Bent Mast Advice

[jbgibbs99]

Hello all. In October my mast came down in a storm (swinging mooring) and I got there to find it lying at 90deg to starboard bouncing on the deck with the foot still in the bent plate and the tip just dipping in and out of the water (I was so fixed on sorting it out I forgot to take a photo!).
Surprisingly there's not too much damage, but the mast is a little bent (photos below). There are no kinks, just a gentle "S" bend near the base and one near the top. I think the top one will sort itself out when I tension the shrouds, but I'm worried that the one below the spreaders will be made worse by tension. What do people think? I was contemplating sourcing some aluminium tube the same diameter as the inside of the mast and driving it up to just below the spreader - does this seem sensible/worthwhile?

One of the lifeline posts also got bent 90deg. I was figuring just bending it back and getting someone to weld two halves of a stainless tube over the damage. Any one got a better idea (other than buying a new one)?

And finally a spreader bar snapped. Shipping a new one from BWY to the UK is prohibitive – is there any reason I can’t just use some aluminium tube of the right diameter?

I’m sure I know what caused the mast to come down – the PO had installed turnbuckles and I’m careful to tension and tighten everything at the start of the season. I regularly check the tension – but I don’t remembering checking the locknuts. It looks like the locknut on the port upper shroud was loose and in the storm the turnbuckle worked its way undone. The bouncing then snapped the port lower shroud and down came the mast. Moral of the story – check nuts frequently, or stick to plates like I am going to do.

All advice gratefully received!

[Catigale]

Replace the spreader with thin tubing..that's fine.

I would leave the mast as is ad sail it. Forces on these boats aren't huge and bending it back is a tricky business apt to cause more damage. Keep an eye on it to see if the shape is changing.

[Ixneigh]

If it were mine I'd sail it as is. Replace the spreader and rig as normal. Note that I do not usually sail my boat in gale force winds or anything like that. If its too cruddy out I reef way down and motor sail. If I was a white knuckles extreme sailor I would replace the mast or sleeve it in the area of the spreaders.
Ix

[Retcoastie]

Have hope. This is not the end of the world. As others have suggested, the mast is probably sailable as is. I had a similar bend and sailed it for four years. Then one day I was feeling frisky and decided to straighten it. I got a couple boat cushions, a come-a-long, and a couple grandkids and we attacked it in the forks of a large apple tree. It was a fairly easy process, just pull, sight, pull, sight, pull, sight. Before long it was straight. I still use it. I would not want to cross the southern Pacific but for what I do it works fine.

Good Luck.

Ken

[finding41]

That's nothing! My mast was allot worse. I got it back strait by bending it between 2 wood posts. GENTLY! Have someone help you and don't just bend in one spot. Work the bend out slowly. Not allot in one spot at once or you risk making a soft spot.
Take your time! This took me 45 min. I could have done it in 2 min but the metal would have been stressed too much.
I posted abut it on the other Mac site. Link http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners. ... p?t=142073
There are pictures of it and lots of comments from others.

[mastreb]

My mast has a similar bend from my dropping it. It's straight when raised under tension and sails just fine. It will sit only one way on the mast cradle now, however. No need to repair or replace, just sail it.

Matt

[jbgibbs99]

Thank you all - my mind is put at rest. "Don't worry about it" is what I was hoping to hear from those more knowledgeable than I.

Just need to wait for the snow and ice to clear before fixing her up and getting back out on the water.

[sooper25]

I staightened my mast last year, made a jig out of angle iron, used 2x6 cut to mast profile and carpet for cushining. Placed in 20 ton press. Take your time and it came out great.