[Rhodes22-list] Your favorite way of pulling out mast step

Sun Jun 21 12:31:39 EDT 2015

Just trying to point out that there was a reason it was designed as it
was.  We have had stories on this list of folks who did just what you did
and then suffered severe damage to the cabin top when the mast unexpectedly
dropped.  Don't try to over engineer an extremely well made and well
thought out boat.

Hank

On Sun, Jun 21, 2015 at 11:58 AM, The Rhodes 22 Email List <
rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:

> Thanks for the cheery thought Hank. I will try not to repeat the fiasco.
>
> Jefferson
>
> From:  "Rhodes 22 mailing list [via Rhodes 22]"
> <ml-node+s1065344n50311h73 at n5.nabble.com>
> Date:  Sun, 21 Jun 2015 06:06:42 -0700 (MST)
> To:  User <jefferson at iteract.ca>
> Subject:  Re: Your favorite way of pulling out mast step
>
> Hope you don't drop the mast again as you're likely to rip a big hole in
> your deck now that you have through bolted it.  It's designed to give way
> with minimal damage when just using the screws.  Good Luck!
>
> Hank
>
> On Sun, Jun 21, 2015 at 8:08 AM, The Rhodes 22 Email List <
> [hidden email] </user/SendEmail.jtp?type=node&node=50311&i=0> > wrote:
>
> > Well here is how I did it. In the papers I received with my new-old '76
> was
> > the famous engineer's appreciation of the Rhodes 22, which included a
> > description of how to raise (and lower) the mast from the bow pulpit
> using
> > the boom and main tackle cleated off the stern and hauling away. First
> time
> > with my daughter standing on the fore deck holding the boom stable at 90
> > degrees it went up like a charm. Hallelujah. Now I was a master of the
> > technique.
> >
> > The second time I made the mistake of letting the bottom end of the
> roller
> > furling jib hang off the bow while I hoisted on the mast. My daughter was
> > again helping me. At the crucial moment, when the mast had reached about
> 30
> > degrees and she was stabilizing the boom I asked her to c heck that the
> > base
> > of roller furled was not scraping on the ground. She let go of the boom
> to
> > check. The boom swung out of control and so did the mast which came
> > crashing
> > down on the deck.
> >
> > Ouch. Miraculously the mast and boom were not damaged, nor the deck. The
> > step however had twisted and pulled out the two bolts attaching it to the
> > deck. After reassuring my now-traumatized daughter that I not she was to
> > blame, I put the step in a vise and straightened it out. On inspecting
> the
> > holes where the bolts had fitted into the hull, I could see this was not
> > the
> > first time they'd pulled out, which was a minor consolation.
> > I extracted the two flanged pieces into which the bolts had been
> fastened,
> > cleaned the holes, poured in acetone to dry out any water that might have
> > leaked in, and then re-bedded the flanges in epoxy and let them dry. Then
> > re-fastened the step with the two bolts.
> >
> > So far so good. On my next attempt at raising the mast, a friend helped.
> He
> > raised the mast to head height standing on the fore deck while I hauled.
> > Then grabbed the boom to keep it steady. At which point the same damn
> thing
> > happened for the same damn reason - I forgot to attach the roller furled
> to
> > the mast and raise them both together, instead it was trailing off the
> bow.
> > Monumental, sweaty, end-of-day idiocy. Friend is holding the boom stable,
> > roller furled gets stuck, he goes to unstick, boom wavers uncontrollably,
> > mast and boom land on deck.
> >
> > Fortunately the step itself wasn't bent a second time. But I was now
> > traumatized. So I drilled through the deck and this time fixed the step
> in
> > place with (3 inch?) ss through bolts, washers, and lock nuts.
> >
> > Lesson learned: the pressure on the step fittings from zero degrees up to
> > 45
> > degrees with this method is tremendous. Once the mast reaches 45 degrees
> > the
> > pressure lessens and continues to lessen up to 90 degrees. I saw in the
> > archives what looks like a brilliant contraption made from a pvc joint
> cut
> > in half and then held in place with metal straps to hold the boom rigidly
> > to
> > the mast at 90 degrees. Has anyone else experience with this device?
> >
> > Ultimately I want to be able to raise the mast by myself, since I sail
> > mostly solo.
> >
> > So there is my first confession. I'd love to read that I'm not aloneŠ
> >
> >
> > Jefferson
> > SV Patience
> > Lake Memphremagog, Quebec
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
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> >
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> >
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