bowing mast

[rvoigt40]

i am looking at a 43' beneteau the mast has been off and laying from the stern rail to the bow rail and no support in between for about 7 years and it has a slight bow to it, my question is will it straighten up when i step it and set all the standing rigging up , or do you think it will have a permanent bow in it form sitting on it side for so long?

[Toaster]

I doubt any mast is made perfectly straight. It is the role of the standing rigging to force the mast to be straight side to side, and raked aft as appropriate.

Having the mast off before you buy is great as it lets you really closely inspect it! Don't forget to check the wiring for continuity, shorts, etc.

[osirissail]

Sailboat masts are not normally straight. They have a small curvature like the bow in a bow and arrow. That is when the mast is in place on the sailboat and you are looking at from the side, it has a curvature. When you look at it from the bow or stern the mast is straight. Some fancier sailboats have special backstay adjusters to increase or decrease the curvature of the mast when sailing.
The only concern is if the supposed curvature is in the athwartship direction. If is appears to be bending in that dimension reposition the mast so that it is supported in the longitudinal axis (fore and aft) and see if the mast still has a bend that makes the middle of the mast closer to one side of the boat or the other.
But more than likely there is nothing wrong with the mast and you are observing a bend that is supposed to be there.

[DavidLGCrawford]

Inam not speaking from experience, just using some logic.

Try putting a support under the center of the mast (even if it's just you lifting it). Do the ends lift up off the rail? If so, then it has a curve in it and the rigging will have to straighten it as others have said. If lifting the middle just straightens it and the ends are still sitting on the bow & stern rails then there really isn't a sag in it.

As I stated, this is NOT from experience. just something I would do before I even began to worry about it.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by DavidLGCrawford

Inam not speaking from experience, just using some logic.

Try putting a support under the center of the mast (even if it's just you lifting it). Do the ends lift up off the rail? If so, then it has a curve in it and the rigging will have to straighten it as others have said. If lifting the middle just straightens it and the ends are still sitting on the bow & stern rails then there really isn't a sag in it.

As I stated, this is NOT from experience. just something I would do before I even began to worry about it.

That is an excellent way to break your mast. Don't do it.

[DavidLGCrawford]

Originally Posted by Suijin

That is an excellent way to break your mast. Don't do it.

Really? Okay, scratch that idea. Thanks for (quickly) pointing that out Suijin, I now know never to try that.

[Hard Rock Candy]

Originally Posted by Suijin

That is an excellent way to break your mast. Don't do it.

If it is an aluminum mast you can pick it up any place along its length without damage to the mast. If its a wooden mast, that may be another story. Mac

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by rvoigt40

i am looking at a 43' beneteau the mast has been off and laying from the stern rail to the bow rail and no support in between for about 7 years and it has a slight bow to it, my question is will it straighten up when i step it and set all the standing rigging up , or do you think it will have a permanent bow in it form sitting on it side for so long?

You will be able to tune out the bend with the standing rigging. Im assuming there are no kinks or creases.

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