Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Regarding the DS3 only. Note that the DS3 is not a class-legal Day Sailer.

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Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby SMichelsen » Mon Aug 10, 2020 5:12 pm

Last week during the tropical storm, my boat blew over in a 70mph gust while strapped both to its trailer and to the ground. Go figure. The mast snapped in two at the spreaders. It pulled cleanly out of the base, shearing the rivets, which remained on the tabernacle. At first I was ready to look for a welder, until I discovered that the mast was bent as well - seems like a goner. As luck would have it, here at the Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association there is a collection of masts from abandoned boats, and in the pile was a mast from an earlier daysailer, either a I or a II. It's two inches shorter than DSIII mast, and the connections for the stays are about 6" lower.

Regarding the stays, I am not sure if I should attempt to make the onesI have shorter (never did THAT before) or move the straps they connect to up on the "new mast" to the identical location as the DSIII mast.

Other than that, I need to rivet on the base to my DSIII to the bottom of the DSI/II mast and I ought to be good to go.

Please see the pic comparing the two masts. Have I missed anything here? Any input is appreciated.

Steve
Attachments
DSIII mast base after storm.jpg
DSIII mast base after storm.jpg (180.75 KiB) Viewed 6319 times
Daysailer_masts_compared.jpg
Daysailer_masts_compared.jpg (186.11 KiB) Viewed 6319 times
SMichelsen
 
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Re: Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby GreenLake » Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:38 pm

That's a lucky find!

I would suggest you simply call DR Marine and order a new set of stays in the exact length that you need.

Stays should be replaced every once in a while anyway, so why not on this occasion?
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Re: Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby SMichelsen » Tue Aug 11, 2020 1:29 pm

Hi Greenlake,

That's good advice. I was not aware that stays were made to order! I was beginning to wonder how to adjust the length of the stays myself - is that even possible?

Now the challenge will be to get the new mast standing upright so that I can measure the lengths. I figure I will attach the old ones, as they are mostly a bit longer, and measure against them.

I am considering replacing the two sidestay chainplates with headstay stemheads. As my boat is put in and out of the water with a little crane, and is connected at three points including the two chainplates, I am worries about the chainplates' holding up over time. See the photo of the wear they are incurring. The stemheads, with their two holes for fastening, can be used for the stay and the crane, each connected to it's own hole. I don't think DR sells a backing plate for the stemheads; I would have to fabricate something, probably out of galvanized steel.

chainplate wear.jpg
chainplate wear.jpg (254.79 KiB) Viewed 6294 times
Headstay stemhead.jpg
Headstay stemhead.jpg (19.47 KiB) Viewed 6294 times
Attachments
sidestay chainplate.jpg
sidestay chainplate.jpg (9.84 KiB) Viewed 6294 times
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Re: Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby GreenLake » Tue Aug 11, 2020 2:47 pm

If the DSIII is like a DSII you could fit a bit of "half-pipe" as backing plate under the hull-deck joint. That's what people did on the DSII to beef up things. Might browse way back in the DSII archives to see that discussion.
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Re: Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby SMichelsen » Tue Aug 11, 2020 5:08 pm

I found your old post ... viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5632&p=31949&hilit=half+pipe+backing+plate#p31949

Yes I see that the stock chainplate has a curved bit of stainless as a backing plate. I am not clear why that's better than a flat plate. Of course I would opt for stainless but DR Marine doesn't sell it.

If I were to go with the pipe idea, is any sort of pipe OK? Black pipe? Maybe a length of pipe can be longer than a plate, and spread the load further?

chainplate backing plate.jpg
chainplate backing plate.jpg (81.66 KiB) Viewed 6283 times
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Re: Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby GreenLake » Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:04 pm

Good for locating that post. Instead of pipe, you could get a section of stainless steel rod as well. Not black pipe, because you wouldn't want the rust stains. You may find a specialty shop that can sell you a length of SS pipe or bar of the correct length, or perhaps even drill the holes for you.

Round: because the area is configured in a way that a flat plate guaranteed to fit (including tolerances for any boat) would be too narrow. You can see that in the picture: the inboard end, by curving, can be a bit wider than a flat plate would.
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Re: Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby SMichelsen » Wed Aug 12, 2020 12:48 pm

OK, here's what I bought: a piece of 5/16" thick x 1" wide x 12" long 304 stainless, that I will cut into two 6" long bars and drill two holes to work with the hardware I order from DR Marine. Have a look here. I believe that I have 1" of flat width to lay a 1" wide bar in. I figure the 6" length will spread the load of picking up the boat better than what's there now. Thanks much for your input!

Steve
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Re: Installing a DS I or II mast on a DS III

Postby GreenLake » Wed Aug 12, 2020 1:56 pm

And if it doesn't fit flat, you can round corners on this as needed. Looks good.
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