Snapped My Upper Mast!

BayLazR

New Member
Nice medium air day yesterday on Mobile Bay. Nailed a perfect roll tack :) and just as everything came tight - POW! Snapped my upper mast where it slides into the lower mast and ripped my (second time used) sail right across the sleeve :mad:.

This is the first time this ever happened to me, but someone said they'd seen it a few times before :confused:.

Anyway, limped in - borrowed another upper from somebody and got back on the water - gotta love one-designs.
 
Good for you for keeping a positive attitude after an incident like that. Yes, uppers do break sometimes.

One tip that is supposed to reduce the chance of breakage is to position the rivet in the collar of the upper mast section at the rear of the mast (goooseneck side) when you slide it into the bottom section. The mast usually starts to break at the hole made for that rivet and by keeping that side of the mast under compression you reduce the risk of a failure.

At least that's what I've been told. I did have an upper break once but since I've been positioning the rivet at the back I've not had the problem again. I'm sometimes told that my opinion has no weight... but you have nothing to lose by trying this trick.
 
I'd say that your advice is "right on the money". I examined the break and it started at the rivet.

Thanks!
 
The same happened to me on saturday!!! Just beating for few minutes and at the first tack the mast snapped. A really sad day :(
Anyway I have just bought the replacement (this morning), while the sail was repaired by a sail maker (it seems a good job).
 
The guy unpicked the luff sleeve and repaired the fabric sewing a couple of patches on both sides (as a sandwich). The patches textile is different from the original one: it is stiffer and stronger. In the end he restored the luff sleeve sewing the edge back again. I think it is strong enough, perhaps stronger than before.
Maybe it's not allowed to use such a patched sail in a race anymore (if someone knows it, please take part to this thread, I am just curious), but if you sail for amusing it is ok.
 
That's exactly what I needed to know - Thanks. I wouldn't think this type of repair would stop us from being class-legal, but don't know for sure.

I'm taking mine today.
 
Read rule 26 - repairs are allowed as long as the essential shape, characteristics or function of the original are not affected. You cant replace the whole luff sleeve though.
 

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