Installing Mast Tang For Solent Stau

[santa clara]

Hi all

Looks like the riggers have let me down (2nd time they haven't shown u...grrrr)!

So I'm thinking of pressing on without them. Has anyone installed on of these

http://www.sparcraft.com/uk/technica...earea-etai.pdf

It's like the Wichard 9150 but smaller (more suitable for a 10m boat).

Looks straight forward but any 1st hand advice would be welcome. I'd need to do the job mast up btw.



Cheers
Martin

[Sailmonkey]

I am actually looking at doing the same thing. I'm still trying too figure out the best way too cut the slot in the mast (neatly and square to the mast) while dangling in the bosuns chair.

[GordMay]

Like the Wichard 9150, the Sparcraft 3100 series stay attachments are bolted/riveted to the exterior of the mast (unlike the 4870 series sheave boxes, which do require a slot).

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Like the Wichard 9150, the Sparcraft 3100 series stay attachments are bolted/riveted to the exterior of the mast (unlike the 4870 series sheave boxes, which do require a slot).

Seems to me like the word Internal means a slot needs to be cut.

"Internal tang in 2 pieces for profiles"

I also see no need to make the tang as a two piece unit unless it is designed to be passed through a narrow slot piece by piece.

I have been wrong before though.

[Tortuga's Lie]

Cutting a slot in the aluminum mast should be easy enough.....find/borrow a cordless circular saw with a carbide tipped blade. Carefully mark the length and width of the slot, keeping things perfectly vertical, then plunge cut the blade into the mast. You may need to take a file to flatten out the top and bottom of the slot since the saw blade will leave a curved surface at those points. Don't forget to wear safety glasses (metal fragments in eyes are no fun). You will need to determine if there is any wiring or halyards inside the mast at that location before you committ or else things could get ugly quickly

The tangs look easy enough to install: simply mark the location of the mounting holes on the outside of the mast, drill holes, slide in one side then the other, rivet through the pre-drilled holes, done.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Tortuga's Lie

The tangs look easy enough to install: simply mark the location of the mounting holes on the outside of the mast, drill holes, slide in one side then the other, rivet through the pre-drilled holes, done.

It is not the act of cutting the slot that is difficult.......it is the act of cutting the slot in a neat clean professional manner all while hanging from the masthead by a halyard fighting with the forstay for room to cut the mast for the solent stay near the masthead that one is dangling from.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Seems to me like the word Internal means a slot needs to be cut.

"Internal tang in 2 pieces for profiles"

I also see no need to make the tang as a two piece unit unless it is designed to be passed through a narrow slot piece by piece.

I have been wrong before though.

You're not wrong this time, though. The error was mine! Sorry.

[Sailmonkey]

No worries.........I wish it was as easy as popping some holes for rivets!! But then who would trust it to hold a sail in a blow?

[Tortuga's Lie]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

It is not the act of cutting the slot that is difficult.......it is the act of cutting the slot in a neat clean professional manner all while hanging from the masthead by a halyard fighting with the forstay for room to cut the mast for the solent stay near the masthead that one is dangling from.

Well understood.....I guess you'll need to practice your Spiderman impersonation

Speaking of practice....get a chunck of curved aluminum similar to the mast section, and practice cutting a slot.... you may be able to find something similar at a scrap metal recycling businness.

[santa clara]

Hi all,

I was going to drill and file rather than plunge cut. That sounds way too scary dangling from a rope!

It was the mounting holes that bothered me...I had visions of marking them up using the tang on the outside of the mast, then inserting the tang and nothing lining up.


Regards Martin


Ps the practice on something idea sounds very sensible...I've got my eye on a street lamp just outside the Marina gate

[Matt Johnson]

I'm installing the same (Wichard) tang this spring... once the boat is in the water. I was concerned with marking and drilling the rivet hole too. I measure, use templetes, and measure again, but holes never seem to line up for me. Also, since I need to install the tang within two feet of the masthead, it will be tight up there.

I really hope someone goes before me and can tell me how it went!

[Sailmonkey]

I'll be practicing with a short piece of PVC drain pipe before I do the real thing. the curvature will be different, but the wall thickness is around the same. Drain pipe, not sch 40.

[travler37]

Originally Posted by Tortuga's Lie

Cutting a slot in the aluminum mast should be easy enough.....find/borrow a cordless circular saw with a carbide tipped blade. Carefully mark the length and width of the slot, keeping things perfectly vertical, then plunge cut the blade into the mast. You may need to take a file to flatten out the top and bottom of the slot since the saw blade will leave a curved surface at those points. Don't forget to wear safety glasses (metal fragments in eyes are no fun). You will need to determine if there is any wiring or halyards inside the mast at that location before you committ or else things could get ugly quickly

The tangs look easy enough to install: simply mark the location of the mounting holes on the outside of the mast, drill holes, slide in one side then the other, rivet through the pre-drilled holes, done.

Turn the saw blade around.Will still cut and you will have alot less binding.
Mark

[SV Demeter]

Im not bothering with a tang and especially would not want a big piece of stainless that I would then need to isolate from the aluminum to prevent corrosion. Im installing a T-Ball terminal with backing palte. Much smaller hole in mast and this is how all the other stays are attached. For cutting the hole or slot use a drill at either end then a jigsaw to connect the two holes. Leave both ends rounded no sharp corners to create stress risers.

[Weyalan]

cutting a slot in a mast for a halyard exit is not so bad. I did one recently, using a thin cutting blade (a.k.a. "death wheel") on an angle grinder. The "Top Tip" I got from an old pro was to apply candle wax to the butting wheel to prevent it from wanting to bite/jam in the aluminium.

What worked for me was to apply masking tape over the area then carefully mark out the job on the masking tape (this tape also reduces the chance of damaging mast paintwork with swarf / sharp edged tools, etc). I marked and drilled the corners first, then cut the long sides. For the short sides I just drilled an intermidiate hole and filed. It looked reasonably neat and tidy, even though I do say so myself