Check your mast steps!

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1

Posted by Tom Vesey (tvesey@…>)

Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out life on the water, but
to check our mast steps too.

One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t have to worry
about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff like that. But here’s
a scary incident that should remind us to keep an eye on our mast
steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened to the boat.
Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the mast in place.

A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43 (cat ketch with carbon
masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather on a trip from
Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing this trip in
February is unclear to me. The main mast – right at the bow, as on
Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step and started
gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below. (Links to a newspaper
story are at the bottom of this e-mail)

I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were convinced it would
drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once it had finished
demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture it could reach.

Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain locker and got
tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its swinging. The mast
eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course, various halyards
etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an assortment of other
problems occurred.

One of which was the owner’s health, which was very poor to start
with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as the boat made it to
Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air
ambulance but died soon afterwards.

Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat to Bermuda pretty
much every year for a couple of decades. Richard showed me around his
boat a couple of years ago when I started looking at cat ketches.
It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He loved it, and urged me
to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.

I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they suspected he knew
his days were numbered, and probably wanted to have one last sail to
Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.

The two crew I spoke with said the main mast on Carina appeared to
sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which was covered in
fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted away, they said,
without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my mast steps, which
of course I did and everything appeared to be solid.

But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly – mostly judged by
feeling around – and don’t have a clear idea of how they are
fastened or how they are meant to be fastened. When I felt under my
mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple of large nuts, as
though it was somehow bolted onto the step.

Sometime over the next few days I will go at it more seriously with a
mirror and flashlight.

Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts should be attached
to the boat? Or is this a case where no two boats are alike.
I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts
appeared to have been epoxied into place and were a nightmare to remove.


Tom
Jackrabbit
F44 Bermuda


Here is a first-hand version of the events (with a couple of
pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.html

And some reporting from the Bermuda newspapers:

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/
NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/
NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584

2

Posted by Lorman, Alvin J. (ajlorman@…>)

Tom:

Thanks for sharing this story with us.

The 2 links to the Bermuda paper don’t work, but they do bring you to the paper’s web site. Scroll down to “search” and plug in “Carina” and you can find the articles.

Al Lorman
F30 Ab Initio

-----Original Message-----From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom VeseySent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PMTo: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com; Freedom-44@yahoogroups.comSubject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast steps!Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out life on the water, but to check our mast steps too.One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t have to worry about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff like that. But here’s a scary incident that should remind us to keep an eye on our mast steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened to the boat. Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the mast in place.A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43 (cat ketch with carbon masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather on a trip from Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing this trip in February is unclear to me. The main mast – right at the bow, as on Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step and started gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below. (Links to a newspaper story are at the bottom of this e-mail)I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were convinced it would drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once it had finished demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture it could reach.Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain locker and got tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its swinging. The mast eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course, various halyards etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an assortment of other problems occurred.One of which was the owner’s health, which was very poor to start with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as the boat made it to Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air ambulance but died soon afterwards.Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat to Bermuda pretty much every year for a couple of decades. Richard showed me around his boat a couple of years ago when I started looking at cat ketches. It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He loved it, and urged me to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they suspected he knew his days were numbered, and probably wanted to have one last sail to Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.The two crew I spoke with said the main mast on Carina appeared to sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which was covered in fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted away, they said, without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my mast steps, which of course I did and everything appeared to be solid.But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly – mostly judged by feeling around – and don’t have a clear idea of how they are fastened or how they are meant to be fastened. When I felt under my mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple of large nuts, as though it was somehow bolted onto the step.Sometime over the next few days I will go at it more seriously with a mirror and flashlight.Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts should be attached to the boat? Or is this a case where no two boats are alike.I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts appeared to have been epoxied into place and were a nightmare to remove.TomJackrabbitF44 BermudaHere is a first-hand version of the events (with a couple of pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.htmlAnd some reporting from the Bermuda newspapers:http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/ NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/ NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584
=00IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person other than Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP) of that transaction or matter, and (ii) such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayers particular circumstances from an independent tax advisorThis email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.

3

Posted by Fargo Rousseau (fargo_r@…>)
Al: Please remind me…does the mast step on a Mull Freedom 30 have any wooden parts? I have come to peace with the klunking sound of my mast moving on the step (when seas produce a deep rolling)…but can imagine that the movement sends a big impact load into the step. Would it be accurate to say that NO Freedom 30/36 has ever lost a mast or mast step due to deterioration in any part of this system? Thanks, Fargo F30#12 NARISA… Still near Palm Beach preparing for the Bahamas.“Lorman, Alvin J.” <ajlorman@…> wrote:Message Tom: Thanks for sharing this story with us. The 2 links to the Bermuda paper don’t work, but they do bring you to the paper’s web site. Scroll down to “search” and plug in “Carina” and you can find the articles. Al Lorman F30 Ab Initio -----Original Message-----From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom VeseySent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PMTo: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com; Freedom-44@yahoogroups.comSubject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast steps!Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out life on the water, but to check our mast steps too.One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t have to worry about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff like that. But here’s a scary incident that should remind us to keep an eye on our mast steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened to the
boat. Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the mast in place.A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43 (cat ketch with carbon masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather on a trip from Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing this trip in February is unclear to me. The main mast – right at the bow, as on Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step and started gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below. (Links to a newspaper story are at the bottom of this e-mail)I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were convinced it would drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once it had finished demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture it could reach.Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain locker and got tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its swinging. The mast eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course, various halyards etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an assortment of other problems occurred.One of which was the owner’s health, which was very poor to start with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as the boat made it to Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air ambulance but died soon afterwards.Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat to Bermuda pretty much every year for a couple of decades. Richard showed me around his boat a couple of years ago when I started looking at cat ketches. It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He loved it, and urged me to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they suspected he knew his days were numbered, and probably wanted to have
one last sail to Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.The two crew I spoke with said the main mast on Carina appeared to sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which was covered in fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted away, they said, without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my mast steps, which of course I did and everything appeared to be solid.But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly – mostly judged by feeling around – and don’t have a clear idea of how they are fastened or how they are meant to be fastened. When I felt under my mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple of large nuts, as though it was somehow bolted onto the step.Sometime over the next few days I will go at it more seriously with a mirror and flashlight.Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts should be
attached to the boat? Or is this a case where no two boats are alike.I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts appeared to have been epoxied into place and were a nightmare to remove.TomJackrabbitF44 BermudaHere is a first-hand version of the events (with a couple of pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.htmlAnd some reporting from the Bermuda newspapers:http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/ NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/ NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584 =00IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person other than Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP) of that transaction or matter, and (ii) such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayers particular circumstances from an independent tax advisorThis email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the
individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.

4

Posted by Lorman, Alvin J. (ajlorman@…>)

Fargo:

As far as I know, there are no wooden parts to a Mull 30 mast step. Are you sure your mast is moving? Mine seems quite firmly in place even when the though bolt was fairly loose.

