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Home / Forums / Mast, Rigging and Sails / Choosing new mast

Forums, Mast, Rigging and Sails, Choosing new mast

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00:30 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

Resolute635 at 15/12/2016 14:56:47
I’m considering a new mast rather than expensive repairs to old one. I found Zspars provide a considerably cheaper mast than Selden and I was told that several Contessas have recently had their masts replaced by Zspars.

It would be helpful to hear from anyone who has dealt with Zspars and also any words of wisdom about their masts compared with the Selden.

CO32BB : CO32BB

00:30 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

tantris at 22/12/2016 20:01:22

Hello,
I fitted a Z-spars mast (and slightly used Selden boom) to my Contessa 32 (TANTRIS) about 12 months ago. It was recommended and fitted by Holman Rigging at Chichester.
It has proved excellent and quite a lot cheaper than Selden gear. Be careful with the boot and the deck plate (ie use the Z-Spars unit), I had a bit of an issue with water ingress initially, but loads of mastic (rather more than I would have liked) solved the problem. As far as I could see, if the correct base plate and boot is used there should be no need for excessive use of mastic,
They also fitted a Tidemarine insert into the mast groove – excellent effortless hoisting and dropping of the mainsail.
My boat had the original mast and roller boom reefing which was functional but to adapt it to bring all lines back to the cockpit was going to be messy so I opted for the new mast and rigging.
Very pleased I made that choice. Desire over bank balance !

CO32BB : CO32BB

00:30 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

Resolute635 at 24/12/2016 12:51:15
Thank – very helpful. Did you have to alter/enlarge the hole the mast goes through in the cabin roof? Mine has a moulded lip which takes the gaiter at the moment. I’d like to have a deck ring or plate for the cockpit line turning blocks (for halyards, reefing lines)and I’m not sure if the Zspars plate will sit outside the lip moulding.

Yachting is all desire over bank balance, I suppose!!

CO32BB : CO32BB

00:31 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

tantris at 28/12/2016 16:50:35
No, there was no enlargement necessary, but as I said Holman did have 2 or 3 threes goes at making it fully watertight – with the aid of a lot of mastic. We have been through quite a lot of heavy weather with no ingress of water. My boat was 1977 built.

CO32BB : CO32BB

00:31 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

George Isted at 29/12/2016 20:31:50
For info, fitting the Selden deck ring requires the removal of the existing lip on the coach-roof. Rogers can provide a grp moulding that sits between the coach-roof and the deck ring.

not sure what the Z-spar options are for a deck ring but worth investigating how well it would sit on the deck.

CO32BB : CO32BB

00:31 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

Impromptu at 31/12/2016 01:06:09
I had a new Z Spars mast fitted earlier this year, substantially cheaper than the Selden option. The price for factory fitted standing and running rigging, lights and the deck fitting all seemed quite reasonable.
I had to have some alterations made to my coachroof and a new mast foot fitting, the cost of this should be taken into account if comparing with the selden mast.
I’m happy with the mast, minor water ingress but seems to have been solved by tightening the jubilee clip around the boot. I have lots more water coming in from different points!

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00:31 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

Resolute635 at 03/01/2017 14:20:42
George – thanks. I’ll certainly look into the zSpars deck ring. Do you happen to know whether there is a racing standard which applies to the mast on Contessas? The Zspars mast is 179 × 119mm, whereas my old (?Kemp) mast is 193 × 122mm.

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00:31 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

George Isted at 04/01/2017 19:24:51
Z-spar’s supplied a mast a few years back for Cosantes and some trouble was gone to in order to ensure it was suitable to meet the one-design rules and was as close as possible to the origional Kemp (now Selden) profile. It is worth asking zspars to dig out the info as that will tell you what section to go for – although I expect they have already done this.

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00:31 16 October 2023

Choosing new mast

Resolute635 at 18/02/2017 11:19:42
Thanks. In the end, after a second opinion on my mast, I decided to go no further with replacing it – but I found discussion with Allan Murray of Z spars, as well as the advice on this forum, very helpful.

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