To sleeve or not to sleeve

[Exit door]

Some say put a sleeve around it others say drill holes at top of splits to stop further split then rivet or screw further above . Sleeve would be more expensive but am looking for the most structurally sound and safe option. Ideas people . Cheers

[Exit door]

Ok and pic from the other side?

[Exit door]

Bear in mind the mark above the screw on the first picture is only a paint scratch it's the small splits at the bottom that are the concern. Cheers

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Exit door

Some say put a sleeve around it others say drill holes at top of splits to stop further split then rivet or screw further above . Sleeve would be more expensive but am looking for the most structurally sound and safe option. Ideas people . Cheers

First, address the cause. There is corrosion between the mast and the base casting, jacking the mast apart. My though would be to pull the mast, remove the base, cleaning things up, and coat both surfaces with Duralac.

Then I would most likely shorten the mast by an inch or so. The last inch is almost certainly rotten. You probably won't need new rigging, as this may be within the range of adjustment (you may be due for rigging anyway).

Better than sleeving, welding, or riveting. This is not rare and is not that big of a deal, so long as you deal with it.

[Exit door]

Thanks sounds like the correct thing to do.

Unfortunately to lift the mast is going to cost me a load of dosh so I must admit I am after the cheaper options.

Bear in mind that the yacht was caught and beached in a cyclone thus thee pressure splits

Can I get away with rivets or sleeving or would you still recommend mast lifting

Thanks

[Pauls]

Thinwater's recommendations are all good.

If you can't pull the mast, as an utter minimum you will want to stop drill the cracks. if you do not they will propogate - that means they will grow. Stop drilling consists of drilling a small hole - 1/8" is probably OK - at the very end of the crack. This spreads the stress across a much larger area and prevents the crack from continuing to grow.

[Exit door]

Thanks Paul and yes as mentioned in my previous post drilling hole at top of splits will be on the cards

Thanks for the English word translation as well


Cheers mate

[Captsteve53]

1) Drilling the holes at the end of the crack is a absolute must do!!
2) Galvanic Corrosion has a major issue here (Stainless screws and Aluminium)
3) So you must use some thing like Duralac Paste that will stop the corrosion
issue dead
NOTE: I have been warned by a Forum Moderator not to always recommend this product as i believe he thinks i am a part of that company- where as in reality I am a Marine Surveyor (IIMS and Lloyd's) and only trying to reach as many as I can with a real solution to a very common issue,(If you want to know more or where to buy please PM ME).
4) From that background as a Marine Surveyor I would definitely recommend you bend/roll an Aluminium sleeve around the area (after you do the drilling and replacement of screws using that PRODUCT Im not allowed to mention!
5) When doing the wrap around pop rivet as you go, but not in a straight line the rivets need to staggered so you dont cause a sheer line around the mast, this sleeve and Rivets needs that PRODUCT liberally used on all surfaces.

6) Try to make the sleeve around the same thickness as the mast or as thick as you think you can mange to get around the mast, only needs to be around 3-4" tall, perhaps pre form and then open snap around the mast.

You must use that PRODUCT or other wise you will have Galvanic corrosion issues (yes even Aluminum and Aluminium especially with stainless rivets Monel would be the best using the PRODUCT,


Cheers Steve (MIIMS-Lloyd's Maritime)

[Exit door]

Hi Steve thanks for that I will follow your instructions and was already aware of the forbidden word product and will use it on everything graciously. The stagnating rivets makes sense too.

I also have a broken Mizzen that needs sleeving, any suggestions on how to configure the rivets on this job. Or is it's a matter of the more the merrier?

If anybody knows of any videos or articles out there on inner sleeving please can you send the link , does not seem to be anything very comprehensive on YouTube etc

Thanks again mate and happy sailing

[Wotname]

A good PRODUCT to use would be Duralac but do wear gloves and wash well after using it - it's somewhat carcinogenic.

[Pete7]

Not pulling the mast sounds like a real bodge, sorry but I just have to say it.

If you were in the middle of French Polynesia then I would be sympathetic but Aus?

By pulling the mast you get to treat the base properly and fix the mast properly, once and for all, not have to go back and do it again in a couple of years.

I have moved the thread to a more suitable forum, hope that isn't too confusing.

Pete

[Exit door]

Immm Pete I guess you are right. The boats in Fiji but saying that I can pull mast it just means hiring a crane and that's going to be $$$$$$ .

But in the long run its the right choice I guess


Damn

[Pete7]

I think so, until you get the base of the mast off and see inside you don't really know what is going on and if a chunk of it broke away whilst you were at sea and the rigging goes slack, you would do what exactly?

Okay, now that I have spent a few hundred of your hard earned dollars, how about I spend a few more. That VHF cable you have up the mast, how old is it? That old, really and the antenna? with the mast down do you want to .........

Take care

Pete

[Captsteve53]

Originally Posted by Wotname

A good PRODUCT to use would be Duralac but do wear gloves and wash well after using it - it's somewhat carcinogenic.

Wow now careful Wotname, I got lam-blasted publicaly on this forum by a moderator for mentioning that PRODUCT to many times!!!!,

The mast sleeve!

1) Definitely DO NOT use to many rivets (it's certainly not a case of more the merrier)
2) Again be very careful not to place the rivets in a line around the mast, they need to be staggered up and down the sleeve , for mast sleeves I always use MONEL rivets with inserting them using that PRODUCT
3) The sleeve material needs to be Aluminium and no thicker than the mast thickness as a general guide and be a very tight fit
4)The length of the splice is proportional to the diameter but on average it will be around 18" (give or take-the larger the mast diameter the longer splice
5) Done correctly this will be the strongest part of the mast
6) Originally, this was true for all their masts, as most anodizing tanks could only accommodate 40-foot pieces,

Below pics show to clamp the sleeve while riveting and what a good alignment rivet job looks like,(this one is welded rather tan rivets)

Cheers Steve (MIIMS-Lloyd's Maritime)

[guyrj33]

I suggest pulling the mast, removing the base and assessing the issue.
Then I think a reasonable approach would be to shorten the mast by an inch or more if needed and then building a taller mast base to accommodate the shorter mast section.
Use your favorite anti-corrosion product.