I wish I could assure you that no Mull 30/36 has ever lost a mast or mast step, but I’m afraid I simply don’t have that information.

Best,

Al
F30 Ab initio

-----Original Message-----From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Fargo RousseauSent: Friday, February 24, 2006 4:58 PMTo: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.comSubject: RE: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast steps!Al:Please remind me…does the mast step on a Mull Freedom 30 have any wooden parts? I have come to peace with the klunking sound of my mast moving on the step (when seas produce a deep rolling)…but can imagine that the movement sends a big impact load into the step. Would it be accurate to say that NO Freedom 30/36 has ever lost a mast or mast step due to deterioration in any part of this system?Thanks,FargoF30#12NARISA… Still near Palm Beach preparing for the Bahamas.“Lorman, Alvin J.” <ajlorman@…> wrote:

Tom:

Thanks for sharing this story with us.

The 2 links to the Bermuda paper don’t work, but they do bring you to the paper’s web site. Scroll down to “search” and plug in “Carina” and you can find the articles.

Al Lorman
F30 A! b Initio

-----Original Message-----From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom VeseySent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PMTo: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com; Freedom-44@yahoogroups.comSubject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast steps!Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out life on the water, but to check our mast steps too.One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t have to worry about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff like that. But here’s a scary incident that should remind us to keep an eye on our mast steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened to the boat. Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the mast in place.A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43 (cat ketch with carbon masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather on a trip from Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing this trip in February is unclear to me. The main mast – right at the bow, as on Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step and started gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below. (Links to a newspaper story are at the bottom of this e-mail)I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were convinced it would drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once it had finished demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture it could reach.Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain locker and got tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its swinging. T! he mast eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course, various halyards etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an assortment of other problems occurred.One of which was the owner’s health, which was very poor to start with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as the boat made it to Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air ambulance but died soon afterwards.Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat to Bermuda pretty much every year for a couple of decades. Richard showed me around his boat a couple of years ago when I started looking at cat ketches. It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He loved it, and urged me to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they suspected he knew his days were numbered, and probably wanted to&nbs! p; have one last sail to Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.The two crew I spoke with said the main mast on Carina appeared to sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which was covered in fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted away, they said, without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my mast steps, which of course I did and everything appeared to be solid.But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly – mostly judged by feeling around – and don’t have a clear idea of how they are fastened or how they are meant to be fastened. When I felt under my mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple of large nuts, as though it was somehow bolted onto the step.Sometime over the next few days I will go at it more seriously with a mirror and flashlight.Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts ! should be attached to the boat? Or is this a case where no two boats are alike.I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts appeared to have been epoxied into place and were a nightmare to remove.TomJackrabbitF44 BermudaHere is a first-hand version of the events (with a couple of pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.htmlAnd some reporting from the Bermuda newspapers:http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/ NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/ NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584=00

IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person other than Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP) of that transaction or matter, and (ii) such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayers particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor

This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.
=00IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person other than Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP) of that transaction or matter, and (ii) such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayers particular circumstances from an independent tax advisorThis email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.

5

Posted by Alan Kusinitz (akusinitz@…>)


I have an F33 Hull #51 1982. I think
there are significant issues with the method of securing the mast to the step. I
don’t know if this is similar to other models. I have had the mast out
each season for the last three years trying to resolve the issues.

The step itself and collar is very solid.
In the bow the step is extremely well supported with fiberglass transversely
and longitudinally under the step.

The masts are pinned in place with two
bolts through the collar and into holes near the base of the mast. The bolt
threads were ground down flat at the point they go through the holes in the
mast.

The previous owner noticed some wear on
the holes in the mast (ovalization). He made a custom thick oak ring and
epoxied it inside the mast so the bolts would go into that as well.

The first season I had the boat I heard
some noise and was concerned. When I hauled the boat at the end of the season I
took the masts out. The main had significant wear both in the holes in the mast
and the oak insert. I suspect surfing downwind at 9.5 knots did most of the
abrasion.

I removed the oak and filled the holes and
fiberglassed with epoxy resin about a half inch reinforcement inside both sides
of the mast where the bolts go. When the yard stepped the masts they actually
threaded this rather than using the prior ground down bolts. I wasn’t sure
this was a good idea but they felt the fiberglass reinforcement was so thick it
would be fine. I also spartited the masts at the deck collar and put in
additional wooden and rubber wedges at the base of the mast.

I had the masts unstepped at the end of
the season and on the main saw some (not much) wear on the threads in the mast
and fiberglass reinforcement. My belief is in extended severe weather this
would get worse.

This season I going to larger bolts with
the thread machined down flat on a lathe so there are no sharp edges to abrade
and will see how that works.

The two issues are preventing rotation of
the mast and preventing it from jumping up out of the step (the latter being
the bigger problem).

I actually think perhaps the best solution
is to put a removable ring (like a garhauer SS steel ring used for boom vang
attachment) around the mast under the deck step so the mast cannot move upward
and use the bolts at the base to prevent rotation. If the bolts abrade and
allow some rotation this is not catastrophic. If the abrade completely and
allow the mast to rise up the ring would prevent the mast jumping out of the
lower step. Just a thought.

Anyone else have any other ideas? I can
think of many other options if I were designing the base of the mast and step
collar from scratch but that seems too big a job.

Ignoring the noise is probably not a
good idea as it indicates some abrasion.

Alan





From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Vesey
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006
12:13 PM
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com;
Freedom-44@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Check
your mast steps!

Here’s a sad story to remind
us to enjoy out life on the water, but
to check our mast steps too.

One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t
have to worry
about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff
like that. But here’s
a scary incident that should remind us to keep an
eye on our mast
steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened
to the boat.
Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the
mast in place.

A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43
(cat ketch with carbon
masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather
on a trip from
Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly
they were doing this trip in
February is unclear to me. The main mast – right
at the bow, as on
Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step
and started
gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below.
(Links to a newspaper
story are at the bottom of this e-mail)

I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were
convinced it would
drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once
it had finished
demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture
it could reach.

Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain
locker and got
tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its
swinging. The mast
eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course,
various halyards
etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an
assortment of other
problems occurred.

One of which was the owner’s health, which was
very poor to start
with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as
the boat made it to
Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by
air
ambulance but died soon afterwards.

Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat
to Bermuda pretty
much every year for a couple of decades. Richard
showed me around his
boat a couple of years ago when I started
looking at cat ketches.
It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He
loved it, and urged me
to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.

I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they
suspected he knew
his days were numbered, and probably wanted
to have one last sail to
Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.

The two crew I spoke with said the main mast
on Carina appeared to
sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which
was covered in
fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted
away, they said,
without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my
mast steps, which
of course I did and everything appeared to be
solid.

