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Mast sections separating at ferrule
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bred2shred



Joined: 02 May 2000
Posts: 989
Location: Jersey Shore

PostPosted: Fri Aug 06, 2021 11:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

windswell wrote:

Yesterday evening I had very limited time to sail in mellow flat water and just sailed with them about 1/2 inch separated. Somehow while inserting the mast, I expect that they sometimes get separated.
Got any tips for an old guy on how to avoid this??


That first scentence made me cringe…

It’s been implied, but I don’t know that anyone has outright said it yet - never, ever, ever downhaul or sail with the mast halves partially separated. The joint is not designed to take the downhaul load without the two sections of mast butted to each other. Huge risk of splitting the mast if they are not fully seated.

People usually have problems with the mast separating when they pull on the mast while rigging. You should always be pushing the mast into the sleeve. Spin the mast while pushing it if needed to help “encourage” it into the mast sleeve, but always try to keep inward pressure on it. Push from the bottom mast section. Anytime you start handling the upper mast section, you run the risk of the two halves separating.

My HSM sails have a nice heavy, but slippery, strip of fabric along the entire leading edge of the luff sleeve to allow the mast to be pushed all the way into the sail without needing to crumple the sail.

If you do need to reverse directions for some reason, place the base of the mast down on the ground and maintain pressure on the upper mast half to keep the two sections together while backing the sail sleeve off the mast.

The electrical tape method also works very well as added insurance. It just takes a wrap or two and the same piece of tape can be reused a dozen or so times.

sm


Last edited by bred2shred on Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:48 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dhmark



Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 376

PostPosted: Fri Aug 06, 2021 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paradoxically, some well-made masts might be more prone to separate because they have tight tolerances, smooth surfaces, plugs at the ferrule and mast sections, all which can produce positive pressure inside ferrule when mast section is inserted. I've seen recommendations to rig sail by inserting top section of mast by itself, then connecting mast after the top is in. You'll won't detect the mast popping apart immediately if you do it that way.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bred2shred wrote:
You should always be pushing the mast into the sleeve.

Some sailmakers warn not to do that because their luff sleeve stitching is taking all the stress and sooner or later WILL come apart if we do that. I insert the mast into the sail until I feel noticeable resistance, then finish up by putting the sailtop onto the mast.
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