Boom Boom!

Athene V30

Athene V30

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 Sep 2001
Messages
5,451
Location
Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria in Winter, the boat
Visit site
A great sail from Harty Ferry to Calais - 10.5 hours - sailed off mooring, all way to Elbow then wind died so motored for 20 minutes when a good breeze came up from S'ly direction, breeze building to a F4 to 5 but lumpy sea. Karouise loving it - 7kts through water with 1 reef and a cople of rolls in genoa.

Off Calais could have sailed all the way in but had to slow down to let the dredger and ferry go first! In the lumpy sea was spilling wind to slow down but not enough so decided to do a 360 turn following finest RYA gybe teaching of course pulled boom in as turning stern through the wind and then let it flow over under control and out again when bang.......
Boom1.jpg

mainsheet bracket and boom parted company.

Sailed back from France with 3 slabs in main
Picture054.jpg
Viagra required :o

Took boom off this morning - lots of corrosion
Picture057.jpg


Dropped in at Sailspar on way home, pick up the new boom on Friday! Could have had it today if I was in a rush. The boom has a slight kink in the track (so slight it had to be pointed out) but that saves a few ££!

Now to decide if I go for a new mast too - they were the same age!!
 
Karouise said:
A great sail from Harty Ferry to Calais - 10.5 hours - sailed off mooring, all way to Elbow then wind died so motored for 20 minutes when a good breeze came up from S'ly direction, breeze building to a F4 to 5 but lumpy sea. Karouise loving it - 7kts through water with 1 reef and a cople of rolls in genoa.

Off Calais could have sailed all the way in but had to slow down to let the dredger and ferry go first! In the lumpy sea was spilling wind to slow down but not enough so decided to do a 360 turn following finest RYA gybe teaching of course pulled boom in as turning stern through the wind and then let it flow over under control and out again when bang.......
Boom1.jpg

mainsheet bracket and boom parted company.

Sailed back from France with 3 slabs in main
Picture054.jpg
Viagra required :o

Took boom off this morning - lots of corrosion
Picture057.jpg


Dropped in at Sailspar on way home, pick up the new boom on Friday! Could have had it today if I was in a rush. The boom has a slight kink in the track (so slight it had to be pointed out) but that saves a few ££!

Now to decide if I go for a new mast too - they were the same age!!
Click to expand...

not much duralac used on that :eek:
 
Hi Peter
If the mast is the same age it need not need changing however best to get it checked over. I live in Brightlingsea and happy to give it the once over if it helps, could check the rigging as well.
I am away sailing from this Saturday to the following Saturday however all other times I am around, I run the Sailing School out of Brightlingsea so in a rib most days!
I used to work at Sailspar and would recommend them if you do need a new mast
 
New boom on now, main bent on and jury rigged reef lines 1 & 2.

Bit of a muddle with the sliders under the boom. Need 2 for the reefing lines aft of the mainsheet but boom has come with all sliders forward of the mainsheet so will need to drill out 4 rivetts and swap things round.

What size drill bit should I use for new holes - same size as rivett?
 
Karouise said:
New boom on now, main bent on and jury rigged reef lines 1 & 2.

Bit of a muddle with the sliders under the boom. Need 2 for the reefing lines aft of the mainsheet but boom has come with all sliders forward of the mainsheet so will need to drill out 4 rivetts and swap things round.

What size drill bit should I use for new holes - same size as rivett?
Click to expand...

same size ;)
 
A bit of Duralac (a chromate paste available from any decent chandler, not Duraglit) on the rivets before they go in will help keep corrosion at bay.

Your spars are protected from corrosion by anodising, which produces a very hard, corrosion resistant surface. As soon as you drill a hole in it, you expose the native alloy, which has a very low corrosion resistance. Putting any different metal (even monel) in contact with the exposed alloy will create an electrolytic cell enhancing corrosion rates. the chromate paste will react with the exposed alloy of the holes to protect them from corrosion. That would explain all the corrosion you found, and the consequent failure.

I'm left wondering if your main sheet stirrup was not an original fitting, but installed by a previous owner who had little knowledge of corrosion chemistry and left the alloy holes unprotected when he fitted it.

Hope this helps,

Peter Wright
Wild Thyme
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top