DaySailer.org Forum

In an attempt to careen my DS1 the mast snapped in two today. Not great. Given it’s likely 60 years old, I probably should not have attempted this...live and learn.

Does anyone have an opinion on the D&R Mast that comes fully rigged for about $1300, vs the Cape Cod Shipbuilding offering that appears to be about the same price without rigging?

I’m not racing. Just want something that is reliable and safe, and will last a long time.

Sorry to hear of your mishap!

Normally, careening is fine, even with older masts - did you not attach the stays? Or did they come off? The mast is not strong at all unless stayed. The age should not have mattered, unless there was some peculiar reason, like something causing unusual corrosion.

This boat was careened while loaded with several hundred pounds of gear:



There are alternatives to getting a new mast, but all require a reasonably clean break, with damage limited to s short section:

1. If your mast was keel-stepped: get a tabernacle and place it where the mast broke. If you lose 1-4" in the process, just shim below the mast.
2. You may also be able to sleeve it from the inside. (There's discussion of this process here). Get 3-4' of mast section and cut it lengthwise so it can be bent to fit inside your old mast. Position the ends, and rivet the old mast to the sleeve. Should work well enough for a cruising mast.

uff! That is bad news! If you can't fix your mast per GreenLake's suggestions, then you should be able to take the rigging off your present mast and transfer to a new one (Cape Cod). This is assuming, of course, that your mast didn't break due to a rigging failure.. inspect all the parts carefully. Also, some parts are riveted on rather than screwed, so you'll have to drill out the rivets + get yourself a riveting tool to put it on new mast.

Be aware that with any mast, the big cost is going to be the shipping. The mast is 22' long, so it's going to have to go via freight (as opposed to UPS, etc) and will probably be charged a surchage for length. Not to mention packing, depending on the carrier they will want it crated so that they are not liable if something else falls on it. Suffice to say that when I was looking into getting a D&R mast, the shipping cost more than the mast (Massachusetts -> North Carolina). You're in Maine, right? May be worth just driving to Assonet with your trailer, or even the whole boat and ask Rudy for help in rigging. Likewise, there's THIS guy:

https://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=6304

Depending where you are in Maine (mid-coast?) it's about as far as going to Southern Mass.

Anyway, best of luck!

Tom

All of the rigging was attached. If I did anything wrong it was using the main halyard instead of the jib halyard. However another informed person said it was likely just the age of the mast and whatever strain was put on it over time.

As for shipping, yes I will just do a pick up. Even if I have to drive my boat and trailer down to D&R that would be better than paying for shipping and then having to attach the rigging myself, then maybe Rudy will help me with one of his topping lift kits.

Given this experience, would you all trust a used mast? Certainly that one in VT has a much better price than $1300!

Generally, yes, I would trust a used mast. (Unless there's some signs like obvious corrosion). The upper part of the mast is unsupported and using the main halyard can overstress it; perhaps we need to make sure that we warn people about that. I think I've just naturally used the jib halyard given that it attaches where the stays do and is therefore at a point where you don't put bending stress on the mast.

A local guy offered me a 25’ proctor tapered mast for about $250. He says it does require clips from the sail instead of the bolt rope. Seems like a decent deal, and I am having a new sail made this Winter, so I could have it done with the clips I think. Any reason to avoid going this route?

Tapered masts are highly sought after, so you wouldn't reduce the resale value of your boat. And using sail slides instead of boltrope is something many people prefer. I think it's not worth the effort of converting, but if the mast is set up that way, and you can easily get a sail to match, why not. If you keep your boat on a mooring, they have their advantage, as it's easier to flake the sail on the boom and put a mast cover over it. If you trailer sail and have to take your main all the way off the boom, I see less of an advantage. If you overnight, or beach your boat for your lunch break, having sail slides will let you secure your sail on the boom for that a bit more easily. (you'll need a topping lift).

Definitely go for the $250 Proctor mast. I'm envious, if I were within a day's drive of Maine, I'd buy it out from under you! Get it, figure out the rest (rigging, pulpit connection, etc) afterwards.

Tom

He sent me some images of it and I don't think it would fit into the hole on the cuddy unfortunately. Unless someone can correct me here...

The hole in the cuddy top can be modified. What's the difference? You can just grind/drill it to the required size, and then add some fiberglass where needed to restore any support you may have weakened.

Does the mast have the right length? And is the profile close enough to give you approximately similar sailing behavior?

So I told the guy I'd like to buy the Proctor mast after all. If I can make it work, it does seem like a really nice mast for. good price.

Now, Does anyone have an opinion on replacing the mast step vs adapting the Proctor to work with the original system? Seems like it might be easier to replace the male mast step rather than try and fit the female receiver...

Pictures?

Looks like the mast you are getting is open on the bottom, whereas normally it's capped by some kind of casting. I guess it's possible to lay up some fiberglass so it forms a "cup" to receive the mast, allowing for even transfer of the compression load. I'm guessing a bit, but anything that has a solid 3/16 to 1/2" of laminate should be strong enough. Alternatively, take some metal plate (aluminum) and just lay up a collar.

But without a picture of what is there today we're guessing wildly here.