Thingamabob on mast

c14_Jim

c14_Jim

Sailing on Shelter Bay
I have a metal thingamabob near the bottom of my mast I do not understand. It is like a bent metal bolt (about 1/4" dia and a few inches long) that screws into the mast butt. There are several set screws holding the butt to the mast so that isn't the purpose. My jib sheet has caught on it and I am going to remove it unless someone can tell me there is some purpose for it. Thanks for what ever help, jim
 

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I think that's the same thingamabob used to secure the tack of the mainsail. If it has threads then I don't think there can be any mistake it's even the same angle as mine.
 

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right on!

Yes, I think you are right. Perhaps it was just stored at the but. Very cool. I had used a simple 1/4"-20 screw for the mainsail tack. I'll try the thingamabob...I think you are right on. Friday and saturday was great sailing with the wind on the high end. I managed to stay up right, but just. I raced a Puffer (national champion sailor at the helm) and found that single handing the Omega 14 was a hand full in a breeze. I had a lot of trouble tacking because I didn't want to cleat the main and by the time I got the jib in and then got to sheeting in the main, well....it was a slow process. Ya, today was overcast and rainy all day so my wife invited the neighbors down and we ate Pizza, drank Panther Porter (from silver city brewery) and talked about sailing and played cards. The two problems I found with my new boat are; 1) water floods in through the center board slot as the boat starts to plane. and ....2) when I opened the drain plug after being in the water a couple of days I saw lots of water flow out, at least a few gallons. So now I wonder where it came from. the first things I'll do is make sure the plug its self is sealed and working properly (unlikely the source of leak since it is actually mostly above the water line). and second...I'll reseal the observation/access port since that is easy to do, but again unlikely the source. I suppose the centerboard trunk will be the next place to look for leaks...and I'm not looking forward to that. Jim
 
The only time my boat took on water was when i spent most of a day hot rodding on the gunwales. I don't know how likely that seam would be the source of the leak.
 
Leaky Tiki

I'm pleased because I was able to take a good look at the centerboard trunk today and it all looks solid without cracks, seams, or anywhere that looked like water could get in. The rest of the possibilities are easy to check out and reseal. Observation port, screws, fittings and such. By the by....while looking at my sail with the sun behind it I see that it had a "FJ" sewn into it at one time. That would be a Flying Junior sailboat. I looked it up and sure enough my main came from an FJ at one time. A few inches short on the boom and mast, but it works, and I certainly didn't need any more sail area out there Friday and Saturday.
And.......PS. thanks for the tip on the gunwales (deck/hull seam) because I was on the edge a few times Friday and Saturday and the waves in Hood Canal were gunwale height most of the time. Jim
 
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