Gooseneck replacement (boom / spar) fitting options?

[Sailjourner]

Hi, I am planning to adjust my boom height and setup single line reefing so I removed the main and at that point realized the gooseneck assembly is badly fatigued. The cotter pin was already breaking and there was significant play (rotation left and right) on the fitting. I am now thinking to replace both the gooseneck and end cap/outhaul assembly for something more modern as I was already contemplating the reefing system update.

How can I find replacement gooseneck and end cap assemblies when I don't know the boom extrusion manufacturer?

I did find a sticker of TM Marine Engineering Japan, but no results online. It looks like the boom is much newer than the mast, so assuming it was replaced within the last 5-10 years. The actual boom extrusion looks fine, so prefer to salvage the entire boom.

Attached are some pics:

[double u]

replace pin with bolt (short thread! locknut + cotterpin), plastic washers everywhere, cleanup with SS-brush, go sailing
forget single line reefing: miles of lines!

[C420sailor]

You could always clean that gooseneck up and have a machinist take care of the holes—go to larger pins.

[stormalong]

Consider refurbishing it. Looks like there is plenty of aluminum there. You could go to a larger pin and use spacers to take up the horizontal slack. Drilling out for a larger pin is not a big deal. Custom making a pin would be a lot less expensive than replacing everything. Standard width stainless round bar can be cut to length and drilled for cotter pins by any machine shop and many backyard mechanics.

When putting the refurbished gooseneck back together coats the pin with Tefgel to prevent the aluminum from electrolytically reacting with the stainless and seizing up.

[Tupaia]

You can also sleeve bigger holes and keep the pin sizes the same. The ss sleeves will resist wear much better than the raw aluminium and there won't be corrosion between the pins and the sleeves. New pins should be long enough to allow washers under the split pins.

[ohthetrees]

I'd want to see more pictures, but I don't think you need to replace the fitting. A new/longer pin, new cotter pin, and some fender washers might fix you up.

[Sailjourner]

Thanks all for the replies. Seems to be a consensus about preserving what I have in place. I will remove the gooseneck and review it with a local machine shop. I was a little worried about the stress it has already displayed but maybe that is not too concerning at this point. I am planning a very long sail plan of 2-3 years and about 7k nm so carefully reviewing every part of the vessel, but agree in principle that it’s not at risk of immediate failure especially if I improve upon the current condition with some new machining and spacers, etc...

[Searles]

For long term security replace the entire unit with stainless steel ,custom made not out of the question ,also would suggest the sleeving of the mast at the area of the attachment ,not rivets ,bore and tap the mast and bolt the unit on ,plus plenty of tefjel ,loosing a goose neck in a big blow can be devastating and dangerous .⚓️⛵️

[Searles]

For long term security replace the entire unit with stainless steel ,custom made not out of the question ,also would suggest the sleeving of the mast at the area of the attachment ,not rivets ,bore and tap the mast and bolt the unit on ,plus plenty of tefjel ,loosing a goose neck in a big blow can be devastating and dangerous .⚓️⛵️

[Siberian Sea]

Single line reefing while looks to be great often times results in excess line friction with the end results the whole operation dose not move so smoothly as expected. This is especially noticeable when you hoist the main.

[guyrj33]

The cotter pin that's wearing into the aluminium should have a washer under it.

[team karst]

I just went thru the exercise of fixing a "wallowed" out gooseneck. The original had a 10mm bolt, it wallowed out, and was redrilled to take a 12mm bolt. That wallowed out, and I had a shop with a drill press drill it out to 7/8". sorry for the metric to US change....
anyway, there was a vendor on ebay that sold stainless steel bushings, and he had one with a 7/8" OD, and a 1/2" ID, with a near perfect length. That got banged in, and now sailing with a stable gooseneck joint. These kind of wear joints should not be aluminum.

[sailcrazy]

FWIW, we experienced a similar issue with our gooseneck a couple of years ago. We drilled out and bushed the 2 outer braces, used a longer s/s bolt with locking nut, and a couple of washers between the fitting and the boom tang. EZ, inexpensive, and has worked perfectly since.

[roverhi]

Would go with double line reefing rather than single line. Works way better. Sleeve the mast fitting if the hole is oblong/wallowed out as long is there is enough material there. Looks like the pin was too short to begin with. Should be long enough to fit washer on the cotter pin side to absorb the abrasion of the cotter pin.

[team karst]

Originally Posted by Searles

.. ,also would suggest the sleeving of the mast at the area of the attachment ,not rivets ,bore and tap the mast and bolt the unit on ,plus plenty of tefjel ...

Explain "sleeving the mast". Would this be a thicker skin that you somehow attach to the extrusion? And, drill and tap into that?