mast step/lower mast section wear strips

markhamlin

markhamlin

New Member
I've already searched this, and I haven't found the answer to this:

Are there special teflon wear strips? We bought a roll of 3" dacron tape which is supposed to be anti-chafing (seems like everybody else uses teflon). Will this work on the lower mast section , protecting the mast step?
 
markhamlin said:
Yeah, but on a roll and dacron. Is that dacron?
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I don't think so. It feels more like polyethelyene or polypropylene.

Why specifically dacron?

A source of larger quantities might be McMaster-Carr: http://www.mcmaster.com/
Type "tape" in their search an see if anything they have is what you want. I found a couple of friction-reducting items on the list, but nothing in dacron.

Cheers,

Geoff S.
 
GeoffS said:
Why specifically dacron?
.
Click to expand...
We just asked the employee at west marine, and they had specific anti-chafe wear strips for 30 dollars (dacron) and then a simple roll of anti-chafe dacron for 8 dollars, so we went for that. By looking at the APS sailing site, it looks like we got something similar price-wise. I suppose I'll find out if it works if it doesn't peel off...
 
markhamlin said:
We just asked the employee at west marine, and they had specific anti-chafe wear strips for 30 dollars (dacron) and then a simple roll of anti-chafe dacron for 8 dollars...
Click to expand...

Hmmm.. That sounds more like stuff you'd put on a sail to prevent chafing against spreaders, shrouds, and the like. Is is a sticky-backed fabric?

Cheers,

Geoff S.
 
"Is is a sticky-backed fabric?"
markhamlin said:
yes
Click to expand...

Then it's probably sail-repair tape (handy to have!).

The mast wear strips are much thicker solid plastic.

I first tried using some thin (0.005") teflon tape that I had lying around the shop. It worked great - for about one sail, and then it tore...

I've had the APS strips on my mast for three years now. Crud is beginning to work it's way under the edges of the tape, but I suspect they'll hold up at least one more year.

Cheers,

Geoff S.
 
Guys at our club recommend an old washing up liquid bottle with the top cut off (the cheapo value type from supermarkets), which seems to be the right shape and size to slip over the end of the mast. Yet to try it myself, but I'm going to. Think the ide is that over time it wears (and not the step) and then you just replace it with another. Has anyone tried this?
 
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