Compression post alignment

[StuM]

So you've managed to rebuild the mast foot area and got mast foot, deckplate and compression post back together within 0.7° of plumb, presumably before you have tensioned the rig. Sounds pretty good to me

Is your mast currently sitting within 0.7° of where it will be when your rigging is tensioned?

[rognvald]

"So far so good, except it appears that the internal roof plate has developed a kick upwards at the forward end ( only maybe 5mm), so that when the post is screwed home it misses its connecting plate in the bilge 2m below, by around 35mm ( missing forwards as the post is slanting from aft to forwards)." Sulaire


For the sake of academic argument, why doesn't this bother everyone when the goal is a sound, clean installation? If it were my boat, this would be corrected to original specs and the bend removed or the plate replaced before going to step 2. This is what we call "Mickey Mouse" up North. Best, R P.S. We're talking about a compression post assembly for the main mast. Seems important.

[Sulaire]

I decided to take it all apart again and investigate further.... everything holds true until the last turn on the front bolts on the mast plate on deck, when the plate underneath on the saloon roof pulls up at front which in turn offsets the post forward 25mm at the bottom.

I put in a few shims, only 3mm was required, tightened everything up again and the post sits where it should.

Now i have the solution i need to take the whole thing apart again and clean the bolts and holes of sikaflex before a final fit.....

I think the reason was that the aft bolts were screwing home , but the front ones were not and as a result were pulling up after the rest were tight?

Anyway, thanks for the wake up call rognvald.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by psk125

Sounds like you needed to leave the post in place while you worked on the rotted deck/cabin top section. I would be tempted to undo the post from the top and attach the post at the bottom, then perhaps put a metal shim in place between the top plate and the underside of the deck/cabin top to make the pieces mate up properly. You don't want to go around bending stuff.

It's a bit hard to understand, but This ^^^ is generally what I would do, but bolt the bottom and top loosely and shim the end plates as needed where there is a gap. They are probably not perfectly square to the tube. I had no idea HC used any deck stepped masts. Not that I'm against them.

[Sulaire]

And that is what I did, thank you all for the feedback, i guess with all the jobs i am undertaking the detail got lost in the big picture!

Its been a busy few months of refit, but near the end now and looking forward to getting underway again.