But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly –
mostly judged by
feeling around – and don’t have a clear
idea of how they are
fastened or how they are meant to be fastened.
When I felt under my
mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple
of large nuts, as
though it was somehow bolted onto the step.

Sometime over the next few days I will go at it
more seriously with a
mirror and flashlight.

Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts
should be attached
to the boat? Or is this a case where no two
boats are alike.
I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts
appeared to have been epoxied into place and were
a nightmare to remove.


Tom
Jackrabbit
F44 Bermuda


Here is a first-hand version of the events (with a
couple of
pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.html

And some reporting from the Bermuda
newspapers:

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/

NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/

NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584






\

6

Posted by Skip Turpin (skipperf33@…>)

Alan,

I own the 1982, F33, Hull #63!

Some previous owner apparently was concerned about the mast pulling
out of the step ring also. With all I have been able to gather over
the years this just does not seem to happen with this boat. Never
the less, someone was worried about it, to the point of spending a
fare amount of cash to purchase his or her piece of mind. Here is
what they did!

They had a two piece stainless steel collar made out of 1/4" x 2"
stock. The two halves were then lined with rubber and bolted
together at each end with 3/8 bolts. The collar was positioned about
18" above the step ring with the the collar bolt positioned over one
of the gussets with the hole drilled through it. A “D” shackle was
installed through that hole in the step ring gusset. He then
attached a huge stainless steel turn buckle with hooks at each end
between the bolt clamping the ring halves together and the “D”
shackle that was attached to the step ring.

By tightening the turn buckle you pull the mast down hard onto the
step. I have had my boat in 30’ seas and 50 knot winds and the mast
never budged or did any popping. I did have my main boom vang part
(not a pretty sight. You would not believe what the boom did when
turned lose in those conditions! Yiks!) The main mast did turn a bit,
but did not lift! In fact as the mast tried to turn, the turnbuckle
got even tighter.

I will have to fix the bolt holes in both the mast and the step
ring. I like your idea of building up the interior of the mast at
the hole locations.

I can also tell you that the base of each mast had about four beads
of a hard white guzzer between the ID of the step ring and the OD of
the mast. I am sure the mast had been sprayed with some kind of non
stick spray prior to the application of this guzzer. Both masts were
very easy to release from the step rings once the deck rings were
removed and the partners driven out the top.

I am sorry, but the name of that stuff escapes me at the moment but
it has been posted on this board. It was white, hard and looked like
some kind of two part filler. You could see where someone had used
their fingertips to stuff the filler down between the mast and the
step ring. With the masts out, it was no big deal to remove the
patches of that filler. I am sure someone will come forward with the
name of the goop!

I am pretty sure that this filler is what really keeps the masts from
moving around in the step ring and causing the banging and noise that
some folks complain about!

Hope this is helpful info for other owners. As I will not be re-
stepping my mast till I put her back in the water, I can not get any
pictures of this lash up. If this was clear as mud, I will try to
answer any questions if they come up!

Skip

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

I have an F33 Hull #51 1982. I think there are significant issues
with the
method of securing the mast to the step.

From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Vesey
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PM
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com; Freedom-44@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast steps!

Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out life on the water,
but
to check our mast steps too.

One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t have to worry
about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff like that. But
here’s
a scary incident that should remind us to keep an eye on our mast
steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened to the
boat.
Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the mast in place.

A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43 (cat ketch with
carbon
masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather on a trip from
Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing this trip in
February is unclear to me. The main mast – right at the bow, as
on
Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step and started
gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below. (Links to a
newspaper
story are at the bottom of this e-mail)

I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were convinced it
would
drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once it had finished
demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture it could reach.

Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain locker and got
tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its swinging. The mast
eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course, various halyards
etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an assortment of other
problems occurred.

One of which was the owner’s health, which was very poor to start
with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as the boat made it to
Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air
ambulance but died soon afterwards.

Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat to Bermuda pretty
much every year for a couple of decades. Richard showed me around
his
boat a couple of years ago when I started looking at cat
ketches.
It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He loved it, and urged
me
to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.

I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they suspected he knew
his days were numbered, and probably wanted to have one last sail
to
Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.

The two crew I spoke with said the main mast on Carina appeared
to
sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which was covered in
fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted away, they said,
without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my mast steps,
which
of course I did and everything appeared to be solid.

But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly – mostly judged by
feeling around – and don’t have a clear idea of how they are
fastened or how they are meant to be fastened. When I felt under
my
mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple of large nuts,
as
though it was somehow bolted onto the step.

Sometime over the next few days I will go at it more seriously with
a
mirror and flashlight.

Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts should be
attached
to the boat? Or is this a case where no two boats are alike.
I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts
appeared to have been epoxied into place and were a nightmare to
remove.

Tom
Jackrabbit
F44 Bermuda

Here is a first-hand version of the events (with a couple of
pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.html

And some reporting from the Bermuda newspapers:

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/
NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/
NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584

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7

Posted by Alan Kusinitz (akusinitz@…>)


Thank you. This was very clear. The
stainless steel ring and turnbuckle was something I was thinking about but
thought putting the ring at the deck would keep it from lifting. But with the
turnbuckle I guess the downward tension makes it even more secure.
There was a memo on my boat from Freedom
that suggested using epoxy sticks in the space around the mast. It didn’t
say anything about non-stick but clearly one would need to use Vaseline or
something to allow the masts to be removed.
My experience leads me to believe the arrangement
in your boat helped avoid damage in the severe weather you mentioned.
Thanks again. This was quite helpful.
Alan





From:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Skip Turpin
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006
3:20 AM
To:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Re:
Check your mast steps!

Alan,

I own the 1982, F33, Hull #63!

Some previous owner apparently was concerned about
the mast pulling
out of the step ring also. With all I have
been able to gather over
the years this just does not seem to happen with
this boat. Never
the less, someone was worried about it, to the
point of spending a
fare amount of cash to purchase his or her piece
of mind. Here is
what they did!

They had a two piece stainless steel collar made
out of 1/4" x 2"
stock. The two halves were then lined with
rubber and bolted
together at each end with 3/8 bolts. The
collar was positioned about
18" above the step ring with the the collar
bolt positioned over one
of the gussets with the hole drilled through
it. A “D” shackle was
installed through that hole in the step ring
gusset. He then
attached a huge stainless steel turn buckle with
hooks at each end
between the bolt clamping the ring halves together
and the “D”
shackle that was attached to the step ring.

By tightening the turn buckle you pull the mast
down hard onto the
step. I have had my boat in 30’ seas and 50
knot winds and the mast
never budged or did any popping. I did have
my main boom vang part
(not a pretty sight. You would not believe
what the boom did when
turned lose in those conditions! Yiks!) The main
mast did turn a bit,
but did not lift! In fact as the mast tried
to turn, the turnbuckle
got even tighter.

I will have to fix the bolt holes in both the mast
and the step
ring. I like your idea of building up the
interior of the mast at
the hole locations.

