broken mast on a newly bought boat-OUCH

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jellinafish

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hi-i just bought my (10 year-old) 42 foot sloop in gibraltar, got it surveyed by a surveyor recommended by my insurance company (all A-OK) and sailed it back here. no problems. except for some very heavy weather which caught us out, causing some odd bits of damage. however, just had the rigging professionally checked on my return to tighten it up and have had a bombshell dropped on me: one of the spreaders has been pushed forward damaging the mast beyond repair-estimate £10000 to replace. ouch. evidently the whole lot could come crashing down any moment. i am fully comp insured, but am worried that, since i have no idea HOW this damage was sustained (i was told it is possible it occurred if it was hit by another boat's mast whilst i rafted on a mooring on my way back when i was away from the boat, or perhaps resulted from inadequate tension on the rigging when we left gibraltar, although i did not see any unusual mast movements), that the insurance company will not pay out....the spreader was fine when i viewed the boat in gibraltar, but the survey does not specifically state anything at all about the rigging (as usual). the other option that was suggested is that i wait until the whole lot comes crashing down, cut the rig free and lose the lot (far more expensive!) and then claim on the insurance, when they definitely would pay out; i am obviously not keen on this option as i feel it is dishonest-not-to-mention downright dangerous. i am just really worried that the insurance company will not pay out as i dont have the money to replace myself-where do i stand here? is it likely the insurance company will say this is somehow my fault? many thanks for any help to a worried soul /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Good luck, I found my insurance company (GW something or other) very good on claims, however it was not that order of magnitude... Just a bent prop shaft on a sail drive - cause unknown but the lift out was suspected!!!
 
If the spreader is pushed forward then it is more than likely that it is not your fault.

Take the scenario of a boat coming along side you on a mooring. All the crew is on one side. Some jump on to your boat and both boats lean inwards. Shrouds and spreaders collide. Hence yours goes forward and their goes backwards.

Since it is so unlikely that people go along side while in astern I would say it was not your fault. The other way would be if your boat had slipped backwards in the strong winds or tide and caught another boat while leaving a mooring. Any other fresh signs of damage or rubbing on the hull or stanchions? How many were on board and if you line them up on one side does the boat roll a lot or a little. If you can show that your actions could not easily roll the boat so the spreader protruded significantly further out than your hull then you are probably on a winner.

The only other way it can happen is by halliards that get loose in high winds and catch around the spreader end. Then winched in. Does your yacht have any external halliards that could do this? They would have to be on the front and outside the mast.

I know booby birds like spreaders and are quite big but I doubt they are that heavy. Either way always play it straight and contact the insurance.
 
Option 2 is now of course out of the question - the mere fact of your posting it on the web (prima facie evidence that you had not disclosed to your insurers material relevant to the risk insured agains) is sufficient to invalidate a subsequent claim.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Why is a largely intact mast beyond repair.......£10,000 buys alot of engineering.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly ! I'll bet his insurance company will find someone to "repair" it..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

btw: new sections can be spliced into extruded aluminimum mast sections: i've done it...
 
It is likely that the spreader has been damaged by another boat. However close inspection of the damage should give you some clues.
Spreaders on a feractional rig get a fair bit of forward thrust and should be strennthened to withstand that thrust. Corrosion or fatigue may be obvious if tha is the cause.
Damage to the mast can only be by the mast getting a permanent bend. Denting of the mast at the spreader base or corrosion.
S,mall bends can be tuned out with stay tension. A dent could be covered by a larger patch to spread the load and corrosion likewise can be repaired by patch. The area under the spreader apart from the spreader compression is relatively lightly stressed due to the stay support.
i would find it highly unlikely the mast is a write off. Get another irigger opinion. good luck olewill give us more detail of the damage.
 
Like has been said by some posters. Why can't the mast be repaired.

On a fleet of hire boats on the Caledonian canal more then half of the yachts had damaged their masts at some time and been repaired by welding.

Sometimes using external plates, sometimes a small new section inserted.

The damage was severe. Caused by the punters in yachts trying to follow the cruisers through unopened road bridges.

Generally about half way up the mast. None of the repairs gave any problems.

Many longer new masts are sometimes fabricated from two sections joined together.

Iain
 
thanks all-yes william h you are right the damage is a dent at the base of the spreader-the rigging company said it is so bad they would not be happy patching it so therefore the whole lot should be replaced. opinion here seems to be that that is rubbish-i will check with another rigging company, but i imagine the repairs will be expensive either way so still depends on my insurance company being nice....there is NO other evidence of being hit by another boat anywhere....if this is down to corrosion or fatigue, i guess the insurance company is less likely to pay out? many thanks to all
 
Several years ago, I had similar damage in the same place on the mast. I rivetted a dural plate over the dent, and sailed 10,000 miles in all weathers before selling the boat. The mast is still standing...
 
Like the others I cannot believe the mast cannot be repaired.. Having spent some considerable time in Gibraltar I can believe that they will charge an arm and a leg or perhaps not be capable of repairing it.. From what you describe it sounds like it can be repaired very economically.

Probably the best thing to do is to move the boat to Spain - possibly Algeseras but first find a company that can do the welding and riveting... Do not know off the top of my head but ask around the Charter companies or similar for Spanish contacts -- Try UK mast companies for their Spanish Contacts.... If all that fails come back to me and I will give you a contact but would prefer you to DIY it if you can.

Michael
 
I would suggest the repair will be in the form of a patch larger than the base of the spreader and larger than the dented area.
The patch could well be a piece of mast section about 30cms long that has had the the track area cut out so that the piece can be sprung open at the track area and sprung to fit around the mast.
the patch is pop rivetted on using lots of duralac ro corrosion inhibitor and the 2 spreaders are reattached to the patch and also through to the mast. Refit then the inner side stay and inner forestay fittings. I think you will find it stronger than ever.
It would be a DIY job for many needing only a hacksaw and pop rivetter (large powerfull) good luck olewill
 
i think i would take the mast down and either cut it up and dig a hole for it, or go to a deep bit of the ocean and create a artificial reef for the fishes with it on one dark quiet night.
ring the insurance tell them the whole lot came tumbling down, new mast no problem.
would you ever be happy with a bodged repair on the mast
 
[ QUOTE ]
would you ever be happy with a bodged repair on the mast

[/ QUOTE ]

Repairs as suggested are commonplace and are often really strong. I would however suggest that if you're going to use a piece of your own mast as a splint, try rather to get the splint inside the mast extrusion and drill and rivet it. Also remember that the luff of the main is now going to be too long and the boom location will need to be changed.

And I agree with the other post, ripping off your insuarnce is not clever, you may get caught and also enough of these rip-offs will eventually cause all other boaters' premiums to rise /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
The boat was surveyed to the satisfaction of the insurers, they subsequently accepted the risk and issued the COMPREHENSIVE policy.

You suffered damage in heavy weather and this is most likely when the mast damage occurred.

Claim, there should not be any problem.
 
[ QUOTE ]
i think i would take the mast down and either cut it up and dig a hole for it, or go to a deep bit of the ocean and create a artificial reef for the fishes with it on one dark quiet night. ring the insurance tell them the whole lot came tumbling down, new mast no problem.
would you ever be happy with a bodged repair on the mast

[/ QUOTE ] If there was a prize for the least constructive post this year...
 
i thought that would get the do gooders backs up, get over your selves.
dispose of the mast get your money and enjoy being 10 grand better off and having a new mast.
the rest of you, welcome to the real world
 
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