So after having my H16 for a month now, and not having any luck finding someone to go out with me for the first time, I decided it was now or never.
I've never sailed before mind you, and I've been a little apprehensive, considering not only do I not know how to sail but, how am I going to step the mast by myself. After reading post after post on the different methods proposed by experienced sailors, I at first thought, maybe this isn't something I should try by myself the first time.
Oh well, I wouldn't have even thought twice about it 20 or so years ago but I'm a bit more cautious nowadays.
So I get to the boat ramp (a rarely used ramp on a small lake so I could take my time) I did plan to ask someone to help me step the mast if there was someone around , but there wasn't, so I said to myself Just do it!
Ok, I get everything ready and slide the mast into place. I push down on the base of the mast and get it pinned very easily. Looking Good!
Next I make sure all shroud lines are clear of the corners, a little clean and jerk and up she goes. All the way up, but not quite seated so I give a little jerk and push and then pop! She seats and settles in.
At this point I lean my shoulder into it and pick up the line that I ran through the forestay, around the winch on the trailer, and pull it snug and cleat it off. Holy Crap! I did it! and it was easy!
Now, ever so gently, I climb down from the tramp to go connect the forestay to the bridle and what do you know, the line is twisted with the jib halyard, I think? As I'm looking everything over, trying to figure out how to fix the problem without lowering the mast, I see that the mast base has ripped out of the mast on one side. Uh Oh!
Ok so now I'm praying that it holds together until I can get it down. I un-cleat the forestay line and just as I start to lower it, POP! the other side breaks loose, and like in slow motion I see the base of the mast hanging in mid air. I try as hard as I can to keep it from crashing down and do pretty good until the weight and momentum nearly twisted my wrist off.
So, like the post title said, Today was my firt time out, sort of! and those masts are really tough! sort of!
I sure would like to go sailing one day!
I will post some pictures of the damage so that hopefully someone can help me figure out what I need to do to get it repaired. Unfortunately, right now, I can't remember my user name and password for the pix site to host the photo's.
Jody Phillips 81 H16
-- Have You Seen This? --
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort of!
[Re: ocalacat]
#189525 08/29/0906:46 PM08/29/0906:46 PM
I remember the first time I stepped a mast on a cat. NOT FUN... partly because it was a 6.0 Next time, swear to yourself that if the mast is falling, let it go and just get out of the way... it ain't worth a serious bonk on the head or even a badly sprained wrist.
keep with it, it is all worth it. anyone out there anywhere near him that could head out with him first time around?
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort
[Re: PTP]
#189529 08/29/0909:03 PM08/29/0909:03 PM
And always, before you step the mast, take a good look up and around where you intend to rig up and launch, for overhead electrical wires. Many experienced people have been killed pushing their masts into those when at a new location and they forgot to look up first.
Blade F16 #777
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort
[Re: Timbo]
#189530 08/29/0909:28 PM08/29/0909:28 PM
All good! boat is an 81 and I don't know if the mast base is OEM but I suspect it is. I'll try to post some pic's tomorrow as I'm not quite sure what to do, The rivet ripped out of the mast on one side and ripped through and broke off a piece of the base on the other side.
I'm pretty worried that I won't be able to get the base securely back in the mast?
Timbo, don't worry! I checked really good before raising the mast. Been reading up on all of this for a month now.
Jody Phillips 81 H16
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort
[Re: ocalacat]
#189532 08/29/0910:16 PM08/29/0910:16 PM
Welcome to the world of catamarans and the great people you will meet. You are in for a fun lifestyle. My first boat was a H-16 and I learrrned a lot from it. I recommend getting this for you as a newbie. There is a whole chapter on the H-16 by one of the best. This book will take years of your learning curve. Hang in there and ask away with questions. You have a new family here reaady and willing to help.
I will post some pictures of the damage so that hopefully someone can help me figure out what I need to do to get it repaired. Unfortunately, right now, I can't remember my user name and password for the pix site to host the photo's.