I can also tell you that the base of each mast had
about four beads
of a hard white guzzer between the ID of the step
ring and the OD of
the mast. I am sure the mast had been
sprayed with some kind of non
stick spray prior to the application of this
guzzer. Both masts were
very easy to release from the step rings once the
deck rings were
removed and the partners driven out the top.


I am sorry, but the name of that stuff escapes me
at the moment but
it has been posted on this board. It was
white, hard and looked like
some kind of two part filler. You could see
where someone had used
their fingertips to stuff the filler down between
the mast and the
step ring. With the masts out, it was no big
deal to remove the
patches of that filler. I am sure someone
will come forward with the
name of the goop!

I am pretty sure that this filler is what really
keeps the masts from
moving around in the step ring and causing the
banging and noise that
some folks complain about!

Hope this is helpful info for other owners.
As I will not be re-
stepping my mast till I put her back in the water,
I can not get any
pictures of this lash up. If this was clear
as mud, I will try to
answer any questions if they come up!

Skip

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com,
“Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

I have an F33 Hull #51 1982. I think
there are significant issues
with the
method of securing the mast to the step.

From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Tom Vesey
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PM
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com;
Freedom-44@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast
steps!

Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out
life on the water,
but
to check our mast steps too.

One of the neat things about Freedoms is you
don’t have to worry
about your turnbuckles coming undone and
stuff like that. But
here’s
a scary incident that should remind us to
keep an eye on our mast
steps, and make sure that our masts are
firmly fastened to the
boat.
Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding
the mast in place.

A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton
43 (cat ketch with
carbon
masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious
weather on a trip from
Connecticut
to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing
this trip in
February is unclear to me. The main mast –
right at the bow, as
on
Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its
step and started
gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below.
(Links to a
newspaper
story are at the bottom of this e-mail)

I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they
were convinced it
would
drive itself through the bottom of the hull,
once it had finished
demolishing bulkheads and every piece of
furniture it could reach.

Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the
chain locker and got
tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its
swinging. The mast
eventually snapped off above the deck. Of
course, various halyards
etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an
assortment of other
problems occurred.

One of which was the owner’s health, which
was very poor to start
with. He was rushed to hospital as soon
as the boat made it to
Bermuda,
fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air
ambulance but died soon afterwards.

Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the
boat to Bermuda pretty
much every year for a couple of decades.
Richard showed me around
his
boat a couple of years ago when I
started looking at cat
ketches.
It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He
loved it, and urged
me
to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.

I spoke to a couple of his friends who said
they suspected he knew
his days were numbered, and probably wanted
to have one last sail
to
Bermuda on
his beloved cat ketch.

The two crew I spoke with said the main
mast on Carina appeared
to
sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of
which was covered in
fiberglass. But the wood underneath had
rotted away, they said,
without anybody noticing. The urged me to
check my mast steps,
which
of course I did and everything appeared to be
solid.

But I must admit I couldn’t really see
clearly – mostly judged by
feeling around – and don’t have a
clear idea of how they are
fastened or how they are meant to be
fastened. When I felt under
my
mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a
couple of large nuts,
as
though it was somehow bolted onto the step.

Sometime over the next few days I will go at
it more seriously with
a
mirror and flashlight.

Does anybody have a good idea of how these
masts should be
attached
to the boat? Or is this a case where no
two boats are alike.
I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts
appeared to have been epoxied into place and
were a nightmare to
remove.

Tom
Jackrabbit
F44 Bermuda

Here is a first-hand version of the events
(with a couple of
pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.html

And some reporting from the Bermuda
newspapers:

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/

NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/

NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584

SPONSORED LINKS

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8

Posted by Jerome Weinraub (zayde@…>)

The mast steps and the mast collars at the partners on the F33 are aluminum,and are virtually identical. I replaced both mast collars with SS made by Garhauer. I was thinking of the same for the steps,but making the upright portion taller by 2 inches. Presentl,in addition to the thru bolts,I use polyurethane wedges driven in hard. Works well. No motion,and no sounds coming from the step.BTW-the Stainless collars are very nice- the original collars had lost some ears,and one had cracked. The price was very attractiveFrom: Alan Kusinitz

To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 6:15 AM
Subject: RE: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!


Thank you. This was very clear. The stainless steel ring and turnbuckle was something I was thinking about but thought putting the ring at the deck would keep it from lifting. But with the turnbuckle I guess the downward tension makes it even more secure.
There was a memo on my boat from Freedom that suggested using epoxy sticks in the space around the mast. It didn’t say anything about non-stick but clearly one would need to use Vaseline or something to allow the masts to be removed.
My experience leads me to believe the arrangement in your boat helped avoid damage in the severe weather you mentioned.
Thanks again. This was quite helpful.
Alan





From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Skip TurpinSent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 3:20 AMTo: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.comSubject: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!

