking strap, a few inches above deck level. When the fitting was removed it revealed corrosion on both sides of the mast, particularly on the starboard side where it has gone right through the mast leaving a hole. On each side the corrosion is limited to the approx. 40mm by 40mm square covered by the fitting.

The local rigging company is saying that it may be necessary to replace the mast. Since I cannot really afford to do this I have sought the advice of a few other people, all of whom think that replacement is unecessary and that this can either be repaired, or does not even need to be.

Can anyone offer me any advice on this please? Thanks very much.

Galatea at 09/04/2013 03:49:50
Can you sleeve the mast? (That is, cut it in half where the corrosion holes are, insert a spline, and rivet both parts of the mast to the spline.) I think a very competent rigger might be able to do something like that. No idea how much this would cost.

Richard Ritchie at 09/04/2013 09:09:06
My mast (Z-Spars) has been in two parts from new: the join is just below deck level using an internal sleeve and machine screws. But harder to do where there are lots of fittings.
I know John McCann decided to replace his mast for similar corrosion reasons: worth speaking with him?

George Isted at 09/04/2013 13:51:40
It is sadly common to find serious corrosion behind the S-steel plates at the base of the mast, you are not the first. As others have said it may be repairable I would get a second opinion from another rigger if possible. The old mast’s are thicker than the new replacements so there is probably plenty of “meat” left. Wondering if a patch could be welded in place but ally is not easy to weld so would need a specialist to do this.

George Isted at 09/04/2013 13:52:31
I should add that later masts don’t suffer as badly as there is better protection between the s-steel and the ally mast.

waratah912 at 09/04/2013 18:29:16
Local boat company here in Lymington have just done similar repairs on a Nich 32? mast, rolled a sleeve to the appropriate shape and pushed it up from the bottom. Requires removing all the fittings up to the top of the sleeve.
If you have corrosion at the bottom of the mast as I had, they fixed that by cutting off the corroded area and building up the flange on the heel fitting to compensate (the internal part had already been extended) and then re-anodising the whole fitting.
Contact me through details in members area if you want more info.

moongirl at 10/04/2013 19:51:11
Unfortunately this is a common problem with older CO32s particularly those fitted before the advent of deck rings which cut out many of the fixings just above the deck. When we were upgrading Jemmana (currently for Sale) the Rigger refused to make any more holes in the mast & Charles bit the bullet & had a new mast fitted from Southen Spars.
An experienced Rigger should be able to advise regarding sleeving which would seem to be the only option other than a new mast.
Regards

Keny at 10/04/2013 20:46:42
James _ Your mast is plenty strong enough. The corrosion has occured because there is no barrier between the stainless steel and the mast. It only happens at the bottom of the mast where the atmosphere is wet and salty. My answer has been to refit all the fittings using a gasket or barrier compound (duralac). My weakened kicker ring has been confined to holding halyards etc. and I made a new kicker bracker lower down with much more purchase (pic. if required). I have sailed this in all weathers for the past 10 years. If in doubt I would ask J/R’s advice.
Keny