Hunter 490 mast base plate bolt?

[MillingManDan]

Having just bought my first boat I'd like to get the mast up to look things over while I take a break from removing the antifoul. The problem is there seems to be 2 bolts missing. The base plate has space for 2 bolts and is threaded on one side. The bottom of the mast only has space for the one bolt to pass through. Is something missing? Does anyone have, ideally, a photo of the mast base of a 490?

 

[JimC]

If no reply forthcoming on here you might try the Hunter Association

www.hunterassociation.org.uk

Their forums(?) are very good at dealing with queries like yours. There is a forum devoted to the 490. It would probably be well worth the £10 membership fee over the length of time you own the boat.

 

[MillingManDan]

Yup. I'd better pay up.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have a Hunter 490 which is on its trailer on my drive at the moment.The mast is in storage elsewhere, though.

I have Silverlight spars. The mast base has two parallel plates at the back. A tang on the mast foot fitting goes between these and a 6mm bolt through them all gives a pivot/tabernacle for mast raising. When the mast is sup it sits in the base plate and the bolt does nothing - it can be removed if you want.

I'm very happy to answer any 490 questions you have. I rebuilt mine from a stripped hull, so I have a pretty good knowledge of them.

 

[MillingManDan]

Jumbleduck. Thanks for the reply. If you're a member of the ha page I may have just messaged you on it.

It sounds like we have the same set up. You're offer to answer questions is very welcome!

 

[JumbleDuck]

Jumbleduck. Thanks for the reply. If you're a member of the ha page I may have just messaged you on it.

I am a member, but they have such bizarrely complicated hoops to jump through to get access that I haven't looked at the forums for ages.I shall mosey over and have a look ... if I can get in.

There is a Hunter 19 mailing list which covers 490s as well, occasionally, and it's also worth checking out the Anderson 22 owners' club site - run by Seajet of these forums - because the A22 is very much the big sister of the H490 and shares many details in hull design, keel lifting system and so on.

It sounds like we have the same set up. You're offer to answer questions is very welcome!

Hunter 490s are tiny but fab - the handling is utterly delightful. Alas I'm going to have to sell mine some time, as I have acquired a Drascombe Longboat to do the job for which I used the 490, day sails on a local freshwater loch.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

It is not unusual for deck plates to have multiple holes that take the bolt/pivot that secures the mast foot. This allows moving the mast bodily fore and aft if necessary when fine tuning the mast position. I had a similar arrangement on my Centaur and I have that also on my present Centurion.

 

[JumbleDuck]

It is not unusual for deck plates to have multiple holes that take the bolt/pivot that secures the mast foot. This allows moving the mast bodily fore and aft if necessary when fine tuning the mast position. I had a similar arrangement on my Centaur and I have that also on my present Centurion.

It seems that the OP has the same spars and base as I do, in which case there is no adjustment possible. The base is effectively a cup in which the foot of the mast fits snugly. Some 490s had other spars - Proctor, I think - which may do things differently.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've had three trailer yachts. They all had two bolt positions I've assumed to allow raising the mast from the bow or stern. Only one bolt should be used so that the mast can pivot slightly when rigged. I wouldn't recommend taking the bolt out when it's raised as there would be nothing holding it in place at the bottom. I'm not familiar with the Hunter 490 but it seems similar on all small yachts.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Some 490s had other spars - Proctor, I think - which may do things differently.

Could well be. My old Centaur (1976) and my Centurion (1973) both had Proctor spars.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Could well be. My old Centaur (1976) and my Centurion (1973) both had Proctor spars.

So did my 1976 Westerly Jouster.I think Proctor was standard on Westerly then, though the manual mentions another make to. IYE?

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

So did my 1976 Westerly Jouster.I think Proctor was standard on Westerly then, though the manual mentions another make to. IYE?

I believe that the blocks on the mainsheet were, in fact, IYE but I don't know if they were original. The blocks on my Centurion, as well as most of the tackle, are Schaeffer. The previous owner - may he rest in peace - had deep pockets!

 

[Seajet]

MillingManDan,

my Anderson 22 is basically a scaled up Hunter 490, by the same designer Oliver Lee.

There are two mast step bolt positions; the aft one is the pivot position for raising or lowering the mast.

After raising the mast the shrouds need to be kept slackened a few turns then I lay on the foredeck and ' boot ' the mast until it lines up with the sailing positon as a helper watches for the holes to align.

Obviously the reverse for lowering, this is important as I knew someone who forgot to switch to the pivot position and tore off the mast step and a chunk of grp ( no, not me that time ! ).

A tapered spike steel ' podger ' is very handy for final alignment.

Although there is no great load on the mast apart from downwards compression, I always use a Nylock nut.

 

[MillingManDan]

Thanks. The 2 holes are about 2" apart. Does that sound about right? If only pictures were possible...

 

[Seajet]

Yes that could well be right, as the holes on my mast foot are about 3.5" apart.

It's important to shift to the pivot position for raising or lowering the mast or the mast step mounting can be torn up - well it is on the A22 anyway.

Another top tip I learned is to tie the shroud and backstay bottlescrews up vertical to the guardwires so they can't topple ; if they do the mast won't go all the way up and the forestay won't reach, if doing it that way pulling on the spinnaker halliard.

I rig a simple ' X ' of pine about 2x 3" and 5' long and lash these to the pushpit, then move the mast into this and shuffle it aft until the pivot bolt lines up to fit.

The mast can tend to kick up at the foot end, not drastic but something to watch for.

Then when everyone is ready - I use two friends but you could probably do it with one reliable one - in my case I haf the tallest in the cockpit lifting, someone by the mast foot pulling and stabilising laterally ( important not to rock the boat if doing it afloat ) and a peron on the foredeck pulling the spinnaker halliard.

When I've just raised the mast I lay by the gooseneck and look up the mast track to check the mast is straight as the rig is tightened.

Just thought of something; is one of the holes fairly near the aft end of the step, so as to be a good place to pivot on ?

Some masts unfortunately aren't on pivoted steps, just a spigot on the mastfoot which goes between 2 bolts, so the mast has to be manhandled vertically and dropped into position.

If both holes are near the centre of the mast step on deck it could be a sign of this, so unless you're sure you do need to talk to someone else with a Hunter ( though their steps may well vary ) - hope it is a pivot job !

 

[PeteCooper]

When I've just raised the mast I lay by the gooseneck and look up the mast track to check the mast is straight as the rig is tightened.

A handy check before that is to check that the top of the mast is central by hoisting a non stretch tape measure on a halyard and then measuring to known points on each side - perhaps shroud base.