Alan,I own the 1982, F33, Hull #63!Some previous owner apparently was concerned about the mast pulling out of the step ring also. With all I have been able to gather over the years this just does not seem to happen with this boat. Never the less, someone was worried about it, to the point of spending a fare amount of cash to purchase his or her piece of mind. Here is what they did!They had a two piece stainless steel collar made out of 1/4" x 2" stock. The two halves were then lined with rubber and bolted together at each end with 3/8 bolts. The collar was positioned about 18" above the step ring with the the collar bolt positioned over one of the gussets with the hole drilled through it. A “D” shackle was installed through that hole in the step ring gusset. He then attached a huge stainless steel turn buckle with hooks at each end between the bolt clamping the ring halves together and the “D” shackle that was attached to the step ring.By tightening the turn buckle you pull the mast down hard onto the step. I have had my boat in 30’ seas and 50 knot winds and the mast never budged or did any popping. I did have my main boom vang part (not a pretty sight. You would not believe what the boom did when turned lose in those conditions! Yiks!) The main mast did turn a bit, but did not lift! In fact as the mast tried to turn, the turnbuckle got even tighter.I will have to fix the bolt holes in both the mast and the step ring. I like your idea of building up the interior of the mast at the hole locations. I can also tell you that the base of each mast had about four beads of a hard white guzzer between the ID of the step ring and the OD of the mast. I am sure the mast had been sprayed with some kind of non stick spray prior to the application of this guzzer. Both masts were very easy to release from the step rings once the deck rings were removed and the partners driven out the top. I am sorry, but the name of that stuff escapes me at the moment but it has been posted on this board. It was white, hard and looked like some kind of two part filler. You could see where someone had used their fingertips to stuff the filler down between the mast and the step ring. With the masts out, it was no big deal to remove the patches of that filler. I am sure someone will come forward with the name of the goop! I am pretty sure that this filler is what really keeps the masts from moving around in the step ring and causing the banging and noise that some folks complain about! Hope this is helpful info for other owners. As I will not be re-stepping my mast till I put her back in the water, I can not get any pictures of this lash up. If this was clear as mud, I will try to answer any questions if they come up!Skip— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Alan Kusinitz” <akusinitz@…> wrote:>> I have an F33 Hull #51 1982. I think there are significant issues with the> method of securing the mast to the step. > > > > > _____ > > From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com> [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Vesey> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PM> To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com; Freedom-44@yahoogroups.com> Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast steps!> > > > Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out life on the water, but > to check our mast steps too.> > One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t have to worry > about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff like that. But here’s > a scary incident that should remind us to keep an eye on our mast > steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened to the boat. > Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the mast in place.> > A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43 (cat ketch with carbon > masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather on a trip from > Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing this trip in > February is unclear to me. The main mast – right at the bow, as on > Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step and started > gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below. (Links to a newspaper > story are at the bottom of this e-mail)> > I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were convinced it would > drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once it had finished > demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture it could reach.> > Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain locker and got > tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its swinging. The mast > eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course, various halyards > etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an assortment of other > problems occurred.> > One of which was the owner’s health, which was very poor to start > with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as the boat made it to > Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air > ambulance but died soon afterwards.> > Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat to Bermuda pretty > much every year for a couple of decades. Richard showed me around his > boat a couple of years ago when I started looking at cat ketches. > It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He loved it, and urged me > to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.> > I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they suspected he knew > his days were numbered, and probably wanted to have one last sail to > Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.> > The two crew I spoke with said the main mast on Carina appeared to > sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which was covered in > fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted away, they said, > without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my mast steps, which > of course I did and everything appeared to be solid.> > But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly – mostly judged by > feeling around – and don’t have a clear idea of how they are > fastened or how they are meant to be fastened. When I felt under my > mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple of large nuts, as > though it was somehow bolted onto the step.> > Sometime over the next few days I will go at it more seriously with a > mirror and flashlight.> > Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts should be attached > to the boat? Or is this a case where no two boats are alike.> I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts > appeared to have been epoxied into place and were a nightmare to remove.> > > Tom> Jackrabbit> F44 Bermuda> > > Here is a first-hand version of the events (with a couple of > pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.> > http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.html> > And some reporting from the Bermuda newspapers:> > http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/ > NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584> > http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/ > NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584> > > > > > > > > SPONSORED LINKS > > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+schools&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=S ailing+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&> w6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=nM_33Bwh2_UhuqSYWZR8Xw> schools > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+instruction&w1=Sailing+schools& w2=Sailing+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+advent> ure&w6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=PLKTippWs7H3hJMQiiV1Dg> instruction > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+lesson&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=Sa iling+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&w> 6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=BW-ssa-AtK1bKwgxZtYhsg> lesson > > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+course&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=Sa iling+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&w> 6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=iJziK8qHrpaIJG_Q19twrg> course > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+adventure&w1=Sailing+schools&w2 =Sailing+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventur> e&w6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=luRjwGYgtoRAVO_RIh446A> adventure > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=Sailing+i nstruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&w6=Saili> ng&c=6&s=122&.sig=H5HiiLFUXHyIpCEv0TmINg> > > > > _____ > > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > > > * Visit your group "freedomyachts2003> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freedomyachts2003 " on the web.> > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:> freedomyachts2003-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> <mailto:freedomyachts2003-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe> > > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Terms of Service. > > > > _____>

9

Posted by Alan Kusinitz (akusinitz@…>)


Have you had the masts out or been able to
examine if there is any wear where the bolts go into the mast?
Thanks,
Alan

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From:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jerome Weinraub
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006
9:31 AM
To:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [freedomyachts2003]
Re: Check your mast steps!

The mast steps and the mast collars at the partners on the
F33 are aluminum,and are virtually identical. I replaced both mast collars
with SS made by Garhauer. I was thinking of the same for the steps,but making
the upright portion taller by 2 inches. Presentl,in addition to the thru
bolts,I use polyurethane wedges driven in hard. Works well. No motion,and
no sounds coming from the step.BTW-the Stainless collars are very nice- the
original collars had lost some ears,and one had cracked. The price was very
attractiveFrom: Alan Kusinitz




To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com



Sent: Saturday, February
25, 2006 6:15 AM


Subject: RE:
[freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!

\

Thank you. This was very clear. The
stainless steel ring and turnbuckle was something I was thinking about but
thought putting the ring at the deck would keep it from lifting. But with the
turnbuckle I guess the downward tension makes it even more secure.
There was a memo on my boat from Freedom
that suggested using epoxy sticks in the space around the mast. It didn’t
say anything about non-stick but clearly one would need to use Vaseline or
something to allow the masts to be removed.
My experience leads me to believe the
arrangement in your boat helped avoid damage in the severe weather you mentioned.
Thanks again. This was quite helpful.
Alan





From:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Skip Turpin
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006
3:20 AM
To:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Re:
Check your mast steps!

Alan,

I own the 1982, F33, Hull #63!

Some previous owner apparently was concerned about
the mast pulling
out of the step ring also. With all I have
been able to gather over
the years this just does not seem to happen with
this boat. Never
the less, someone was worried about it, to the
point of spending a
fare amount of cash to purchase his or her piece
of mind. Here is
what they did!

They had a two piece stainless steel collar made
out of 1/4" x 2"
stock. The two halves were then lined with
rubber and bolted
together at each end with 3/8 bolts. The
collar was positioned about
18" above the step ring with the the collar
bolt positioned over one
of the gussets with the hole drilled through
it. A “D” shackle was
installed through that hole in the step ring
gusset. He then
attached a huge stainless steel turn buckle with
hooks at each end
between the bolt clamping the ring halves together
and the “D”
shackle that was attached to the step ring.

By tightening the turn buckle you pull the mast
down hard onto the
step. I have had my boat in 30’ seas and 50
knot winds and the mast
never budged or did any popping. I did have
my main boom vang part
(not a pretty sight. You would not believe
what the boom did when
turned lose in those conditions! Yiks!) The main
mast did turn a bit,
but did not lift! In fact as the mast tried
to turn, the turnbuckle
got even tighter.

I will have to fix the bolt holes in both the mast
and the step
ring. I like your idea of building up the
interior of the mast at
the hole locations.

I can also tell you that the base of each mast had
about four beads
of a hard white guzzer between the ID of the step
ring and the OD of
the mast. I am sure the mast had been
sprayed with some kind of non
stick spray prior to the application of this
guzzer. Both masts were
very easy to release from the step rings once the
deck rings were
removed and the partners driven out the top.


I am sorry, but the name of that stuff escapes me
at the moment but
it has been posted on this board. It was
white, hard and looked like
some kind of two part filler. You could see
where someone had used
their fingertips to stuff the filler down between
the mast and the
step ring. With the masts out, it was no big
deal to remove the
patches of that filler. I am sure someone
will come forward with the
name of the goop!

