Securing Tabernacle Mast to the Step

[itguy1010]

Hi all...

As posted in another thread I'm new to Daysailers but not new to sailboats. Need a little help here with this one.

So, yesterday evening I rigged the boat in the driveway with no problems except for attaching the short mast section that runs from the top of the cuddy to the mast step. It appears to just sit on the step casting with no fasteners whatsoever. I understand that the mast (when rigged) is under a constant vertical load and held down to, and around the step casting by the stays. My exciting moment of the evening came when I was tilting the mast back down and as soon as enough of the mast weight got behind me it lifted the cuddy section, tabernacle and all right out and I had to be very quick reacting to prevent the mast head from hitting the ground. Whew!

Now, I've searched the forum and I must not be using the right search criteria because I found nothing except a photo of someone's mast secured to the step with a long SS pin going through both mast and step laterally. Neither my lower mast section nor my step casting have any holes drilled in them for fasteners of any kind. I can perform that modification on mine if necessary but I'm wondering if its wise to unscrew the step from the keelson and drill the hole in my shop or take a drill to it inside the cuddy? Also, I'm not wild about fastening aluminum with SS due to the corrosion one gets with fastening dis-similar metals especially in a wet environment.

Any ideas? Suggestions are welcome and feel free to laugh at my DS ineptitude.

Thanks.

Eric

[TIM WEBB]

The instructions that come with the mast hinge from D&R describe the method for drilling the hole in the stub/step for using a pin. Step removal is necessary.

On TRW, I went with a screw, since I was going for a more "permanent" installation ...

Not laughing at all, since we're all learning as we go along ... ;-P

[itguy1010]

The instructions that come with the mast hinge from D&R describe the method for drilling the hole in the stub/step for using a pin. Step removal is necessary.

On TRW, I went with a screw, since I was going for a more "permanent" installation ...

Not laughing at all, since we're all learning as we go along ... ;-P

Thanks, Tim.

Well, I'll go ahead and pull that step this weekend and drill it and the mast stub for a SS pin. I prefer to remove the mast stub annually at winterization to check for corrosion. Long term permanent bonding of steel to aluminum can result in rapid corrosion of the aluminum and although I wouldn't mind the cost of a new step casting, the mast stub must be pricey should it need to be replaced.

Its funny that even though I could drop this boat in the water today and sail it properly, my to-do list before our maiden voyage in a couple of weeks is growing exponentially.


Eric

[Karl Teske]

I would like to do the same thing with my current step. Does anyone have the instructions from DR and pin size needed?

[GreenLake]

Its funny that even though I could drop this boat in the water today and sail it properly, my to-do list before our maiden voyage in a couple of weeks is growing exponentially.

You know, there are those who fix boats, and those who sail them

I took my boat on the water pretty much as delivered to me by the P.O. Broke some stuff on the maiden voyage. No amount of prep would have flushed that out (now, with specific experience, if I took delivery of another DS I would be able to check some known trouble spots...).

But, say, if I got an entirely different design boat? Probably would need a sea trial to discover any issues...

[K.C. Walker]

I took my boat on the water pretty much as delivered to me by the P.O. Broke some stuff on the maiden voyage. No amount of prep would have flushed that out (now, with specific experience, if I took delivery of another DS I would be able to check some known trouble spots...).

But, say, if I got an entirely different design boat? Probably would need a sea trial to discover any issues...

+1

[K.C. Walker]

Oh yes, the original question, I had the same issue. It does not take much to hold it down, I would guess one screw would be plenty. The only time that it will have any force on it being pulled out is that point where the balance of the mast is heavier at the aft. Use a really sharp drill because the casting is harder than the mast aluminum and the drillbit can wander. If you use something like Lanocote, you can minimize the dissimilar metal corrosion problem which is a genuine concern at that location.

[GreenLake]

If you use a screw (not a removable pin) then TefGel will prevent it from seizing and will prevent corrosion. (That stuff works well, but I wouldn't want to get any of it on me, hence not recommending it for something that's removed fully and handled in that state)

[itguy1010]

If you use a screw (not a removable pin) then TefGel will prevent it from seizing and will prevent corrosion. (That stuff works well, but I wouldn't want to get any of it on me, hence not recommending it for something that's removed fully and handled in that state)

I'm kind of leaning towards going with the pin. I like the idea of pulling the mast stub for storage in the winter and a pin makes a long winterization list a little shorter.

Thanks again.

Eric

[GreenLake]

I must confess that I only have a vague idea what the configuration looks like, but if it were possible to fit a screw or bolt such that it can be backed off a few turns to permit the mast stub to be removed, that would be the kind of alternative I had envisioned.

[jeadstx]

Attached is a picture of my mast step and the pin securing it inside the cuddy cabin. It appears to have a pin made from a bolt, not sure of the diameter. It has a nut holding it in place.

John

[itguy1010]

Attached is a picture of my mast step and the pin securing it inside the cuddy cabin. It appears to have a pin made from a bolt, not sure of the diameter. It has a nut holding it in place.

John

Hey, John. Thanks for the picture. If it were me, I'd trim the length of that bolt back a little. That thing is just screaming "I want to open up some flesh." Ask me how I know this.

Found a good, long 1/4" clevis pin at TSC that has a decent zinc coating on it that shouldn't be too much trouble. I'll probably spray the whole thing with a teflon based dry lube to hold the oxidation/corrosion at bay until season's end.

Eric

[njsurfboat]

I disaster my boat this weekend and going to post a few questions in another thread. The mast base wasn't fastened and climbed up almost out of the deck before the aluminum rivets for the mast / tabernacle failed. I have a boat with no damage except a spreader base that needed straightening. Point is, why fasten the mast base? Anything that can give or break away is a good thing in a dismasking.