Is there a practical way to remove/repair mast dents? Or is this something I shouldn't worry about? I'm sure it depends on where it is, how large the dent......

There is really nothing you can do. Messing with it will make it weaker. unless its huge, it's probably sailable but if it would break it will crimp at the dent. Serious racers (not I) would get a new mast.

It would help if you could elaborate on the dent and what kind of boat you are dealing with. I'm down in Virginia Beach and I may be able to get you a good used replacement mast if yours is in really bad shape (and it is a Hobie).. DanBerger@Mindspring.com

My mast has a nice dent where the previous owner dropped the mast onto the mast ball, it's a H17.
The dent is nice and smooth and no sign of distress or cracks...and after a few sails it has no signs of anything adverse....except I could see it.
As I added a H17 Super Jib, the blocks now hit the mast in the area of the dent...so I cured two problems with one solution, I glued a sheet of 1.5mm rubber sheet over the area....now I can't see the dent and the Jib Blocks have something soft to hit against.
Nige

I would say about the size of a half dollar - not to deep about five feet from the top of the mast.
Type of boat - there in lies the $$$ problem...... SuperCat 20TallRig $$$$

My recommendation is to cut the mast just below the dent, then change your rating to a SC-20 NotSoTallRig. I'm sure you'll still owe me time, just not as much!

Hi

I do not think that the dent is going to be a problem because it is located in a part that is not subjected to much stress. This area is not subjected to the same kind of load as the area supported by the stays.

Since it is mainly working in flexion instead as in compression, the load is much easyer to bear for the section and the risk of collapse is much lower.

The same problem located lower on the mast would have been a much bigger problem because the wall section has a bigger roisk of collapsing when it is submitted to both a compression load and a flexion load.

Since the section was designed to support both the compression and the flexion and also a security factor and since the section affected by the dent is not subjected to the same stress, I am pretty sure that your mast is still perfectly safe.

Charles Leblanc
Naacra 5.2

my mast has a dent AND a bend in it... so feel lucky

Laugh at this if you want but I've always wondered if one of those mysterious automotive dent removal places could fix a mast dent. Probably not, because they work on thin steel instead of aluminum extrusion but I wonder. I think they heat and chill the steel back into shape. I dunno.

Hey, Jake, do you know anything about this?

I know it can involve suction cups too but besides what you said, that's all I know. I too think it is unlikely to work on a mast extrusion.

The mast on my Nacra 18sq was perfectly straight but had a small dent in it halfway between the base and the spreaders.
I raced it for several years like that.
I finally got tired of everyone telling me it was going to break in the next race, so I fixed it.
I drilled a 1/4" hole into the mast, opposite the dent.
I laid the mast across some cinder blocks, with boards for protection, and placed a cinder block with a board directly under the dent.
I used a 3/16" steel rod as a punch and VERY CAREFULLY hammered the dent back out.
I plugged the hole with a 1/4" pop rivet & silicone.
Most people can't even see where the dent used to be.

Sam, was your dent accompanied by a bend as well?

I'm thinking that if I fix this dent, I'll straighten out my mast as well

I have a mast for my Prindle with a golf-ball sized dent about 24" from the top due to an encounter with a bridge (don't ask) . Anyway, I did not fix it because I found a good mast to replace it with. I still have it and was considering repairing it. What I was thinking was to shape a 2X4, or a piece of hardwood near the same size as the inside of the mast, take off the masthead, and slide it in to the dent and tap the end with a hammer, hopefully driving up the dent and not getting the wood too stuck to get out.

I also have thought about using a small hydrolic ram. Northern tools sells a small wedge shaped ram and hand pump. I think it is for bodywork or something like that. If it would fit with a bar to spread the load on the good side, the dent may be able to be pushed out from the inside.

Just a few thoughts.

Mike

That aluminum is hardened and the wood block will most probably wedge into the mast and the dent won't budge. You might consider making a hardwood block that is about half the size of the inside of the mast (opposite the dent). Then use some sort of metal backer on the dent and metal wedges to drive the dent out. My only real experience is with a small dent I had near the mast track on my H16. The track was squeezed too close in this area. I put two peices of hard 1/16" thick metal plate in the track and then drove a screwdriver inbetween them to spread the track. It was very difficult to spread even this small area, but it did work.
Good luck,
Jack Hoying

Maugan17,
Sorry, it didn't have a bend.
Fixing that is a whole 'nother story, but it can be done.

I'm tempted to take it to an aircraft welder with a case of beer in hand and ask him to help me out.

I've got two masts, each in a state of disrepair.

The worst part about trying to repair a Hobie 17 mast is no diamond wires.
With wires you could safely splice a top and bottom together at the spreader bar without adding a lot of weight.
The wires would do most of the work supporting the mast.
Without wires the splice would have to do all of the work.
It could be done, but it would add a lot of weight.
Welding heat can damage the strength of the alloy.

I was thinking about adding spreaders anyways, so when I add my headsail, it wont snap like a twig.

If you want to get really serious, find a non-comp-tip Hobie 18 mast.
A Hobie 17 base casting will fit in it.
You could hang a big spin on it.

I know of someone that has a TheMightyHobie18 all alum mast.

He maintains the fact that the base fitting WONT fit. I'd like to test it out to make sure though. Would I have to cut a bit off the top?