Islander 37 base plate for mast...

[moonrsn]

I will try to make this short. I have a 1967 'Islander 37' that I acquired abandoned after sitting 4 years on the hard in a storage yard. I am completely going through the boat and have a problem with the base of the mast. It is partially corroded up about 3/4" part way around. The rest of the mast, the shrouds, and turnbuckles are perfect. The base plate the mast sits on is iron and bolted to an iron I-beam. My idea is to fabricate a spacer of about 1" - 2" to place between the I-beam and plate and cut off the same from the mast. I will then drill and bolt the plate back down. This way the shrouds will still be the correct length. I am trying to decide what to make the spacer out of. I have been thinking of using teak of some type of hard plastic. Does any one out there have any suggestions?
Thanks, Noel

[James S]

Hard plastic would be good.
Send pics.

[mike d.]

if the mast step is made out of iron/steel and not aluminum i would have a new step made of alum. and make the spacer out of a phenolic mat. to insulate step and mast from steel i-beam. this is why your mast foot is corroded in the first place

[TYLER]

I too have recently acquired a 1967 37 islander. The person we purchased it from built a box and filled it with resin he then suggested that I glass all around the wood box he made and over the top of it. I wish I could have seen its condition because now it will never be seen again.

I have a question for you. Do you know about how fuel efficient the atomic 4 20/22hp is?
we seem to be using a lot of fuel. any suggestions on operating that?

THank you

[Aqua Vitae]

I have much the same problem you guys are encountering. My mast is stepped on a steel plate that sits on a big lump of lead. The mast is also corroded due to the galvanic activity of dissimilar metals. I was advised to cut off the damaged portion of the mast and replace steel with aluminum. I was also advised to make up the difference lost with the plate, and insert a "filler" of aluminum fitting into the bottom of the mast. Not sure why I should use the filler, but it sounded like a good idea.

As for the Atomic 4, mine is not running yet, but I have heard/ read that the original 2 blade, 12" prop is inefficient and too large. Indigo and Moyer both make a 3 blade, 10" prop that increases performance. This may help your problem, but not really sure what gas mileage was in the first place...