Doubtful Mast step repair and cracks in the Gel coat!

H

hanghorj

New Member
Hi sailors
I have bought an old laser after10 years on land (performance sail craft Waterford Ireland) no 495XX. The previous owner have made a mast step repair based on an aluminum tube. I can see that the lower mast part has some abrasive wear due to the rotation of the mast in the aluminum tube, and I am not satisfied whit that!
I would like to hear if any of you have a comment to this repair.
Should I go for a mast step repair kit or…?
I have tried to contact the Danish laser dealer to hear if he could supply a repair kit but it seams not to be the case.
Do any of you know any European dealer who sells the repair kit?

While I am writing in this forum I might as well post another question:
This is regarding some cracks in the gel coat on the hull what should I do whit them? They are situated on the hull beneath where you sit when you are sailing your laser (both sides) so they will be submerged under the salt water. There are also some "Star" cracks in the hull closer to where the mast step is fixed to the hull If I slide my nail over the cracks I feel them!

I have been talking to my local boat fixer, he offered to fix my laser for 1500$ incl. painting but excluding the repair kit…. It seams as a lot especially when I only have paid 500$ for the laser (which is quite cheap on the Danish marked)!
Any advice will be helpful

Hanghoj
 

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Re: Doubt full Mast step repair and cracks in the Gel coat!

I don't think that's considered class legal. But for club racing it's probably fine. If you are considering forking out 1500 bucks, you might as well shop for a new boat. You should be able to get something from the 1990s for that money.
 
Re: Doubt full Mast step repair and cracks in the Gel coat!

Hi sidewinder thank you for your reply
But what about the fact that my lower mast is wearing out?
How to prevent that when there is alu/alu contact?
For your info - i´m not going for the 1500$ solution
 
Re: Doubt full Mast step repair and cracks in the Gel coat!

They sell those plastic self adhesive strips that are a supposed to help with fiberglass vs. mast wear. That might work providing there is enough gap between the tube and the mast.
 
Re: Doubt full Mast step repair and cracks in the Gel coat!

Hi Sidewinder
Do you have a link to these strips or do you know where i can buy them?
B.R.
Hanghoj
 
I got some but have not yet used them. My mast is a good fit and I expect they would stop the mast going in properly. Also, I'm sure I recollect somebody else on here saying they had this problems (i.e. mast not going in properly with the Teflon strip things fitted.

Also, from ages ago I'm sure I remember somebody saying something about how they can cause wear should the edges become scuffed-up of something. However, this is a recollection of what somebody else said so maybe others have experience or can remember better - don't treat my recollection as a fact as it may easily be just wrong.

Ian
 
http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d90000/e88267.asp

APS at the top of the page.
Look in One Design Parts> Laser> Masts and Spars.

Or on your side of the pond you could try Rooster.
http://www.roostersailing.com

Woodworking stores also sell UHMW (plastic) with self adhesive backing. You could try some of those sources. And since they aren't associated with the marine industry, you get a better value. :)

If you don't have at least an 1/8" (3mm) of play around the mast, these may be a bad idea. What you don't want is for the mast to bind and twist the tube out of the deck.

The stock mast step is round at the bottom, but elongated fore-and-aft at the top. This gets it raked back upwind and forward downwind.

Out of curiosity, what is your mast rake? Put the lower section in and hook a tape measure to it and measure to the edge of deck at the transom.
 
Hi sidewinder,
Thank you for the links.
I'm not able to measure my mast rake, since my laser is stored a place where i can´t get to it!
I will measure it when i have the chance to do it. What should the distance be?

Hanghoj
 
Hanghoj,
You can find it by searching on the forums here, but it seems that the rake should be (148") or 376 cm. This would be in the raked back position.
There should be about (4") 10 cm of travel at the tip between the raked back and raked forward position.
 
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