Mast replacement

[ponapay]

I have a 1970 Nicholson 38 with original masts and booms. Main mast and boom have been modified to take Bamar in-mast reefing (add on). Both masts are now a bit tired and showing signs of corrosion.

I propose to replace this winter.

Does anyone have experience of this and any advice?

I would prefer (due to advanced years, 70) to retain in mast reefing which I find easy - even if we have to be careful reefing to avoid the odd crease which can cause a jam. However I am prepared to consider any system as long as I do not always have to point dead to windward to hoist/drop the sail.

I apologise if this has been dealt with before, have been away in Baltic for a number of years and off forums.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I have a 1970 Nicholson 38 with original masts and booms. Main mast and boom have been modified to take Bamar in-mast reefing (add on). Both masts are now a bit tired and showing signs of corrosion.

I propose to replace this winter.

Does anyone have experience of this and any advice?

I have recently been talking to the nice people at MRS (Mast and Rigging Services) in Largs and Kip about replacing my 1976 mast next year. Based on no more than their general amiability - and the new rigging I collected from them , which looks fine - I'd suggest having a chat with them. They are Selden agents.

 

[savageseadog]

Found Z Spars to be the best budget supplier and Allspars the premier mast and rigging people. If you are changing mast make, section, size configuration, in fact anything (almost inevitable), do have the mast maker do all the calcs and drawings and have them do the whole thing including rigging and stepping. Liability will then be confined to the one supplier. You can use a yacht designer if you must but that will cost money and there is a possibility of unresolvable disputes between designer and supplier. I also feel that spar suppliers know their business better than anyone else.

 

[stav]

No experience of changing a mast but when I bought my Nic 36 (1965) 7 years ago I was going to change the mast but a rigger I had a conversation with said that the old mast was well made and with some maintainance would last. Recently I was talking to a yacht broker and he talked about getting the old mast completely refurbished: old rivets drilled out, paint striped and then properly treated to prevent further oxidisation and then two pack painted again.

Additionally some older Nics are having taller masts fitted, might help when the time comes to sell? I noticed a lovely Nic 38 with kingseaston that sold very quickly with a taller rig: looked lovely and I would like to move up to one oneday to make family sailing more tenable.

Last thought: personally not keen on gismos and would seriously consider a good slab reefing system. Today I was out and it was blowing about 28knt+ and trying to change to the No3 genoa on the roller reefing was difficult and resulted in a torn sail, how I wished for piston hanks!

Lastly though if you do change the mast are there any parts from your rig that would keep mine going? I am looking for spreaders and fittings.

Good luck with the change if you go a head with it.

 

[William_H]

Mast Life

I agree the mast may not need to be replaced. If you take off all the fittings you should be able to inspect for corrosion pretty well. Even if there are arewas of corrosion patching may well repair it adequately.
good lcuk olewill

 

[simonfraser]

def think about refurb. take it off during the winter, what are the chances of it falling down in the next few months ??

if your main is on a car / track system it will go up / down very easily. i'd be tempted to spend money on that.

 

[boatmike]

Found Z Spars to be the best budget supplier and Allspars the premier mast and rigging people. If you are changing mast make, section, size configuration, in fact anything (almost inevitable), do have the mast maker do all the calcs and drawings and have them do the whole thing including rigging and stepping. Liability will then be confined to the one supplier. You can use a yacht designer if you must but that will cost money and there is a possibility of unresolvable disputes between designer and supplier. I also feel that spar suppliers know their business better than anyone else.

Indeed Z Spars would build you a mast with in-mast reefing cheaper than anyone else and their quality is certainly acceptable. One advantage would be reduced weight and you would find proper in-mast lighter than add on bits outside the mast. Also more efficient. Frankly if they have all the info on your boat (which they should have) they can build a mast that any rigger would be pleased to erect for you. You will indeed still need a rigger to complete the bottom stay ends but this is a perfectly normal way of working and personally, if I was not doing the job myself which I did when building my own boat, I would find a rigger first and let him specify the detail to Z-Spars for you to avoid cock-ups.

 

[jason -and the arguenauts]

I recently got quotes from both Selden and Z spars - the latter, who I've used several times for standing rigging, were quite a bit cheaper and as far as I could tell from the data offered a marginally stronger product. From memory the cost was around £4k for 12m mast alone so got to be a lot more for 2 masts and 2 booms.

 

[Strathglass]

I have a 1970 Nicholson 38 with original masts and booms. Main mast and boom have been modified to take Bamar in-mast reefing (add on). Both masts are now a bit tired and showing signs of corrosion.

I propose to replace this winter.

Does anyone have experience of this and any advice?

I would prefer (due to advanced years, 70) to retain in mast reefing which I find easy - even if we have to be careful reefing to avoid the odd crease which can cause a jam. However I am prepared to consider any system as long as I do not always have to point dead to windward to hoist/drop the sail.

I apologise if this has been dealt with before, have been away in Baltic for a number of years and off forums.

I needed a new mast a few years ago and looked at all the options.

I found that some of the Scotish west coast companies were quoting Z spar section numbers but at greatly inflated prices.

I asked all the suppliers I could find for quotes.

I have used Z spars in the past and found their prices and level of service to be very good.

I finally got the best deal from Sailspar and bought one of their bare mast kits. (Sparcraft F306 48' long)

They were offering an additional discount for spars ordered at SBS and, as I had been given a long lead from SWMBO who had decided not to come down with me I ordered it there.

I collected it myself ( Brighlingsea - Inverness ) as their delivery costs seemed very high. But that's another story.

I purchased the standing rigging with upper terminals sweged on, running rigging and lower swegeless terminals / bottlescrews separately from other companies.( S3i, Boat jumbles and Petersen respectively)

My final total price was 40% of what I had been quoted by some of the other companies.

The boom came from Zspars (It was a second's which I had to cut to length and rivet one end on)

I would sugest that you try both ZSpars and Sailspar to see what they can offer you.

Cheers

Iain

 

[ponapay]

Am in touch with MRS, have used them before with much satisfaction.