What to check while mast is down?

[Sea Change]

We're going to drop the mast while the boat is ashore, so that I can tackle the deck compression.
While it's down I'll want to give it a good going over. It's an older Proctor design with a riveted on track and through-bolted tangs.
I'm thinking I should check:
- spreaders and brackets
- all rivets
- sheeves
- foot
- cables, antennae, windex, lights

Anything else?
How much, if at all, should I disassemble the fitting for the lower shrouds?
Should I be using dye to show up cracks in tangs etc?

 

[scozzy]

Give it the works,if you've thought it ..do it...then when it goes back up and its one less thing to worry about

 

[Daydream believer]

Stick a bit of 38 * 38 batten 3 ft up the inside of the mast ( It is aluminium I assume) With enough protruding to reach the end of the furler. Then get some cable ties or duct tape & fix the furler to the batten to support it to stop it flopping on the ground & kinking. You would be amazed how many furlers get kinked because people leave the mast on a couple of trestles with the foil bent over one trestle.

Get a bit of 2 * 1 & with some tape fix it to the top of the mast & along the windex. That will stop pesky kids, or half blind old women, wandering round the marina hooking in to it & bending it for you.

Of course you will unbolt the VHF aerial & fold it down against the mast, wont you? Then forget to put it back on when you put the mast back up

Wrap the end of the electric wires in a couple of sandwich bags, tightly sealed, to keep the water off the ends. But do not leave them hanging down, so the water runs in to the bags when it rains.Otherwise you will come back & find the ends in bags of water.

Change the mast bulbs for LED & test with a spare car battery prior to putting the mast back. Have a look to see when you last changed the VHF wire. If 20 years old change it for a new one of the correct rating. , It will improve reception a lot.

Check the wires where they go into spreader & mast head lights. They can get corroded

 

[chris-s]

Whilst the mast is down, good time to check the chain plates too.

 

[Boathook]

Renew the aerial and wire. Renew the masthead lamp if the lens looks crazed. All easy to do with mast down.

 

[MontyMariner]

Measure and record (photo) all lengths and fittings.

 

[Sea Change]

Whilst the mast is down, good time to check the chain plates too.

Good call. I pulled them a couple of years ago prior to crossing Biscay but it wouldn't hurt to look again, and renew the sealant where they go through the deck.

 

[Jonny A]

Check the halyards have a clear run through the masthead pulleys with nothing getting close to chafing them.

 

[bluerm166]

Have always thought that tangs on older masts ,due to their nature ,would be prime candidates for 'working' fatigue .One would suspect also that they are often left in place throughout the life of the mast because of the difficulty /expense of finding a custom replacement.

 

[johnphilip]

Renew the aerial and wire. Renew the masthead lamp if the lens looks crazed. All easy to do with mast down.

Fully agree, just had our mast down for the first time and replaced the VHF aerial which I suspected was reducing our radio range and used the opportunity to fit a tricolour light.

 

[STATUE]

Stick a bit of 38 * 38 batten 3 ft up the inside of the mast ( It is aluminium I assume) With enough protruding to reach the end of the furler. Then get some cable ties or duct tape & fix the furler to the batten to support it to stop it flopping on the ground & kinking. You would be amazed how many furlers get kinked because people leave the mast on a couple of trestles with the foil bent over one trestle.

Get a bit of 2 * 1 & with some tape fix it to the top of the mast & along the windex. That will stop pesky kids, or half blind old women, wandering round the marina hooking in to it & bending it for you.

Of course you will unbolt the VHF aerial & fold it down against the mast, wont you? Then forget to put it back on when you put the mast back up

Wrap the end of the electric wires in a couple of sandwich bags, tightly sealed, to keep the water off the ends. But do not leave them hanging down, so the water runs in to the bags when it rains.Otherwise you will come back & find the ends in bags of water.

Change the mast bulbs for LED & test with a spare car battery prior to putting the mast back. Have a look to see when you last changed the VHF wire. If 20 years old change it for a new one of the correct rating. , It will improve reception a lot.

Check the wires where they go into spreader & mast head lights. They can get corroded

 

[STATUE]

Well done Dreamer , that was quintessential PBO explanation- comprehensive and clear to understand.

 

[bluerm166]

Good ideas by DD but I must say that the number of half blind old women wandering around winter boatyards must be at the ratio of 1:10 or more to the number of half blind old men involved.As for pesky children I would be tempted to tell them to go find Daydream Believer and play round it.