Broken mast for Mac 25 - very clean break

[capnmac25]

This past weekend we were pulling our boat from a impromptu boat ramp to its winter storage parking site when we hit power lines that we missed seeing due to all the fall foliage (that's my story, sticking to it).

The marine antenna atop the mast appears to be what actually struck the lines, but the mast broke off very cleanly exactly 17 feet from the top - exactly where the hole for the spreader mounts had been drilled. No other damage occured. The mast did not crimp or flatten.

From the research I've done so far, I guess my options are:

-Buy a new extrusion, drill it as needed and reinstall everything that was on old mast
-Buy used mast, should already be drilled as needed
-Attempt repair of old mast, using sleeve and welding

Unfortunately, I'm thinking that the repair might be a bad idea since there would be 17 feet of mast above the repair and 11 feet below it. But since it would probably be the least expensive option, I thought I'd ask the experts....

Mark

[K9Kampers]

Recent discussion on same...

Link: http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 02#p250610

[kmclemore]

Bite the bullet and buy the new extrusion. Finding a used one will be difficult and you may end up with one that's already been over-stressed at one point or another.

[Sumner]

If it was our boat I'd attempt the repair. I would not do the repair on someone Else's boat since I wouldn't be assured that it would be checked often. Also in our case the mast goes up and down each trip so would be easy to keep an eye on. I don't thing you would have a catastrophic failure at a repair if you were just sailing the boat and not running the mast into something . I feel you would first see some stress cracks and you would have some warning that the repair wasn't a good fix. If you take it to a competent welder they might turn the job down anyway due to liability or they don't approve of it. If you have a good, professional, welder maybe get his opinion. Masts have been repaired this way.

I actually wouldn't be worried about the repaired site as it will be thicker there. I'd keep a good eye on just above and below the repaired area if you go that way.

If the boat is in the water all summer with the mast up I wouldn't recommend having it repaired unless you took it down periodically. I'd also want to know that the rigging is tensioned well and not pumping the mast around.

It is probably going to come down to you making the call,

Sum

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[mastreb]

Bite the bullet and buy the new extrusion. Finding a used one will be difficult and you may end up with one that's already been over-stressed at one point or another.

Ditto. You're going to be putting a lot of time into this project, and you want it to last another 25 years.

[Catigale]

MRI...where are you located...can we help get a mast to you maybe??

[capnmac25]

Located in SW Ohio. Since posting yesterday, I've found that it's at least possible to acquire a new mast that's already slotted and drilled (Blue Water Yachts - 800-688-8626x3). No idea yet what the cost is, or the freight cost from Seattle, but it's good to know there are new ones available, since it would probably not be all that fun to sail while wondering if the old repaired mast is about to snap!

If the same new mast could be shipped here from somewhere closer, I'm sure that would at least lower the shipping costs to some extent....

Mark

[tlgibson97]

The quote for a mast for my from BWY would be about $1,100 shipped to Atlanta. About $600 for the mast, $100 for packing, and $400 for shipping. You can get just the extrusion cheaper but its not much more for them to drill everything and cut the gate. I probably won't replace mine until spring. I taped my mast together just so I could have it on the cradle to cover it for the winter. That will give me some time to keep an eye out for a cheaper replacement.

[THE CUSCUS]

Checkout : dwyermast.com
I believe they are east coast, so shipping should be less. The "DM-6" is a very close match to our Macgregor masts. I have used their mast step and it worked just fine. In a month or so I will be putting a new mast on my boat and the old one will be available.

[Catigale]

I get 760 USD calculated from the website for the DM6...that's probably a much better extrusion than the stock Mac stuff

[tlgibson97]

Dwyer quoted me $179 for a 28' DM-6 shipping. THe mast cost a bit more. They can cut the gate for $10 and I'm sure they can drill the holes too if you sent the measurements but I didn't get a quote for that. The price of the mast was a bit more. I think it end up being $100-200 cheaper from dwyer.

I wouldnt be surprised if the mac mast is from dwyer to begin with. It looks like the same extrusion and is the same dimensions. I haven't found any other manufacturers with that profile at the 3x4 dimensions.

[THE CUSCUS]

As thrifty as Roger was/is I'm sure he didn't ship the masts across the country. I would guess he has a west coast supplier, of who I don't have a name. This is the link to Macgregor's mast specifications. You can see its different from th DM6.
http://www.macgregor26.com/suppliers_co ... st-26m.pdf

[Catigale]

He can ship 100 masts for the same price as one, so he could source those east coast...

[John McDonough]

Located in SW Ohio. Since posting yesterday, I've found that it's at least possible to acquire a new mast that's already slotted and drilled (Blue Water Yachts - 800-688-8626x3). No idea yet what the cost is, or the freight cost from Seattle, but it's good to know there are new ones available, since it would probably not be all that fun to sail while wondering if the old repaired mast is about to snap!

If the same new mast could be shipped here from somewhere closer, I'm sure that would at least lower the shipping costs to some extent....

Mark

Mark..
I live in S.W. PA, 7 miles West of Pittsburgh about 25 miles from Ohio.
I have a mac 26d mast sitting in my back yard since 1992. It has a very slight bend in it, nothing serious.. I purchased it from Breazy Sail in central Pa. it was brand new, a few scratches in it, so the dealer ordered a new mast, i just happened to be passing by his shop and bought it for $150.00 to have as as spare or in case I ever built another boat..

[capnmac25]

John, that's an interesting offer. Does anyone who knows want to weigh in on the differences/similarities between Mac 25 vs 26 masts?

Also, what happens when the mast of a Steelers fan nears the saiboat of a Bengals fan? We don't want any brawls on the boat....