Well I Really Did It This Time.

[tartansailor]

The bird poop accumulation got to be intolerable, so I attempted to lower the mast on my Cape Dory 25 for the purpose of rigging screws and wire bundle ties to discourage those pests.

The problem is the gin pole guys were apparently too tight and although the mast came down perfectly parallel to the center line in a 15 knot breeze in a rocking boat, the mast stalled about 5°- 10° from level. I stupidly gave it a hard pull down and that is what broke the casting at the base of the mast. The hinge portion was fine. The base plate broke aft of the fastener screws, and before the hinge.

Does anyone know where I can get another casting?

Dick

[ronellis]

I'm not exactly clear on what broke, but the replacement will be on this page:

http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/Spartan_Sp ... _mast.html

You'll have to fax Rig-Rite this form:

http://www.rigrite.com/WEBstuff/Pricing_Form.html

Fill in part number you want, and they'll fax you back a price quote and whether it's in stock. I faxed them for a spreader base for a CD25 this week. They faxed back immediately, and had the part in stock.

Good luck.

[Tom Foley]

I did a similar thing when I first put up my mast on my CD25. It broke right at the hinge. I bought a stainless replacement from rig rite that has a hinge fore and aft. It elevates the mast about 3/4 inch;so you will need to loosen all the stays. I didn't do that at first, and the mast would not go up all the way. My replacement was 8-9 years ago and works great.

[tartansailor]

Sounds like a metaphor there, or a pun, but not meant to be.

A local machine shop heli-arc welded the 3 broken pieces together and did one fantastic job. Cannot tell where the weld lines are!!

In the interim I got the SS 2 hinge assembly from Rig Rite but the Aluminum casting was not tall enough for the mast through bolt. Having lugs welded on so now we have a spare.

Dick