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Mast down 2004 WK250

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pa-sailor
1st Mate

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USA
67 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/18/2013 : 16:29:28

A week ago, I was caught in a freak but violent wind gust and my mast broke in half. I am now trying to plan on the mast repair, but don't know where to start. I am thinking about saving the mast if possible and wondering about having the aluminum tube sleeved and welded back together. The mast foot was also torn away from the tabernacle threw bolt, so the end would have to be made whole.
Any advise would be most appreciated.

Edited by - on

britinusa
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5404 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2013 : 16:52:46

Must have been a really nasty event!

When we saw the bigger Catalinas at the boat show last year, the mast was made from two parts and the riveted joint was about 1/2 way up the mast.

I looked into the construction process and typically there is an inner spar about 2' long that is thru rivited on either side of the join.

Not sure if a weld would be a suitable solution, but I'm not a welder!

You might ask if anyone (on the forum) has a boat they parted out and still have the mast.

Paul

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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3444 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2013 : 19:08:19

Man, that's scary. Have you been able to determine why it failed? A couple of years ago I had a lower shroud pop out of the mast on a particularly aggressive tack and it scared the $&*% out of me. I guessed that I just didn't have sufficient tension on the shroud to begin with but I never really determined the cause. If you're able to do a post-mortem on the mast, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

As far as repair is concerned, wouldn't this be something to talk with the insurance company about? This isn't a maintenance issue, it's accidental damage. That sure sounds like an insurance issue to me. I would be looking to replace the entire mast. I would never trust a repair.

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TakeFive
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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2013 : 19:14:27

Bob - My heart sank when I read this. Good luck fixing or replacing.

Did this happen on Lake Wallenpaupack? Or have you moved the boat somewhere else? (But I think I saw it moored there when I drove around your cove last July.)

I checked some weather archives, and saw no sign of any gust over 10 mph the last few weeks, so that's really puzzling. Are you sure it wasn't a rigging failure like John suggested?

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Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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1511 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 04:21:03

Here is a photo I took at the Miami show, showing the joint Paul is referring to:

I've seen two or three masts for sale around here on CL. Of course you might have to travel to find one.

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GaryB
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4312 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 06:14:28

Seems like over time those rivets will loosen and be a problem. Especially since there is so much flexing of the mast under load.

May be it's below the area that flexes the most and won't be a problem.

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pa-sailor
1st Mate

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67 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 12:23:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 Bob - My heart sank when I read this. Good luck fixing or replacing.

Did this happen on Lake Wallenpaupack? Or have you moved the boat somewhere else? (But I think I saw it moored there when I drove around your cove last July.)

I checked some weather archives, and saw no sign of any gust over 10 mph the last few weeks, so that's really puzzling. Are you sure it wasn't a rigging failure like John suggested?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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pa-sailor
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67 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 12:31:40

Yes-- on the lake, winds steady about 15mph w/ gusts to 25. A great sailing day. Somehow I got caught in a freak event. Failure of the starboard side stays may be responsible as they were ripped from the fittings. The mast was pulled from the tabernacle and fell into the water on the port side. The strange thing however, was that the mast broke just below the spreaders in the opposite direction. Thanks for your reply

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pa-sailor
1st Mate

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67 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 12:33:14

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Davy J
 Here is a photo I took at the Miami show, showing the joint Paul is referring to:

I've seen two or three masts for sale around here on CL. Of course you might have to travel to find one.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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pa-sailor
1st Mate

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67 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 12:33:59

Davy, Thanks for the pic and reply

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pa-sailor
1st Mate

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67 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 12:37:18

Thanks for all your posts-Paul,Davy,Rick, John & Gary

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TakeFive
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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 09/19/2013 : 12:52:38

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pa-sailor
 Yes-- on the lake, winds steady about 15mph w/ gusts to 25. A great sailing day. Somehow I got caught in a freak event. Failure of the starboard side stays may be responsible as they were ripped from the fittings. The mast was pulled from the tabernacle and fell into the water on the port side. The strange thing however, was that the mast broke just below the spreaders in the opposite direction. Thanks for your reply
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Bob - I'm no expert, so take this with a grain of salt. But it sounds like your starboard lower may have failed first, then the mast buckled at its midpoint.

How do your spreaders look? Did one of them buckle? It might possible that if they weren't perfectly bisecting the upper shroud, the starboard spreader might have buckled upward or downward.

If you have insurance, check with them before doing anything. The BoatUS agent told me something about my policy covering consequential damages in a demasting. You pay for the thing that failed, and insurance pays for everything that happens as a result. (I know, sounds too good to be true.) I'm not exactly sure how they define consequential damage, but I'd try to portray this a the lower or spreader failing (which you pay for) and the mast buckling as a result (which insurance pays for after deductible). It's worth a try. If you have coverage, I'm sure the company has an adjuster who knows more than all of us, and will figure out the chain of events.

Regardless, this is the first C250 demasting that I've heard of, and will make me a lot more cautious about my own rig.

Edited by - TakeFive on 09/19/2013 12:54:06

pa-sailor
1st Mate

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Response Posted - 09/20/2013 : 13:31:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pa-sailor
 Yes-- on the lake, winds steady about 15mph w/ gusts to 25. A great sailing day. Somehow I got caught in a freak event. Failure of the starboard side stays may be responsible as they were ripped from the fittings. The mast was pulled from the tabernacle and fell into the water on the port side. The strange thing however, was that the mast broke just below the spreaders in the opposite direction. Thanks for your reply
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Bob - I'm no expert, so take this with a grain of salt. But it sounds like your starboard lower may have failed first, then the mast buckled at its midpoint.

Edited by - on

pa-sailor
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67 Posts

Response Posted - 09/20/2013 : 13:38:51

Rick,
Thanks for your posts on this. Unfortunaly I have a standard marine policy (Seaworthy)and they tell me that I must deduct 10% depreciation per year for the life on the boat on parts. So since the boat is 9 years old I must deduct 9 x 10 or 90%. which means I only recoupe 10% of the parts costs. The labor is paid at 100%. I will be going to the Annapolis boat show in 3 weeks, hope to make some contacts there. If your going let me know

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