bent mast

[Interim]

I have just noticed that my mast is bent, and am wondering if this needs to be addressed.

My best guess is that it is 5 degrees or less, bending aft about where the gooseneck fits in the slot. No creases or wrinkles in the metal.

I'm looking for guidance on whether this is ok to continue sailing with. If not, can a machine shop straighten it? Or would the metal be too weakened?

Thanks in advance,

--john

[Moose]

Interim,

I would give it a go but be very careful until you are confident. Odds are you have been sailing with this bend for a while without noticing because most boats are tuned with aft mast bend/rake anyway.

The problem is not that you will make the metal weak, but that you will make it too hard!

I would suggest that you DO NOT try to straighten it. All of the masts that I've had have been something like 6061 T6 aluminum. This means that the material has been hardened, giving it a better yeild, shear, and tensile strength than plain 6061. This material is heated, quenched, and then annealed so that it is not brittle. If the mast is bent one way and than back the other you will begin to work harden the material. This will make that area of the mast brittle and more likely to break.

If someone were to fix this the best way to do it would be to bend the material back and then anneal it; or anneal it, bend it back, then re harden and anneal again. The second option is best, both would be expensive( if your local machine shop even has the facilities for this), and both would probably ruin the finish on your mast.

But do whatever you feel most comfortable with, this is my friendly opinion (not my professional advice).

Moose

[K.C. Walker]

Interim,

I'm with Moose regarding you probably have been sailing with this for a while. If you just noticed it and you didn't bend it yourself, which you would know you did, I'd guess it's been like that. Also, if you just noticed it, it probably is less than 5°. I'm of the opinion that it would most likely be just fine as is. Though, with inspection to look for cracks to make sure that it is sound.

If this is a single piece, keel stepped mast, it's likely that it was bent while stepped and the bend probably happened at the partner. This will affect your sail plan very little if at all, as it is below the area that would affect the sail shape. You should be able to adjust the rake of your mast as usual, just with the foot of the mast a bit further back.

[Moose]

I concur.

[Interim]

The mast is stepped above the cuddy, not at the keel.

I did broach last fall, and during the tow the top of the mast was in the water but I don't think that would have enough force to bend the mast. So, perhaps I sailed with it like this last year.

After watching Reford's "All is lost" I have a strange concern about the mast folding over

thanks for the input.

--john

[jeadstx]

Perhaps you could get a picture of the mast and post it.

John

[Interim]

John--

Good idea. It will be next week before I can post it though.

Thanks.

--John

[Interim]

Ok, so it was less than a week. Attached are two pictures, each showing slight bends near the base of the mast.

In the first, you can see a slight bend to the right because the tabernacle is off to starboard. In the second, you can see the bend aft about 3-4' up from the tabernacle. It looks like this is deflection from the jackstand supporting it, but it is not.



Too little to worry about?

--john

[K.C. Walker]

Interim,

Here's a video of the guy who runs Rooster Sailing straightening a Laser mast. Because you are straightening near the end of the mast you're going to need to use the two post method, though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U54JzBiyZY

These are both minor bends and I would think easily enough straightened. The method is to find two sturdy posts (or similar) somewhat close together as your bending apparatus. You stick the mast between the posts and GENTLY lever it back to straight. I've seen people use the bottom side of a car, protecting the car and the mast with a board. You do want to monitor carefully so that you don't over bend or make a kink. You don't want a point load so protecting the mast with a board against the fulcrum is a good idea.

Of course, you want to look and see if you have any stretch marks, which I doubt you will.

[Interim]

So you think that bend is enough that it needs to be straightened?

--john

[K.C. Walker]

I think you could sail it as is. I think the aft bend would not affect your sailing. You "might" notice some difference between one tack and the other from the sideways bend, which would be the easier one to straighten.

[Interim]

Ok. I'm most worried about catastrophic failure, so I can accept a loss in performance over further weakening the metal by bending it back.

Thanks for the video. I may end up doing that depending on how things go.

--john