Mystery Particles

emandvee44

emandvee44

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We often find the particles on the deck immediately abaft the mast. Mast is Selden, with Selden cars.
The particles are hard - not sure if ferrous or not, (no rust marks on the deck). This has been happening for several years.

I have no idea of the origin - any ideas?

Michael,DSCN7130.JPG
 
They look as if they might be bits of a sheave that is disintegrating, in which case they will be plastic rater than metal. Either that or they are Higgs bosons.
 
johnalison said:
Either that or they are Higgs bosons.
Click to expand...

:D

The OP's to be congratulated for quick camera-work, then. Half life under a billionth of a trillionth of a second. Apparently ;)

Speaking of which, whatever happened to Bosun Higgs?

Yes, possibly sheaves; maybe the mast's internal conduit breaking down; or the plastic entry guide for in-mast furling?
 
My career was as a quantum economist. I could either tell you where the money was or where it was going but not both at the same time. And any attempt to observe the cashflow changed its direction, velocity and spin.
 
Rules out the aluminium mast and sheaves or plastic sheaves/parts. What about the bracket holding the antenna at the top of the mast? Ferrous?
Donald
 
Why say 'abaft the mast' and not 'under the boom', or under the gooseneck or under the (presumably rod) kicker?

Can you be sure that the particles are not from the gooseneck, boom or kicker? In fact, I bet that anything dropped from higher than a few tens of centimetres would never show such a neat and small pattern on deck, so I'd look first at things quite low-down and close to where you find them. Another possible source would be the stack-pack or bonnet or, if you have it, in-mast furling gear lower bearing.
 
If they are magnetic I think I would put my money on bits of pop rivet mandrel that have been lodged somewhere and eventually fallen out.
 
The particles in the picture were collected from the deck abaft the mast and within 30cm or so of it. Under the boom and the rod kicker if you like. Yesterday after a few hours sailing when we lowered the main (quickly) a lot more particles appeared in the same position as on all other occasions.
M.
 
Looks as if there is a failing plain steel casting (or screw thread ?) inside the boom. The bits falling out through a sheave block ?

If you wrap a sheet round the boom, and perhaps bash the boom gently, you may be able to identify where the rust is coming from.
 
I think I know what it might be. Corroding gas springs in the rod kicker. Strangely enough standard steel gas springs are fitted to a lot of kickers.
 
emandvee44 said:
The particles in the picture were collected from the deck abaft the mast and within 30cm or so of it. Under the boom and the rod kicker if you like. ...
Click to expand...

It wasn't a dig, nor was I trying to be pedantic. The exact phrasing of a question counts.

Referring only to the mast when describing the position engendered suggestions about things from the mast-head. This despite the particles having to have somehow fallen 15 odd metres and nonetheless achieved a scatter of less than 5cm - might just be possible in vaccum I suppose. And having, en-route, had to somehow divert round the boom on the way, which wouldn't be possible even in vacuum. But post the same question saying the particles were under the boom and kicker and responses start suggesting springs in the kicker.

One could use this thread as a teaching example of how the phrasing of a question conditions thought and thus replies.
 
Last edited:
emandvee44 said:
We often find the particles on the deck immediately abaft the mast. Mast is Selden, with Selden cars.
The particles are hard - not sure if ferrous or not, (no rust marks on the deck). This has been happening for several years.

I have no idea of the origin - any ideas?

Michael,View attachment 71616
Click to expand...

Have a look at the gooseneck. Mine had wear, partly from the shackle attaching the sail. Had to replace it eventually.
 
You are right, many questions posted on the forum lack sufficient detail for forum members to give a useful answer. I am no nearer to finding the source of the particles but next time we raise and lower the sail we will observe closely and hopefully get an idea where the stuff is coming from. This we have not yet done.
Thanks to all,
M.
 
emandvee44 said:
Today I gave the rod kicker a good shake and lots of particles came out at the bottom. Next job is to dismantle it and find out what needs fixing/replacing.
Thank you all,
Michael.
Click to expand...

there's a couple of fast things you can do to ascertain origin, Heat for plastic, grinding with some form of pestle or just with a hammer against metal, Oxidation in most forms will disintegrate, parts of some metal or plastic will not. Using heat will immediately show if its plastic.

Or.. take the thing apart and look as you said.
 
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