Forums, Mast, Rigging and Sails, New Selden Mast Section

samourai at 08/03/2016 16:27:43
Hi everybody ! I just bought a CO32 build in 1976 in Lymington. She is fitted by J.R. with a Kemp Mast (KS7250) 2 m (6ft6") longer than the normal size inlcuding a roller boom which is also 40 cm (1ft 3&3/4")longer than the original. The boat used to race on swiss lakes but also went around the Med.
Anyway, the mast itself looks fine except some electrolysis around the step. The mast is also thicker than the original Kemp section which was normaly fitted by J.R. (KS 6746), with only one set of spreaders ! At the moment I am considering a new mast in order to recover the original sail plan.
Does anybody who has changed his old Kemp mast to a new Selden one can help me on this subject.
I am looking to find the exact Selden section for CO32 and of course all the measures needed for ordering a new mast….
This CO32 is now lying in Greece and my easiest choice is a Selden mast.
Looking at the Selden website I found these 3 different sections: C175/C193/C211.
The only problem is that the hole throught the deck is bigger because of this original taller & thicker Kemp mast….what would be the best choice ?

Greetings from Corfu Island

George Isted at 09/03/2016 16:59:15
I know of a Co32 in the UK that is just getting a replacement mast fitted by a local Selden Agent and have some of the details

The Spar sections being bought are as follows…
Mast : C193
Boom : B120
Spin.pole : S072

Selden should have all the necessary info, I have taken this from their document “Rig data no.3978:Contessa 32 (2005)”

If you fit a deck-ring that will hopefully cover the larger than standard hole in the deck? if not some repair to the deck may be necessary.

Good luck, I hope this helps

samourai at 11/03/2016 21:20:34
Hi George,
Thanks a lot for the info. That will help in order to get a price from Selden. Concerning the hole on deck, I still don’t know what to do exactly. I have to wait until the Kemp mast is down. By the way, do you have any advise to give me concerning the standing rigging?
I measure this afternoon the actual rig and it looks like the lower shrouds are 5mm and the cap shrouds are 6mm. Is this standard on CO32 ?
Best Regards

George Isted at 14/03/2016 10:12:58
5mm for lowers and 6mm for Cap/forestay/backstay sounds correct to me but I suggest you take advice from a rigger or Selden on that.

If you are replacing the Rig I strongly suggest you pull out and inspect all U-bolts and tech fittings, replace if at all questionable. A rig is only as strong as it’s weakest link and Stainless U-bolts don’t like wet anaerobic conditions.

Keny at 16/03/2016 14:10:48
Although, as George said , 5mm & 6MM was the standard I think nowadays its 6mm all round. Mine were 7mm when I bought it so I guess some people would deem this necessary for some purposes.
keny

George Isted at 16/03/2016 15:08:02
One factor to keep in mind if over-sizing the rigging is where you are moving the weakest link too and is the location of that weak link acceptable. There is only so much strength in the deck.

In 2015, some friends of mine lost their rig during a storm when hit by an unusually large (rogue?) wave that carried away the mast (they where under bare poles at the time). Unfortunately the rigging was sufficiently strong that a large section of deck (chainplate and bulkhead) was ripped out. Being some way offshore they were lucky to make safe landfall, a testament their seamanship.

Just to be clear this was not a Co32.