Noise from mast

[Hial]

Does anyone know what causes the rattling noise that comes from a mast when you shake it. Are there tubes or something similar inside. My boat is a 1986 Hurley 22 R.

 

[merlin3688]

Could be conduits for electric cables, some masts have them.

 

[MASH]

If you're lucky. If not it's the cables themselves slatting around in there.

 

[livefats]

We had this problem with our Seamaster 19 - kept us awake at night. We solved it by removing the mast base/foot and pushing a long length of plastic pipe as far as it would go up the mast. Re riveted the foot, and problem solved - the tube acted as a sort of dampener.

 

[DavidMcMullan]

Is it the halyards swinging from side to side hitting the mast?

 

[pmagowan]

If you have no conduit and the cables slap you can fit ordinary plastic conduit inside and rivet it in place. Alternatively some people use 3 cable ties every meter arranged so that their tails point out at equal angles. This holds the cable steady in the middle but would make it a paint to thread new cables. I am sure there are other solutions.

 

[Hial]

Thanks for the replies. I had four electric cables going up the mast and I removed two of them yesterday. When I gave the mast a shake afterwards it sounded just the same. Tried slackening then tightening the halyards but still no difference! It is a z-spars mast.

 

[pmagowan]

It must be the cables. The halyards are easy to identify as you can see them slapping the mast. I normally stuck a bungy round the and on to the stays. It only takes one of the cables to make a slap. Do you use them? It might be worth replacing them either in conduit or with one of the other 'anti-slap' techniques.

Ps. Remember not to take them all out without running some mousing line in.

 

[planteater]

My unstayed mast has a VHF and tricolour/anchor light power cables running internally. They used to slap around a bit until I stuffed a "swim noodle" up the mast.

It's a cheap length of cylindrical closed cell foam used to teach kids to swim.

 

[CreakyDecks]

Thanks for the replies. I had four electric cables going up the mast and I removed two of them yesterday. When I gave the mast a shake afterwards it sounded just the same. Tried slackening then tightening the halyards but still no difference! It is a z-spars mast.

My Z-Spars mast has the cables in a conduit.

 

[MASH]

Swim noodle! Brilliant! THANKS!
Plumbing insulation would work too.

 

[LittleSister]

Does anyone know what causes the rattling noise that comes from a mast when you shake it. Are there tubes or something similar inside. My boat is a 1986 Hurley 22 R.

If it only rattles when you shake it, then stop shaking it! ;-)

I used to have a Hurley 22 (bit earlier than yours, South Coast Marine built, rather than your Ravensail). It had no conduit in the mast and the electric cables in the mast drove me near insane at times, clattering from side to side in almost imperceptible swell.

 

[cimo]

if it is the cables - shoving all excess cable back into the mast can help. I added extensions to some of mine to do this.
pulling them tight tends to agravate the problem, i found.

 

[Hial]

Thanks again for all the replies. I'll try some of the suggestions and see what happens.

If anybody is visiting Orkney and needs any advice or would like to go for a sail send me a pm.


Alex

 

[Corribee Boy]

Planteater, did the swim noodle affect the halyards, or don't you have them inside the mast?