Corrosion at gooseneck level of mast (aluminium)
- Thread starter Wgregor
- Start date
penfold
Well-known member
May be feasible to sleeve it, it's a pretty understressed mast; ask your friendly local rigger.
William_H
Well-known member
The area of the mast near the extremities is pretty much unstressed compared to areas between the stays. The loads will be mostly compression on the mast at that point not buckling as in other places. (between stay support) If it is a keel stepped mast then perhaps of more concern especially if you use a lot of vang.
Compare the loss of metal to that lost by halyard exit slots. I think you will be ok without sleeving or repair in any form especially as it looks like it is covered or backed up by the SS plate that caused the corrosion. Of course lots of duralac or similar to insulate to avert more corrosion. ol'will
Compare the loss of metal to that lost by halyard exit slots. I think you will be ok without sleeving or repair in any form especially as it looks like it is covered or backed up by the SS plate that caused the corrosion. Of course lots of duralac or similar to insulate to avert more corrosion. ol'will
Refueler
Well-known member
Personally ? I would have it cleaned up and sleeved .....
Wgregor
New member
Thank you for your analysis. She is keel stepped and has an aluminium kicker. I am skeptical of bringing the whole mast down and doing a big repair if not necessary. Perhaps a strong external plate riveted in could do the trick. There was a winch there previously.
Wgregor
New member
how big of a job is that?
Mast off, shape sleeves to fit, cut mast at the problematic location and epoxy/rivet the mast back?
Mast off, shape sleeves to fit, cut mast at the problematic location and epoxy/rivet the mast back?
Refueler
Well-known member
You need to have a rigger look at it .... all well and good having replies here ... but we can only go by the photo ... which IMHO shows bad pitting and not only mounting holes - but corrosion hole ?
The Winch mount would have bridged and strengthened the area ... now that is removed ... Even if still in place - I would be concerned having that under it...
My opinion.
The Winch mount would have bridged and strengthened the area ... now that is removed ... Even if still in place - I would be concerned having that under it...
My opinion.
doug748
Well-known member
Looks ok, seen a lot worse.
I would shape an oversize ally plate, taking care with the rivet placing. Either pick up the original four holes (the ones with the rivets showing) as part of the new plate rivet spacing, or incorporate them when re-fixing the winch right through the lot, depending on your intentions.
A bare patch can look poor, I would replace a winch/pad even if you don't particularly need it
I guess the vertical holes are for a cleat, which I would replace as it is.
This sort of stuff tends to happen when folk have added things post manufacture and not used a jointing compound so I would look critically at all other mast stuff. Anything with even a hint of discolouration around the edge is suspect.
PS if you really wanted a pukka job get the plate gold anodized.
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I would shape an oversize ally plate, taking care with the rivet placing. Either pick up the original four holes (the ones with the rivets showing) as part of the new plate rivet spacing, or incorporate them when re-fixing the winch right through the lot, depending on your intentions.
A bare patch can look poor, I would replace a winch/pad even if you don't particularly need it
I guess the vertical holes are for a cleat, which I would replace as it is.
This sort of stuff tends to happen when folk have added things post manufacture and not used a jointing compound so I would look critically at all other mast stuff. Anything with even a hint of discolouration around the edge is suspect.
PS if you really wanted a pukka job get the plate gold anodized.
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Wgregor
New member
ok, perhaps that’s why the winch was there in the first place because I have two more below which are more than sufficient.
The winch that was there clears this area from top to bottom and provides a lot of support (the vertical big rivets were the fastenings I drilled out before removing).
I guess my question is, does an ally plate provide more support than the winch itself? They are both kind of doing the same thing right?
Thanks for your insightful reply
The winch that was there clears this area from top to bottom and provides a lot of support (the vertical big rivets were the fastenings I drilled out before removing).
I guess my question is, does an ally plate provide more support than the winch itself? They are both kind of doing the same thing right?
Thanks for your insightful reply
doug748
Well-known member
If you have a heavy pad like this in aluminium, covering the whole of the dodgy area, personally I would refit it and think no more about it:
As others have pointed out, the mast is not realistically going to fail at that point anyway. However it looks like it would not quite be large enough and you may not like the damaged surface on show, in which case a plate would do the job.
A matter of judgment really but covering the feature does mean there is nothing for a surveyor to fuss about on resale.
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As others have pointed out, the mast is not realistically going to fail at that point anyway. However it looks like it would not quite be large enough and you may not like the damaged surface on show, in which case a plate would do the job.
A matter of judgment really but covering the feature does mean there is nothing for a surveyor to fuss about on resale.
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Wgregor
New member
Yep that is exactly what the base of the winch is, just slightly narrower.
It’s quite extraordinary that both my surveyor and my riggers didn’t pick this up. But I agree it is worth the aesthetic fix as well to avoid problems from the next surveyor. I may even have changed the mast by then but may as well do it properly now.
Thanks a bunch
It’s quite extraordinary that both my surveyor and my riggers didn’t pick this up. But I agree it is worth the aesthetic fix as well to avoid problems from the next surveyor. I may even have changed the mast by then but may as well do it properly now.
Thanks a bunch