My mast is shorter, is that a problem?? Also: Mast step with nylon insert?

[Pepe112]

Hi all,

New here and I have a question. I just bought a boat of which the mast was vut off at the step by the previous owner (alu mast, steel step, galvanic corrosion). The stump is still in the boat, some 3-5 cm were cut off the mast at the base.

Thinking of taking out the step/base and grinding it down to the base plate and building up a new step, with a nylon insert (basically a nylon ring on top of a nylon disk) which a) solves the galvanic corrosion issue for the future and ads the possibility of a drain in the step ( directly into bilge or even into a sump box, and b) means I have to do only a few butt welds instead of finfing/making an oval steel profile that fits the mast and butt-welding it to the plate or welding it on top of the existing oval shape (harder). see illustration:


crear imagenes en linea gratis

Has anyone used or seen such a design?

My other question: do a few cm off the mast really matter? I will eventually replace the old standing rig but might want to get a season (or 2) out of it sailing in front of the port etc. Won't be doing any big trips in that time probably and the boat is a project so this helps smear out the cost a bit. I just wonder if I'll run into big problems with the existing rig if the mast is a few cm shorter.

The boat is a Sparkman & Stephens 36 foot 1710 design btw, carvel construction – mahogany planking on laminated oak frames; bronze fastened. Hull and engine in great shape, no interior (lots of work, but 'clean slate') and brightwork etc. in dire need of tlc.

Input, other ideas, stern warnings not to proceed and schadenfreude about wooden boat owners and other banter most welcome!!! If there is any interest I'm happy to post some content aboutt he renov project while I'm at it, nice for accountability and 'sharing'.

[Pepe112]

Admin, please remove, I posted double, somehow there was a malfuntion and I couldnt see this post so I quickly wrote a new one, don't see how to remove it.

[Knotical]

I doubt a few centimeters short will matter, if you want the same sail area you can go with a bigger roach’d main.

Would love to see the restoration of this beauty.

[Pepe112]

Thanks Knotical! I'll continue the thread under the URL below as I posted 2x.

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ow-256443.html

[Greatest Lakes]

There will be a few changes, if you have a furling headsail it may be a bit long, along with the shrouds. Only safety concern is a slightly lower boom. Your sail area and so forth shouldn't need any changes. Personally, I'd raise your new mast step up enough to return it to design height. That would create the fewest unknowns.