Mast Post Top Plate Distortion

[richardbrennan]

An update on my mast post problems. I have now taken out the bowed mast post and it is apparent that not only does the cabin roof slope towards the bows, but the surface is not flat and is actually concave, meaning that when tightened down at the ends,there is a space above the centre of the top plate. The loading from the rig appears to push this down and the result is that the top plate, which is about 25 cm by 12.5 cm and 10 mm thick, has distorted. The metal supplier from whom I have ordered a new thicker walled post, was amazed that a 10 mm stainless steel plate should distort and feels the load must have been excessive. This rather points to the rig being over tensioned again; would the forumites agree with this conclusion?

 

[seumask]

At the risk of stating the obvious why do you need to put a lot of rig tension on. I understand that the Storm has a fairly straight forward double spreader mast head rig with a conventional backstay so unless you are intending to race hard with it there is not obvious reason to have high tension in the rig.

 

[richardbrennan]

Hi Seumask

This all started with the mast panting after I purchased a new heavier main sail. I'll not bore you with the long and sorry tale, but one thing has led to another as is so often the case. The worry I have is that even when I get the mast post and the rig sorted out, I still don't know if I will have solved the panting problem.

Wish me luck!

Rick