Supporting mast

[Three kings]

The next job is to remove the chainplate deck cover plates, scrape out all the old sealant, clean mating surfaces and make good with new sealant.

The issue is the 10mm clearance on the deck plates so the only option is to remove the shrouds one by one. However this is likely to twist and distort the rig so I'm thinking that I should slacken off on both sides before removing each one individually, rebedding, tension lightly then move on.

Apart from using halyards to provide additional support and picking a calm day is there anything else I should watch out for?

 

[knuterikt]

The next job is to remove the chainplate deck cover plates, scrape out all the old sealant, clean mating surfaces and make good with new sealant.

The issue is the 10mm clearance on the deck plates so the only option is to remove the shrouds one by one. However this is likely to twist and distort the rig so I'm thinking that I should slacken off on both sides before removing each one individually, rebedding, tension lightly then move on.

Apart from using halyards to provide additional support and picking a calm day is there anything else I should watch out for?

I the mast deck or keel stepped?
Slack the shrouds on both sides, you only need a little tension to support the mast w/o sail up.

 

[Three kings]

It's deck stepped with 4 deck plates either side.

 

[wotayottie]

I assume the problem is leaks. With 4 plates either side I would not worry too much about loosening one without loosening the others. However you might well want to let the sealant go off for 24 hours before fully tightening down and I wouldnt be comfortable with all of them loosened off at the same time unless you were able to support the mast in other ways - halyards to the toe rail for example.

Halyards would be sufficient in my experience - I have gone up the mast and changed my forestay with nothing more that the spinny and genny halyards holding the mast up on my 36 footer.

But really no one on here can tell you as well as you can tell yourself because we dont know your options. 4 plates either side suggests home built to me which of itself makes me worry