Laser spar damage
- Thread starter danielsdelgado
- Start date
LaLi
Well-Known Member
Need a lot more information: which spar, looks like a lower mast, if so, Radial or Standard/4.7 section? Where is that damage located both along and around the spar? (More pictures please!) Is that a crack on both sides of the hole? Any idea of the cause?
Might contact tomorrow a spar maker I know.
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Might contact tomorrow a spar maker I know.
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danielsdelgado
New Member
Thank you for your reply, i
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LaLi
Well-Known Member
Interesting. Looks like a combination of corrosion and a crack. Hard to say which one came first. Did it appear suddenly or has it developed gradually?
It's a Radial section, and the damaged location is above the double-tube area, and closer to the forward edge. That means that the mast is very likely to break completely at any time. I wouldn't even put much vang or sheet tension on that mast rigged on shore, let alone go sailing.
Having no idea if it's even possible to repair that (I'll check later if I can get in touch with an expert), I'd get a new spar immediately. Apparently you can get a brand new one at 380 dollars; however, as the Radial/ILCA 6 class adopted a carbon lower mast recently, there are probably much cheaper used aluminium lowers available. If I were you I'd ask the top Radial/ILCA 6 sailors in your area.
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It's a Radial section, and the damaged location is above the double-tube area, and closer to the forward edge. That means that the mast is very likely to break completely at any time. I wouldn't even put much vang or sheet tension on that mast rigged on shore, let alone go sailing.
Having no idea if it's even possible to repair that (I'll check later if I can get in touch with an expert), I'd get a new spar immediately. Apparently you can get a brand new one at 380 dollars; however, as the Radial/ILCA 6 class adopted a carbon lower mast recently, there are probably much cheaper used aluminium lowers available. If I were you I'd ask the top Radial/ILCA 6 sailors in your area.
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danielsdelgado
New Member
Thank you, I don’t wanna spend much more money because it’s a very old laser I just paid 600 on it. Maybe I’ll try find a second had one on gumtree or so, 380 for a new spar is a big investment for a boat of 600 dollars. My first idea was fix but I can consider get a second hand. Thank you LaLi!
LaLi
Well-Known Member
If your boat's number really is 140228 (it's embossed on the transom), then it's not "very" old - mine is the same vintage 
I can't say I'm familiar with your local market, but if there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the hull, AUD 600 does sound extremely (even suspiciously) low. The total price would be very low even after adding 380 to that, so getting a brand new lower mast would certainly be within budget, and you might even get that money back when selling the boat again.
About the second-hand market: hadn't heard of "Gumtree" before, but found already two boats with extra Radial lowers
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I can't say I'm familiar with your local market, but if there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the hull, AUD 600 does sound extremely (even suspiciously) low. The total price would be very low even after adding 380 to that, so getting a brand new lower mast would certainly be within budget, and you might even get that money back when selling the boat again.About the second-hand market: hadn't heard of "Gumtree" before, but found already two boats with extra Radial lowers
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danielsdelgado
New Member
Thank so much LaLi I’ll check it out.
I'll add that pic to my corrosion damage collection. I've seen similar though by no means so deep caused by the spar resting on a stainless fitting and close to saltwater. If it was resting on a vang fitting it might do that.
The spar is scrap though.
However I did get a non laser mast patched and welded and its been fine so far.
The spar is scrap though.
However I did get a non laser mast patched and welded and its been fine so far.
kimbodious
kimbo
gday DDG,
Second hand market of old Lasers in Oz is great isn’t it? The deal I did for mine was even cheaper than yours. The thing I have learned in the restoration process is to save money where you can by doing whatever work you can BUT be prepared to spend money on sorting those things that can break and leave you stranded out on the water.
I now appreciate the stresses that can be applied to the lower mast and boom when sailing. I would not trust the lower mast section in your photo to stand up to any regular sailing conditions.
I’ve been sourcing my parts from a few places online but keep returning to MonkeyFist Marine. Check out their deal for a new lower ILCA Radial lower mast section Laser Radial Lower Mast Section Complete (ILCA 6) MonkeyFist Marine
Second hand market of old Lasers in Oz is great isn’t it? The deal I did for mine was even cheaper than yours. The thing I have learned in the restoration process is to save money where you can by doing whatever work you can BUT be prepared to spend money on sorting those things that can break and leave you stranded out on the water.
I now appreciate the stresses that can be applied to the lower mast and boom when sailing. I would not trust the lower mast section in your photo to stand up to any regular sailing conditions.
I’ve been sourcing my parts from a few places online but keep returning to MonkeyFist Marine. Check out their deal for a new lower ILCA Radial lower mast section Laser Radial Lower Mast Section Complete (ILCA 6) MonkeyFist Marine
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