| Steve Sherman, McLaughlin
Boatworks
At the Mid Winters I helped several sailors with mast steps that
would not budge. I am sure that others are experiencing the same
problem. One of the underlying causes, we suspect, may be the practice
of using the mast step cup as the anchor point for the bowline. As
previously reported in this magazine, the worst case is if the bowline
gets fouled behind the nut of the threaded rod. I wish the class would
allow an eye strap to be placed forward of the mast step to help
alleviate these problems. Until that happens tying tightly around the
cup is the recommended method.
What can happen is under extreme pressure (say from towing), the
threaded rod bends upwards at the aft end. This distortion makes the cup
hard or impossible to move. It is easy to bend it back in place; the
hard part is getting it out. I have found if you lightly tap the end of
the rod with a hammer (be careful to not damage the threads) and then
use the round adjusting nut to push the cup forward; repeating this over
and over, it will come out.
Once the cup has been removed, clamp it in a vice (see pic). Put the
round nut back on close to the cup. This will protect the threads and
keep the rod straight as you tap it back, or bend with a crescent
wrench, perpendicular to the cup. Inspect the welds that secure the
threaded rod to the cup and the weld that secures the cup to the slide.
If any are suspect (show even minute cracks) replace the cup as cheap
insurance before your next regatta. Try it in the boat to see that it
slides freely with the nut. One more thing you can do is to slightly
flatten the bumps (see pic) on the four corners of the plate by hitting
them with a hammer. Do not entirely flatten them or this may worsen the
problem.
Note: The mast steps with the single web at the back of the mast
step, verses the double web, are prone to bend and may need to be
straightened to vertical with vice grips or a crescent wrench. A good
upgrade is to replace your single web with the double web type. (See pic).
Other causes of difficulty in movement are salt, dirt and sand in the
thread or under the slide. Keeping the threads and slides clean.
“McLubed ” will help. You should also check the tightness of the screws
securing the step to the boat. If screws will not tighten call the
Manufacturer for advice on repair.
Tip: to keep your cup from “jiggling” out and getting lost during a
road trip, put a dab of marine caulk on the end of the adjusting rod.
This will act as a stopper for the nut, but can easily be pulled off if
necessary. An extra cup and nut (that you have verified as working with
your slide) may be good additions to your “spares” tackle box. Smooth
sailing!
Tip: It is common knowledge that the “pin” style mast steps once
favored by racers, while providing the best bearing for mast rotation,
are far more prone to failure than the cup style. Upgrading to a new cup
and double upright step is recommended.
McLaughlin Boat Works, World
Champion Boatbuilder For Over 40 Years. |