Protecting Disks in the Mast Step

D

Deimos

Member
Do people think there a good or bad idea and if good which types ?

Having spoken to somebody at Performance Sailcraft they said the disks are not a good idea as, should you get any grit under the disk it will grind the hull (whereas the plastic at the bottom of the mast has recesses to "capture" any grit and avoid grinding the boat down).

I have seen two types (and one company suggests using both which I thought was "illegal" - they suggest a low friction one plus a hard one to avoid wear. But which is best (if you can't use both, or maybe I am wrong and you can use both or maybe but if you get get grit in the mast step you can get it under the disks and Performance Sailcraft are right and they may make any wear worse).

Or is it best just to be careful, avoid grit in there as much as reasonably possible and accept it will wear and need repair at some point and the boat is there to be used ?

Any thoughts ?

Many thanks
Ian
 
Hi,
read the last sentence of "rule 19a". Already drLaser in 2003/2004 identified the sentence to be ambiguous / "unfortunate choice of words" in different aspects. Search for his written pleadings at archive.org to this.




I guess, you sail a new Laser hull (already has a stainless steel disc inside of the base of the maststep, under the gelcoat). In this case, you are permitted to use "a disc" additional, between the maststep base and the end of the plug of the lower mast segment.

The additional disc prevents wearing between the base of the lower mast segment and the gelcoat of the base of the maststep better than to not use a disc (for preventing wearing of the geloat and a bit to allow the mast to turn more easy).
In this aspect, I do not agree to the opinion of the Laser Performance staff member. The point is, to have the base of the maststep allways clean of grit, no matter if one use an additional "anti wearing" disc or not... Do you understand what I try to explain?




The rule does not say specific, that it is not permitted to use f.e. a composite disc (upperside: carbon, lower side PTFE) or it is only permitted to use "1 disc" of uniform material. But the rule says very clear: the upper limit of thickness of that "a disc" that is permitted, is in maximum 1 mm.

It is common to use the white/smooth PTFE disc. If you like it, you may additional use lubricant. The rule 19 does permit to use lubricant in the mast tube.

There is no need to use a disc made out of carbon only. You perhaps get trouble with the measurement if you use a composite disc. I would appreciate, if you post an email to Mr. Michon about, if it is legal to use composite discs or not and let us know here later his interpretation of the rules to this aspect.


Happy sailing

LooserLu
 
You can buy the Teflon discs for about £2.99 each in the UK, however, look up 1mm PTFE sheet on Ebay and you'll find that you can buy a small sheet for about £6. Using the kitchen scissors, it didn't take me long to cut-out about 15 discs (60mm diameter from memory),

Hope that helps,

Nigel
 
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