Aluminum spar damage.

[irwinsailor]

Yesterday I peeled away the paint from around the ears that hold the spreaders on the masts. I had a very hard time getting the pins out of the spreaders so I was not shocked to see cracks in the ears that will need to be welded. I have read somewhere that there is a dye that is used to check a rig for fractures, is that a do it yourself process? If so what is it called and where can you buy it? I would like to test the rig myself and repair as much as possible before I hire a surveyor to recheck the rig. This will save cost of a second trip from the surveyor.

[exposure]

You should be able to buy the aerosol kits at a good auto supply house, or one of the major supply houses like Grainger.

Fluorescent or Dye Penetrant (FP)

It helps to have someone experienced show you the first time it's done as there is a bit of art to reading these.

How to Use an Inspection Penetrant

[delmarrey]

Dye Penetrate Test.
There are three spray cans manufactured by Crown. The dye, developer and cleaner. The cleaner is basicly acetone, don't bother buying it. Too expensive for so little amount. Just use a rag and acetone out of a can. AND DON'T GET THE DYE ON YOUR GELCOAT.

You can also get the stuff at welding suppliers. You spray on the red dye first, wait a few minutes, then wipe it off. Then spray on the white powder. Any cracks will show up as red line in the white. Clean it all up with a rag and the acetone. If you apply a little heat (heat gun) to the part before spraying the dye, it'll soak in better.

Wha La..................._/)