I am pretty sure that this filler is what really
keeps the masts from
moving around in the step ring and causing the
banging and noise that
some folks complain about!

Hope this is helpful info for other owners.
As I will not be re-
stepping my mast till I put her back in the water,
I can not get any
pictures of this lash up. If this was clear
as mud, I will try to
answer any questions if they come up!

Skip

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com,
“Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

I have an F33 Hull #51 1982. I think
there are significant issues
with the
method of securing the mast to the step.

From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Tom Vesey
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PM
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com;
Freedom-44@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast
steps!

Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out
life on the water,
but
to check our mast steps too.

One of the neat things about Freedoms is you
don’t have to worry
about your turnbuckles coming undone and
stuff like that. But
here’s
a scary incident that should remind us to
keep an eye on our mast
steps, and make sure that our masts are
firmly fastened to the
boat.
Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding
the mast in place.

A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton
43 (cat ketch with
carbon
masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious
weather on a trip from
Connecticut
to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing
this trip in
February is unclear to me. The main mast –
right at the bow, as
on
Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its
step and started
gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below.
(Links to a
newspaper
story are at the bottom of this e-mail)

I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they
were convinced it
would
drive itself through the bottom of the hull,
once it had finished
demolishing bulkheads and every piece of
furniture it could reach.

Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the
chain locker and got
tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its
swinging. The mast
eventually snapped off above the deck. Of
course, various halyards
etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an
assortment of other
problems occurred.

One of which was the owner’s health, which
was very poor to start
with. He was rushed to hospital as soon
as the boat made it to
Bermuda,
fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air
ambulance but died soon afterwards.

Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the
boat to Bermuda pretty
much every year for a couple of decades.
Richard showed me around
his
boat a couple of years ago when I
started looking at cat
ketches.
It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He
loved it, and urged
me
to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.

I spoke to a couple of his friends who said
they suspected he knew
his days were numbered, and probably wanted
to have one last sail
to
Bermuda on his
beloved cat ketch.

The two crew I spoke with said the main
mast on Carina appeared
to
sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of
which was covered in
fiberglass. But the wood underneath had
rotted away, they said,
without anybody noticing. The urged me to
check my mast steps,
which
of course I did and everything appeared to be
solid.

But I must admit I couldn’t really see
clearly – mostly judged by
feeling around – and don’t have a
clear idea of how they are
fastened or how they are meant to be
fastened. When I felt under
my
mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a
couple of large nuts,
as
though it was somehow bolted onto the step.

Sometime over the next few days I will go at
it more seriously with
a
mirror and flashlight.

Does anybody have a good idea of how these
masts should be
attached
to the boat? Or is this a case where no
two boats are alike.
I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts
appeared to have been epoxied into place and
were a nightmare to
remove.

Tom
Jackrabbit
F44 Bermuda

Here is a first-hand version of the events
(with a couple of
pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.html

And some reporting from the Bermuda
newspapers:

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/

NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/

NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584

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\

10

Posted by Jerome Weinraub (zayde@…>)

The bolts fit tightly. Your idea of adding glass at the hole site is good. One more task-----
----- Original Message -----

From: Alan Kusinitz
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 9:49 AM
Subject: RE: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!


Have you had the masts out or been able to examine if there is any wear where the bolts go into the mast?
Thanks,
Alan

The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above and may be subject to attorney client privilege if so marked. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or an agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message.





From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jerome WeinraubSent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 9:31 AMTo: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.comSubject: Re: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!

The mast steps and the mast collars at the partners on the F33 are aluminum,and are virtually identical. I replaced both mast collars with SS made by Garhauer. I was thinking of the same for the steps,but making the upright portion taller by 2 inches. Presentl,in addition to the thru bolts,I use polyurethane wedges driven in hard. Works well. No motion,and no sounds coming from the step.BTW-the Stainless collars are very nice- the original collars had lost some ears,and one had cracked. The price was very attractiveFrom: Alan Kusinitz


To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 6:15 AM

Subject: RE: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!

Thank you. This was very clear. The stainless steel ring and turnbuckle was something I was thinking about but thought putting the ring at the deck would keep it from lifting. But with the turnbuckle I guess the downward tension makes it even more secure.
There was a memo on my boat from Freedom that suggested using epoxy sticks in the space around the mast. It didn’t say anything about non-stick but clearly one would need to use Vaseline or something to allow the masts to be removed.
My experience leads me to believe the arrangement in your boat helped avoid damage in the severe weather you mentioned.
Thanks again. This was quite helpful.
Alan





From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Skip TurpinSent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 3:20 AMTo: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.comSubject: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!

