Bent mast - replace, repair or use?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by bjor

I am new to this forum, but I hope that the experts here may give me some advice.

I own a Granada sailboat, and recently had a rigger check my mast.

It turned out that the mast is bent in the area around the top spreader (see picture). There is no visible sign of injury, creasing etc to the aluminium. It seems to me that the bend is somewhere between 5-10 cm.

I have owned the boat for three years and I do not know if the bend has been there all the time. I have not noticed it before the mast was taken down.

The rigger inspecting the mast advised to get a new mast, which they could provide. However, a new mast cost more than the boat.

I would greatly appreciate any advice on whether the only alternative is to replace the mast. Is it possible/advisable to "repair" the bend? Is it possible to trim the rig to "equalize" the bend and use the rig as before?

All helpful comments and advice is greatly appreciated.

Attachment 236333

I think I'd live with it having nothing visible. I suspect an attempt to straighten it may do more harm than good.

[MV Caroline]

Looks to me as if all it will need is a good tune once re-stepped. Have a rigger look at it,if he finds no kink in the section it should be fine.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

NO NO NO, with such a critical bend you NEED a new mast, new standing rigging and no doubt new running rigging as well, your rigger knows best.


Do yourself a favour and get a second opinion from a rigger recommended by at least three other sailors that you know.

Guys, this was a very sarcastic tongue in cheek, dig at the rigger post, not a serious statement, except for the last paragraph.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Guys, this was a very sarcastic tongue in cheek, dig at the rigger post, not a serious statement, except for the last paragraph.

sorry mate for my misunderstanding...

that's the problem with the internet...it's easy to miss the tone !

cheers,

[CarlF]

I agree with the majority - no kink, no crack, no problem

The problem is to find a good rigger. They are few and far between these days. And even the good ones are terrified of being blamed for a mast failure - so always want to replace everything.

Another issue is to not have an overly conservative rigger report to your insurance company that the rig needs to be replaced. I would not go back to the first rigger. If your insurance company has not asked for a survey, tell the rigger you select that you are not hiring him to do a formal written survey.

Here is an excellent tuning guide from Selden. While I would hire a rigger, it wouldn't hurt to observe the process having first studied a guide like this.

https://support.seldenmast.com/files/595-540-E.pdf

[nortonscove]

It's a bend and not a kink. No reason to believe it lacks any strength. Tune it as best as you can and go sailing. If on the other hand you see kinks or cracks in the metal pulled it down.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

This is the key fact to consider.....the mast needs to stay " in column" to function, ie, straight up and down, whether the boat is at rest or heeled over. All the various shrouds and stays are there to keep the mast " in column". The bend may have been caused by uneven tension on the one side or another, ie, the mast took a bend until the the shroud got loaded....or....the mast, under load, must absorb considerable compression loads...the bottom of the mast must bear on some type of "compression post"....the "compression posts" on boats differ from one to the other, but if the " compression post" sags or deforms for any reason, under load, all the shrouds and stays will loosen.
In the same breath, a shroud fitting can also work loose or otherwise get deformed, especially under load, so that the shroud has excessive slack when under load.

Double spreader rigs, especially, are complicated to tension properly, depending on how the boat is rigged.

Nonetheless, accepting and checking all the above, if the mast can be correctly re-installed and properly " re-tensioned"...this would be a good time to eyeball the mast to see that it is perfectly " in column". A test sail, with the sails up also needs to done to ascertain, that the mast remains "in column" while under load.

While a mast can be bent by use of a " backstay adjuster", one must remember that a mast x-section has varying wall thickness and depth, ie, it is usually longer fore and aft, than it's width, bending it backwards to alter sail shape is not quite the same as the mast bending sideways..

I tend to agree with the above comments, that asking the rigger for an opinion is like asking your dentist if you need to schedule another appointment.

Get someone that knows his stuff for a second opinion and get it re-installed "correctly"

All this is true and correct, however, it seems to me that is not exactly relevant to the current issue under discussion.
The mast is already bent!
The above advice will be (very) relevant if and when a new straight mast will be installed.
The existing mast may be straightened a bit with the rig, but carefully - not exceeding inherent flexibility, i.e. not bending it again in the other direction. If you bend it in the opposite direction out of flexibility limits you'll damage it more than it is damaged now!
Only my opinion...

[chasfgr]

It's easy to overtighten one or several shrouds, and divert the mast out of true, escpecially on a 3/4-rig keel mounted mast.
I rather suspect your so-called rigger was a tyro or in terror of his indemnity insurers.
I suspect he's in the business of selling new masts an rigging, not tuning boats.
Was his visit free - if not I suspect you have adequate grounds to reclaim any fee (but not travel expenses).
Why not try a real rigger, who tunes competition boats?
I found lots in the Marseille area, their advice was generally similar, after my mast fractured off Cabo Gato, relying on a UK S Coast rigger.

[parachute]

From the angle of the picture I can't see a bend.

[Mlp48]

Do you have comfort or worry with it ?

I ask this as I had a very skillful pal who bought a hull and deck and finished it all out beautifully but for economic reasons bought a damaged mast that, if undamaged, would have been fine. Several steps were taken to "beef it up". However, he was very afraid to sail the boat in winds above 15 - 20 kts. Not comfy !

I was once aboard as "help" on another boat, a stout racer of pedigreed, that had dis-contiguous standing rigging and in the 1st race of an ambitious season, a shroud "let go" as one lower was not screwed-in sufficiently. There was no damage except that the mast was permanently bent to one side as yours appears to be.

It would straighten out under tension from the opposing side. Was there comfort with that ? No ... but then it seemed very small compared to other things wrong with the boat such as late discovered broken bulkhead tabbing here and there.

There was great pressure to compete (and forget vessel issues)with crews lined up, travel booked, sails and safety gear purchased, ice and beer and cold cuts and casseroles in the box.

What happened: nothing awry but WHEW... it would have been no joy once we were way, way offshore. I was happy to have been kept so busy that there was not a moment to dwell on it.

What's your comfort level ??

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by CapnCuervo

If the bend does not show visible fatigue (striations or cracks), then I would likely try to repair or bolster vs replace. Lesson here re: the rigger who sells masts - don’t ask the barber if you need a haircut.

Never met a dentist who couldn’t find just a small
cavity to “Drill, Fill and Bill”
Cheers
Neil

[MicHughV]

CarlF,

That is a good and handy rigging guide....I enjoyed it and will keep it. Thank you.

"tuning' a rig is not unlike "tuning" a guitar.

Think rigging a mast is difficult....try rigging a radio tower.....some of those are around 2,000' tall....

[Carole ann]

When I had a fabrication shop I would straighten masts by cutting heavy chunks of wood that fit the mast at the spot where the bend was. then I would chain that part to the floor and attach an overhead crane to the top of the mast. Raising the mast would bend it way past straight then when the crane was released the mast would come back to straight. They never kinked dimpled or broke. I never was told of any of them having a problem. If I would have seen any deformaty I would have insisted on scraping the mast.

[bjor]

Thank you all for good comments and advice. Today we moved the mast to the workshop. So I look forward to see how it turns out. The workshop will examine the mast for any structural flaws, and consider to do straightening if relevant.

Anyway, I look forward to monitor the mast, and the trim, and how it performs, when I go sailing againg.

The picture show how we today moved the mast to the nearby workshop (the distance was three whiskybottles)

[Jim Cate]

the distance was three whiskybottles)

Hope one was left for the shop crew... to be used after the mast was nice and straight!

And FWIW, I think it will be fine if they don't kink it.

Jim