Mast Drilling

[Stillraining]

Well this was sort of scary...

I mean you really only get one shot at it and it better be right.

As some of you know I had my mast step rebuilt and along with that a SS base plate has been made to accommodate both the positive through bolting of my mast to meet Category 1 offshore rules and also for deck tie rod installation..

Well we just drilled the mast with a 1 1/4" hole saw...We took the base plate and used the two mast winches to suck it up tight...basically self aligning itself by the Derlin donut we cut to the ID of the mast that's now bolted to the new base plate. Then drilled away.

This is the first time I have ever drilled a new hole into a mast..it was a little nerve racking...check, double check, a triple check then a now or never kind of thing.

I'm Pretty confidant it will all line up in the boat..

The pin is 1" SS with an 1/8" Derlin bushing all around isolating the two metals hence the 1 1/4 hole..I think it will work well .......I hope....

I need a beer!

[Blue Stocking]

Nice work--but then, we all had confidence in you

[Weyalan]

I recently had to drill and tap a couple of holes in the mast. It was kinda tricky because the holes had to be parallel with each other, but neither were perpendicular with the mast... and tapping is not something I do a lot off. Much to my astonishment, I didn't stuff it up! Yay. (so confident was I of stuffing it up, I had already purchased helicoil inserts to be used when I did stuff it up).

[Stillraining]

LOL ...Thats Just good semanship....Being prepaird!..

[Stillraining]

Here is the new mast base...should I bother polishing it?...Is there any benefit?

[Marksman]

Nice work Scott! You past the test, now you can come and do all the drilling on Maelstrom! Any idea when you get to splash?

[barnakiel]

Also isolate the pin's head, nut, etc. Plenty of Duralac / Lanocote and plastic padding. Try to avoid any empty space where salt water could sit.

b.

[barnakiel]

I found polished steel bleeding less. IMHO - polish.

b.

[DaveC]

Is that it's easily welded, especially thin stuff like the mast.

You can relax a little knowing that if the hole is in the wrong place you can have a competent welder weld it back up and then just drill it again.

Cheers!

-Dave

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Also isolate the pin's head, nut, etc. Plenty of Duralac / Lanocote and plastic padding. Try to avoid any empty space where salt water could sit.

b.

Bill: A little more info please.

OK.. The base is SS the Pin is SS are you saying dont even have SS to SS contact?

I Have gone to some lengths to design and keep from having voids where water can sit...there are groves in the Derlin to channel water under the mast and out so none sits between the Derlin and the mast...also the main 1 1/2" hole in the center hasent been drilled through the Derlin yet but it will match up to the one in the step for both drainage to the bilge and electrical wire runs.

I guess I had better polish the blasted thing then. ..

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Marksman

Nice work Scott! You past the test, now you can come and do all the drilling on Maelstrom! Any idea when you get to splash?

Shooting for May 1st..but It will depend on getting a slip as to the exact day...I will be calling Skyline Next week to see what they have , That's where I really want to be though.

[delmarrey]

I want one too! Nice job! How did you get the holes in the mast to line up with the step.

Unless this is cosmetic or out in the salt spray you really don't need to polish it. But a passivation with acid will keep it from erosion for a long time. Besides trying to find a polisher in Seattle that will do it in less then a month is unlikely. The shape of it would make it a real bi**h too.

Check out this thread...... http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...teel-1950.html

There are some guys out there that have dip tanks for doing SS. Here is one of my ex-in laws. home

I do have a half a gallon of nitric acid if you feel confident and use the safety gear (PPE's).

[Stillraining]

Del..

We mounted the new SS base ( the shoe) to the base of the mast and sucked it up tight using both mast winches... the 1" thick Derlin donut fits pretty snug inside the mast so its pretty darn self aligning.. Once satisfied with alignment..it was pretty straight forward...The holes were already drilled in the base plates ears already for the 1" pin, so it was just a mater of sticking a 1" hole saw in the holes which acted as a guide centering the hole saw for drilling of just the pilot bit hole...then we removed the base and chucked up the 1 1/4" hole saw to free hand the actual drilling from each side....Piece of cake.

I plan on using Spartite in the partners once the mast is completely tuned on the water so if the mast ever needs pulled again she should go back into place with in several thousands of an inch with out a measurement...

[delmarrey]

Sounds like a professional job to me!

[s/v Jedi]

Yes, like Delmarrey wrote, I would definitely have it electro polished.

cheers,
Nick.