DaySailer.org Forum

Yesterday I took the DS2 out in a solid 15-20 knot breeze and it was humming nicely. Lots of fun on the lake....[until]

However, my starboard side stay bolts snapped and the wire went flying and with the mast under pressure from the sail, it bent like a twizzler. See attached pictures.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1007155499 ... ntMastPics

Also, it is a straight mast, no tabernacle setup. I'd prefer to keep it that way since putting in a tabernacle seems like it'd be more trouble than worth.

What do I do? Is there a place to get a replacement mast? What does something like that cost? Should I look for a used mast? Anyone have a mast they'd like to donate/sell to a poor sailor?

Thanks for any advice you might offer.
Sincerey, Landlocked in Raleigh....

DM

I bent my mast by driving into an overhanging branch while pulling away from the ramp. Talk about embarrassing...

I'm located outside Charleston SC and found someone in upstate NY willing to box and ship a used mast. The shipping costs were high enough, surprisingly high, that I decided to get a new mast.

If you can find one locally, or close enough to drive to pick up yourself that would be the way to go.

I bought a plain mast extrusion from Dwyer for $387.14 and transferred the hardware from the old mast to the new one. Shipping was around $150. If you can ship to a commercial address rather than a residential one it will save you money...even if you work out of your house.

DM,
I had the same thing happen to me on my 1980 DS II last summer, About 15 MPH of wind on a beam reach the heads of the starboard bolts sheared off and the mast took a quick trip to the port side. Mine just had a nice bend, no kink and very little twist. I was able coax it back into nearly original profile.
I would recommend replacing those thirty year old bolts to anyone that hasn't experienced this little bit of fun.
Kevin

Skippa wrote:.
I would recommend replacing those thirty year old bolts to anyone that hasn't experienced this little bit of fun.
Kevin

Thanks for the insight... Probably the only bolts on the boat I've not already replaced, but it seems like another of those things you won't know needs attention until it breaks off. Therefore, adding this one more item to the (getting shorter) winter "todo" list. As long as I'm going in there, any point in replacing the backing plate with something longer to better distribute the load, or are the stock backing plates generally considered good enough?

Thanks

Scott,
Another thread talked about using a 9 inch , 7/8 in stainless tubing cut lenghtwise to replace original chainplate backup. Cut horizontal and add another hole on each end to spread the load of the side stays. This is one of my spring projects.
Kevin

hectoretc:

Somewhere on this forum is a story from someone whose stock backing plate pulled through the edge, but I can't figure out a search term at the moment.

I, cautious oldster that I am, would replace the weentsy little things. To that end, I've bought some 7/8-inch stainless tubing, with the idea of cutting it in half lengthwise and making longer backing plates. I can tell you from personal knowledge that 7/8-inch tubing is a perfect fit under the curve below the hull-to-deck joint on a DSII.

jdoorly had some comments on this, but I'm not sure where.

It was my boat where the stock backing plate went through the hull and stuck in the deck which was bent up and torn away. I replaced the old backing plate with 7/8" stainless tube. The tube was 9" long because that was the scrap I cutoff from my pulpit/"A" frame and I didn't feel like melting it shorter in my cut-off saw, and especially didn't feel like cutting it lengthwise, nor did I feel like reducing the strength of the tube.

The accident occurred in my back yard when I was careening the boat to work on the centerboard. This is the second time careening the boat resulted in major breakage. The first time the mast went down and mangled the tabernackle (dwyer type) which prompted me to design a new tabernacle.