Alan,I own the 1982, F33, Hull #63!Some previous owner apparently was concerned about the mast pulling out of the step ring also. With all I have been able to gather over the years this just does not seem to happen with this boat. Never the less, someone was worried about it, to the point of spending a fare amount of cash to purchase his or her piece of mind. Here is what they did!They had a two piece stainless steel collar made out of 1/4" x 2" stock. The two halves were then lined with rubber and bolted together at each end with 3/8 bolts. The collar was positioned about 18" above the step ring with the the collar bolt positioned over one of the gussets with the hole drilled through it. A “D” shackle was installed through that hole in the step ring gusset. He then attached a huge stainless steel turn buckle with hooks at each end between the bolt clamping the ring halves together and the “D” shackle that was attached to the step ring.By tightening the turn buckle you pull the mast down hard onto the step. I have had my boat in 30’ seas and 50 knot winds and the mast never budged or did any popping. I did have my main boom vang part (not a pretty sight. You would not believe what the boom did when turned lose in those conditions! Yiks!) The main mast did turn a bit, but did not lift! In fact as the mast tried to turn, the turnbuckle got even tighter.I will have to fix the bolt holes in both the mast and the step ring. I like your idea of building up the interior of the mast at the hole locations. I can also tell you that the base of each mast had about four beads of a hard white guzzer between the ID of the step ring and the OD of the mast. I am sure the mast had been sprayed with some kind of non stick spray prior to the application of this guzzer. Both masts were very easy to release from the step rings once the deck rings were removed and the partners driven out the top. I am sorry, but the name of that stuff escapes me at the moment but it has been posted on this board. It was white, hard and looked like some kind of two part filler. You could see where someone had used their fingertips to stuff the filler down between the mast and the step ring. With the masts out, it was no big deal to remove the patches of that filler. I am sure someone will come forward with the name of the goop! I am pretty sure that this filler is what really keeps the masts from moving around in the step ring and causing the banging and noise that some folks complain about! Hope this is helpful info for other owners. As I will not be re-stepping my mast till I put her back in the water, I can not get any pictures of this lash up. If this was clear as mud, I will try to answer any questions if they come up!Skip— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Alan Kusinitz” <akusinitz@…> wrote:>> I have an F33 Hull #51 1982. I think there are significant issues with the> method of securing the mast to the step. > > > > > _____ > > From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com> [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Vesey> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:13 PM> To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com; Freedom-44@yahoogroups.com> Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Check your mast steps!> > > > Here’s a sad story to remind us to enjoy out life on the water, but > to check our mast steps too.> > One of the neat things about Freedoms is you don’t have to worry > about your turnbuckles coming undone and stuff like that. But here’s > a scary incident that should remind us to keep an eye on our mast > steps, and make sure that our masts are firmly fastened to the boat. > Once that lets go, there isn’t much holding the mast in place.> > A couple of weeks ago Carina, a 1983 Tanton 43 (cat ketch with carbon > masts, wishbone booms) ran into ferocious weather on a trip from > Connecticut to Bermuda. Why exactly they were doing this trip in > February is unclear to me. The main mast – right at the bow, as on > Freedom cat ketches – came unstuck from its step and started > gyrating around, smashing up the cabin below. (Links to a newspaper > story are at the bottom of this e-mail)> > I spoke to a couple of crewmen who said they were convinced it would > drive itself through the bottom of the hull, once it had finished > demolishing bulkheads and every piece of furniture it could reach.> > Fortunately, they said, it smashed into the chain locker and got > tangled in the anchor chain, which slowed its swinging. The mast > eventually snapped off above the deck. Of course, various halyards > etc then got tangled up in the prop, and an assortment of other > problems occurred.> > One of which was the owner’s health, which was very poor to start > with. He was rushed to hospital as soon as the boat made it to > Bermuda, fell into a coma, was flown back to the states by air > ambulance but died soon afterwards.> > Richard Brignoli, the owner, had sailed the boat to Bermuda pretty > much every year for a couple of decades. Richard showed me around his > boat a couple of years ago when I started looking at cat ketches. > It was a beautiful and solid looking boat. He loved it, and urged me > to go ahead and get a Freedom or a Tanton.> > I spoke to a couple of his friends who said they suspected he knew > his days were numbered, and probably wanted to have one last sail to > Bermuda on his beloved cat ketch.> > The two crew I spoke with said the main mast on Carina appeared to > sit upon a heavy piece of timber, the top of which was covered in > fiberglass. But the wood underneath had rotted away, they said, > without anybody noticing. The urged me to check my mast steps, which > of course I did and everything appeared to be solid.> > But I must admit I couldn’t really see clearly – mostly judged by > feeling around – and don’t have a clear idea of how they are > fastened or how they are meant to be fastened. When I felt under my > mizzen mast, I could feel what seem to be a couple of large nuts, as > though it was somehow bolted onto the step.> > Sometime over the next few days I will go at it more seriously with a > mirror and flashlight.> > Does anybody have a good idea of how these masts should be attached > to the boat? Or is this a case where no two boats are alike.> I remember Brian Guptil of Cayenne complaining that his masts > appeared to have been epoxied into place and were a nightmare to remove.> > > Tom> Jackrabbit> F44 Bermuda> > > Here is a first-hand version of the events (with a couple of > pictures), as told by one of the crew to a Nova Scotia newspaper.> > http://www.herald.ns.ca/Front/486199.html> > And some reporting from the Bermuda newspapers:> > http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/ > NEWS/102170096&SearchID=73236645845584> > http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/ > NEWS/102140152&SearchID=73236645845584> > > > > > > > > SPONSORED LINKS > > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+schools&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=S ailing+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&> w6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=nM_33Bwh2_UhuqSYWZR8Xw> schools > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+instruction&w1=Sailing+schools& w2=Sailing+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+advent> ure&w6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=PLKTippWs7H3hJMQiiV1Dg> instruction > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+lesson&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=Sa iling+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&w> 6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=BW-ssa-AtK1bKwgxZtYhsg> lesson > > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+course&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=Sa iling+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&w> 6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=iJziK8qHrpaIJG_Q19twrg> course > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing+adventure&w1=Sailing+schools&w2 =Sailing+instruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventur> e&w6=Sailing&c=6&s=122&.sig=luRjwGYgtoRAVO_RIh446A> adventure > > Sailing> http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Sailing&w1=Sailing+schools&w2=Sailing+i nstruction&w3=Sailing+lesson&w4=Sailing+course&w5=Sailing+adventure&w6=Saili> ng&c=6&s=122&.sig=H5HiiLFUXHyIpCEv0TmINg> > > > > _____ > > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > > > * Visit your group "freedomyachts2003> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freedomyachts2003 " on the web.> > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:> freedomyachts2003-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> <mailto:freedomyachts2003-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe> > > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Terms of Service. > > > > _____>

11

Posted by Skip Turpin (skipperf33@…>)

Yes, on my #63 there is whare in both the mast and the step ring. I
suspect that the bolts now present were not the originals. There was
way too much play in my setup and I think that is part of the reason
the mast turned in the first place. I will drill out and tap the
step ring holes and use your idea of building up the ID of the mast
with glass around the area of its holes.

I will take some pictures of my parts and try to get some ID’s and
dimensions if you like.

A word of caution to those of you that use any kind of hammered in
wedges between the mast and the step ring. Be sure the wedges are
fairly easy to remove if needed. Case in point: After my mast got
turned it took myself with the help of a couple of Mexican fishermen
to turn the mast back. This required first loosening the large
turnbuckle holding the mast down, removing the the boot sealing the
mast at deck level, pulling the deck ring, driving the partners up
and out (no small task), removing the boom, (I have standard booms).
Then it took the three of us to rotate the mast back into position!
If we had needed a crane to break the mast loose from whatever had
been holding it, I would have been screwed! So keep it in mind that
someday when you are far from civilization, you might need to get
things loose! I have never used wedges, so I don’t know how hard it
is to get them out in a pinch.

If the wedges are only there to keep the base of the mast from
sliding back and forth then they probably do nothing to keep the mast
from pulling upward. As I mentioned before, I am not sure anything
is necessary to hold the mast down in the first place, but I now have
a system in place that addresses that problem very well. As piece of
mind is “priceless” I will be happy to leave it in place. I honestly
can’t say if “I” would have opted to do anything about
this “perceived” problem on my own, it’s there and I am happy with it
being there. It certainly is not hurting anything!

Skip


— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

Have you had the masts out or been able to examine if there is any
wear

12

Posted by Jerome Weinraub (zayde@…>)

The wedges are polyurethane,and are easily removable with waterpump
pliers,as are the wedges at the partners.
----- Original Message -----
From: “Skip Turpin” <skipperf33@…>
To: <freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 1:32 PM
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast steps!

\

Yes, on my #63 there is whare in both the mast and the step ring. I
suspect that the bolts now present were not the originals. There was
way too much play in my setup and I think that is part of the reason
the mast turned in the first place. I will drill out and tap the
step ring holes and use your idea of building up the ID of the mast
with glass around the area of its holes.

I will take some pictures of my parts and try to get some ID’s and
dimensions if you like.