You don't need any other passwords to post pics all you need to do is Click on the "Full screen reply button" at the bottom of your screen Then click "file manager" Then click "Browse" Select your photo then click "add file" Repeat the last two steps for each photo When you have enough photos click "Done adding files" and it should be fine, if the photos don't load it means their too big and you need to minimise the photo's. regards
Jeff Southall Current boats Nacra 5.8 1703 Animal Scanning Services Nacra 5.8 1667 Ram Raider Nacra 18 Square Arrow 1576
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort of!
[Re: JeffS]
#189546 08/30/0908:29 AM08/30/0908:29 AM
Keep with it man, I had the same apprehensions about stepping the mast on my boat. The first time I went out with it I had someone help me, but the 2nd time (even though I had crew) I wanted to see if I could do it alone and I got it!
There are tons of cat sailors in FL, I am sure someone is around to lend a hand
Ryan 1983 Isotope
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort of!
[Re: ocalacat]
#189547 08/30/0908:34 AM08/30/0908:34 AM
You should come over for the Wildcat regatta in Eustis. Lots of fun, good people. There is usually a contingent of H16s. In any case, we all cut our teeth on that boat so there will be a world of advice for.
I will post some pictures of the damage so that hopefully someone can help me figure out what I need to do to get it repaired. Unfortunately, right now, I can't remember my user name and password for the pix site to host the photo's.
You don't need any other passwords to post pics all you need to do is Click on the "Full screen reply button" at the bottom of your screen Then click "file manager" Then click "Browse" Select your photo then click "add file" Repeat the last two steps for each photo When you have enough photos click "Done adding files" and it should be fine, if the photos don't load it means their too big and you need to minimise the photo's. regards
Thanks, I'll try that.. I'm use to having to host the photo's somewhere so you can post the URL.
Last edited by ocalacat; 08/30/0909:36 AM.
Jody Phillips 81 H16
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort of!
[Re: ocalacat]
#189553 08/30/0908:56 AM08/30/0908:56 AM
Replace the base, and just add a couple more rivets in different locations from the original.
So just drill some new holes through the mast and the new base? Should I do more than two? Like maybe two on each side as opposed to the original one per side.
Jody Phillips 81 H16
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort of!
[Re: ocalacat]
#189562 08/30/0909:30 AM08/30/0909:30 AM
Hmmm, looks like salt-water corrosion and I see you live in Florida. Check other stress points along with the inside of the mast at the base. Worse case, you may need to cut off a bit of the mast base if further weakened.
Some of you salt-water sailors chime in....how do you best limit the effect of salt-water on alloy masts?
Sail fast, Tom G
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort of!
[Re: h17racer]
#189567 08/30/0909:59 AM08/30/0909:59 AM
If you are going to drill new holes, you can use that same mast base, as you will be drilling all the way through both anyway. Clean up both the mast base and inside the mast, add some goop to seal it, insert, drill, rivet, and step it again.
Oh, and it looks like you didn't have any grease on the ball that goes into the beam (unless you cleaned it off before the photo shoot), you want to put a little bit of something like axel grease or lithium grease or something down into the ball seat so it will rotate easier with less wear. Hobie even sells some small white plastic discs you can put in there, but you can cut up an old plastic milk jug for the same effect.
Blade F16 #777
Re: First time out, Sort of! Man those masts are tough, Sort of!
[Re: h17racer]
#189571 08/30/0910:06 AM08/30/0910:06 AM
Just at a quick glance I would say if you want to save some money, you probably did not pay much for the boat, use the same base. Chip off of the base anything that may flake off. Make sure the walls of the mast are no thinner at the 1/2 inches on the bottom as they are above that. A similar thing happened to my boat a bit over 20 years ago when I was sailing H16s. You would like to avoid further electrolysis. You can use a dielectric grease, a teflon compound, or ignore it and just place some silicone sealant on it. There is a foam plug a bit in from the base. While the bottom is off put some extra sealant on that to make sure you mast stays as watertight as you can get it.
Drill in different spots and you should be ready to go. The only time the rivets see any stress is in raising and lowering the mast. While the mast is up it is a compressive load and does not effect the rivets.