Hmmm....diamond shroud question

joe c

banned
1980 L2.. I. Getting ready to setup the trapeze stuff but no clue how the diamond tension. Is adjusted.. Put a screw driver on the tongue plate on the mast bottom to back the screws and guessing they've galled in..tried with my makita impact and exploded the screw tip..

The trap tangs mount on the bolt the diamonds use above the spreaders but obviously there's a ton of tension on them.. doubt the bolt will come out and still allow the shrouds to go back under tension.. Hesitant to pull the screws from the plate at the mast base until I know I won't be out on the boat for a bit..


So.....kestion is.....how are those diamonds tensioned inside of the mast..and what problems am i creating taking that cap off the bottom..

Sigh....thx.
 
There is a diagram on page 5 of the 1982 owner's manual.

If you really don't need to adjust the diamonds, then don't touch anything. Are they clearly too loose or is the mast bent to either side?

Easy to see why later masts had external turnbuckles.

_
 
There is a diagram on page 5 of the 1982 owner's manual.

If you really don't need to adjust the diamonds, then don't touch anything. Are they clearly too loose or is the mast bent to either side?

Easy to see why later masts had external turnbuckles.

_
Ah shit. That's exactly what I figured. The bolt that holds the diamonds at the top is a skewer.. so I need to release them. I'm guessing that internal mechanism is cast aluminum or some crap that's corroded after 40 years.. plus under tensiom plus a stainless screw. Hose it with wd40?

Can I retrofit to turnbuckles on the mast? Hmmmm....great info though.
 
Drill the screw heads..release. pull shrouds adjusters through..drill screws rest of way on mill..chase threads..hmm.
 
Our L2 has the external bottle screws. When I set them up I made them sound like they did before. I actually recorded the sound they made and tuned them to what I think is the same sound. A nice boiing noise. Very scientific.
 
So...quick update. I basically filled the bottom of the mast with wd40 through the main halyard block and let it soak for a few days. One of the adjusters now turns freely.. the other is still a little sticky so I re hosed it again. Fingers crossed.
 
well...finally had a window of time to get on those screws. i kept filling the mast bottom with wd40 through the sheeve hole for the main halyard. used about 3/4 of a can over the last 3 weeks just hosing it in there. today got out the impact driver and they backed right out and slacked the diamonds perfectly enough to get that bolt and and install the trapeze tangs. so pretty excited about that. ordered a zhik t3 and it fits great. i have trapeze rigging do to arrive from fogh on friday. i was able to pull the bailer but of course its the largest one they made and nothing fits in the hole. i did a bunch of epoxying and sanding and reshaping and put the original bailer back in. with all new stainless fasteners i think the hull is pretty tight now. buuuut that bailer leaks like a
screendoor. oh well.
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A Zhik suit puts you right with the (Laser) champions. No need to even go sailing anymore.
:)
Some would say I'd have to actually start.. I prefer to just look like I know what im.doin.. still can't gybe without gong for a swim to save my life it seems. Lol.. But having fun.
 

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