A word of caution to those of you that use any kind of hammered in
wedges between the mast and the step ring. Be sure the wedges are
fairly easy to remove if needed. Case in point: After my mast got
turned it took myself with the help of a couple of Mexican fishermen
to turn the mast back. This required first loosening the large
turnbuckle holding the mast down, removing the the boot sealing the
mast at deck level, pulling the deck ring, driving the partners up
and out (no small task), removing the boom, (I have standard booms).
Then it took the three of us to rotate the mast back into position!
If we had needed a crane to break the mast loose from whatever had
been holding it, I would have been screwed! So keep it in mind that
someday when you are far from civilization, you might need to get
things loose! I have never used wedges, so I don’t know how hard it
is to get them out in a pinch.

If the wedges are only there to keep the base of the mast from
sliding back and forth then they probably do nothing to keep the mast
from pulling upward. As I mentioned before, I am not sure anything
is necessary to hold the mast down in the first place, but I now have
a system in place that addresses that problem very well. As piece of
mind is “priceless” I will be happy to leave it in place. I honestly
can’t say if “I” would have opted to do anything about
this “perceived” problem on my own, it’s there and I am happy with it
being there. It certainly is not hurting anything!

Skip

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

Have you had the masts out or been able to examine if there is any
wear

Yahoo! Groups Links

13

Posted by Alan Kusinitz (akusinitz@…>)


Thanks.
Alan

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From:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Skip Turpin
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006
1:33 PM
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Re:
Check your mast steps!

Yes, on my #63 there is whare
in both the mast and the step ring. I
suspect that the bolts now present were not the
originals. There was
way too much play in my setup and I think that is
part of the reason
the mast turned in the first place. I will
drill out and tap the
step ring holes and use your idea of building up
the ID of the mast
with glass around the area of its holes.

I will take some pictures of my parts and try to
get some ID’s and
dimensions if you like.

A word of caution to those of you that use any
kind of hammered in
wedges between the mast and the step ring.
Be sure the wedges are
fairly easy to remove if needed. Case in
point: After my mast got
turned it took myself with the help of a couple of
Mexican fishermen
to turn the mast back. This required first
loosening the large
turnbuckle holding the mast down, removing the the
boot sealing the
mast at deck level, pulling the deck ring, driving
the partners up
and out (no small task), removing the boom, (I
have standard booms).
Then it took the three of us to rotate the mast
back into position!
If we had needed a crane to break the mast loose
from whatever had
been holding it, I would have been screwed!
So keep it in mind that
someday when you are far from civilization, you
might need to get
things loose! I have never used wedges, so I
don’t know how hard it
is to get them out in a pinch.

If the wedges are only there to keep the base of
the mast from
sliding back and forth then they probably do
nothing to keep the mast
from pulling upward. As I mentioned
before, I am not sure anything
is necessary to hold the mast down in the first
place, but I now have
a system in place that addresses that problem very
well. As piece of
mind is “priceless” I will be happy to
leave it in place. I honestly
can’t say if “I” would have opted
to do anything about
this “perceived” problem on my own, it’s
there and I am happy with it
being there. It certainly is not hurting
anything!

Skip


— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com,
“Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

Have you had the masts out or been able to
examine if there is any
wear





\

14

Posted by Ian Macpherson (muckingabout@…>)

Please see a reply from a friend with a Tanton:

The issue of rotted mast steps in these Tanton 43s was
on the Tanton bulletin board about three or four years
ago after a boat was lost, when the mizzen mast came
adrift in the same fashion and the boat ended up on a
reef (no life lost). This was described on the BB
and the writer suggested we all look at our own mast
steps. Some did find the problem and cured them. I
am very glad I did, because to my concern I found that
Fera’s main mast step had rotted just like the
description of Carina. I think the cause had been the
inevitable rain water which runs down the inside of
the mast, ending up pooling on and in the timber mast
step. Over the years wet rot had taken hold. The
mizzen mast step was in good condition mainly I think
because the boat had a Perkins 4-108 at the time which
dropped a fair amount of oil into the bilge, so the
oil in the bilge water continuously, had permeated the
timber and made it somewhat proof against the rot. We
(Burt mainly!) repaired the forward mast step by
completely grinding out the pre-existing GRP plate and
rotted timber plate below it, and then making a new
epoxy laminate of massive thickness timber (made up of
marine ply sections all laminated together) and a new
thicker stronger epoxy plate above, then reinstating
the steel male plate on that for mast heel. All done
with an eye on routes for water to pass quickly and
cleanly into the bilge. An excellent job which now
makes me feel secure about this. I wrote all this up
on the Tanton Bulletin board, and others had the same.
There was some discussion about it. If Bagnoli was
caught out by this then perhaps he need not have been,
if he had kept an eye on the BB.



How very sad…at least the boat was not lost which does
say something for the toughness of the breed. I hope
Bagnoli recovers.


— Jerome Weinraub <zayde@…> wrote:

\

The wedges are polyurethane,and are easily removable
with waterpump
pliers,as are the wedges at the partners.
----- Original Message -----
From: “Skip Turpin” <skipperf33@…>
To: <freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 1:32 PM
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Check your mast
steps!

\

Yes, on my #63 there is whare in both the mast and
the step ring. I
suspect that the bolts now present were not the
originals. There was
way too much play in my setup and I think that is
part of the reason
the mast turned in the first place. I will drill
out and tap the
step ring holes and use your idea of building up the
ID of the mast
with glass around the area of its holes.

I will take some pictures of my parts and try to get
some ID’s and
dimensions if you like.

A word of caution to those of you that use any kind
of hammered in
wedges between the mast and the step ring. Be sure
the wedges are
fairly easy to remove if needed. Case in point:
After my mast got
turned it took myself with the help of a couple of
Mexican fishermen
to turn the mast back. This required first
loosening the large
turnbuckle holding the mast down, removing the the
boot sealing the
mast at deck level, pulling the deck ring, driving
the partners up
and out (no small task), removing the boom, (I have
standard booms).
Then it took the three of us to rotate the mast back
into position!
If we had needed a crane to break the mast loose
from whatever had
been holding it, I would have been screwed! So keep
it in mind that
someday when you are far from civilization, you
might need to get
things loose! I have never used wedges, so I don’t
know how hard it
is to get them out in a pinch.

If the wedges are only there to keep the base of the
mast from
sliding back and forth then they probably do nothing
to keep the mast
from pulling upward. As I mentioned before, I am
not sure anything
is necessary to hold the mast down in the first
place, but I now have
a system in place that addresses that problem very
well. As piece of
mind is “priceless” I will be happy to leave it in
place. I honestly
can’t say if “I” would have opted to do anything
about
this “perceived” problem on my own, it’s there and I
am happy with it
being there. It certainly is not hurting anything!

Skip

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Alan
Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:

Have you had the masts out or been able to examine
if there is any
wear

Yahoo! Groups Links





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