Slightly bent and slightly dented mast

My mast became bent above the gooseneck after a mishap raising it, when the bottom came off the ball and went to ground.

I read all the threads I could find on the topic, and tried putting it on two fixed objects and applying force with various methods on the bend in the opposite direction. I even left it bent in the opposite direction for 1 week. After releasing it always returned to its original bent shape.

In one post someone mentioned that they were only able to remove the bend by applying heat while straightening the mast.

My question is, Is there any risk of weakening the mast by torching it?

My mast also has a slight dent on one side at the spreader bar attachment. The only solution I have read was by Wouter lowering into the mast a hydraulic device from a body shop to re-expand at the dent. I think these are called porta-power and you need a book press attachment or something.

Has anyone rented such a thing or asked a body-shop to assist in dent removal?

how severe is this bend?
If it is minor, your sail may not be effected with the pressure of the wind on it.



I am certainly no structural engineer, and there are several on this forum that may contribute, but it is my guess, understanding, belief... that the attachment part of the spreaders can handle a dent more than the top or bottom of the diamond wires...

I have had a baseball sized ding in my mast at the tang (where the main and halyard attach) and i have a spin attached above it and it has not buckled....

Absolutely. You'll undo the heat treatment that it originally had.

Probably too late to file an insurance claim, but methinks your mast is toast anyway.

Don't even think about heating it. You can't get the bend out by leaving it bent the other way. You will have to put it between two anchor points and keep "wiggling" it to get the bend out. It takes a long time. You will have to push it past the bend in the opposite direction. Take the diamond wires off. One anchor point will have to be at the peak of the bend and on the opposite side near the end of the mast but not all the way to the end. You just have to keep working is little by little. BUT the dent is a huge problem. Do you have any pictures?

Slight bend= Sometimes fixable.
Dent= Toast

Gently stand on a beer can and it can usually support your weight. Now reach down and poke your finger into it and create a dent. The can crushed. The forces on the mast are slightly different, but you get the point.

J

Thanks for replies. I will post pictures this weekend. I have been sailing with it for about 7 years so it is very durable toast. I am on the hunt for a salvage P19 to replace the mast. I tried staightening it Lee's way ages ago and the bend was unfazed.

I agree w/ Matt do not torch the "mast".

You got nothing to loose ... correct??? So here is a crazy idea. First, you will need a "scrapped" Prindle mast.

Cut out two sections, depending where the bend at the gooseneck is maybe 20-24" for that one and a 12" section for the spreader area. Next remove the luff track by either having a machine shop mill it off or cut it off w/ a jig saw on both pieces do not remove too much

Now for the gooseneck bend strip the bottom of the mast of everything including rivets because what you are going to do is DRIVE/FORCE the section of mast inside the "bent" mast ... you will need to hold the mast in a straight position and make sure you use a wooden block so you do not want to deform the section being forced inside the "bent" mast. If possible use a hydraulic jack to apply the pressure/force ... you will need to force the inner sleeve in far enough so you can you can re-install the mast base ... re-install all fixtures and hardware with some additional rivets to hold the inner sleeve in place, on the top. If you have removed the luff track properly on the inner sleeve it will lock into position tightly inside ... if you have removed to much it will just rattle around inside. I have used this method to staighten (and strengthen) Prindle crossbars.

For the "spreader" dent again remove the luff track from the 12" section ... then split the 12" section lengthwise at the forward/leading edge ... remove the spreaders and install a section on either side of the mast in EXACTLY the same place. Rivet in place and re-install spreaders ...

There are no guarantees but this may work ... it's worth a try ...

Let me know how you make out ... if you decide to scrap the boat let me know as I have a P19MX also

Harry Murphey

Bob,
depending on how large/big the dent is you can also try to use an air compressor to get the ding out. Use a bicycle tire tube or something than can take some pressure.
Put the inflatable tube between 2 rigid parts (best to follow the mast's inner curvature - shape some wooden blocks or something) and get those inside the mast in the ding area - then slowly inflate the tube and check if there's progress.

Bob, I never had to deal with dented masts, this ideea just happened to pop up, it may be very well a bad ideea.

regards,

There's a guy on the TCDYC site trying to sell a junked P19. I think the mast is good. www.tcdyc.com I think the guy is in Kemah (Clearlake area).

Bob,

If you purchase that P19 ... save me a dagger board, please.

Harry

Persevere with the reverse bending. I have successfully corrected mast bend with the use of 3" steam pipe underneath a trolley jack. Attach the mast to the pipe with 3" webbing straps and use a sturdy piece of wood between the jack and mast to spread the load. You may be surprised at how far you need to go to permanently straighten the mast.
With regard to the spreader ding (sounds like it's been dropped sideways on the spreader) if it isn't affecting mast bend - leave it. Just make sure spreader lengths are 'corrected' to ensure equal mast bend on each tack. If it's a big problem you can always apply an external plate wrapped around the section. A good friend had a good sized ding just above the gooseneck on an 18-2 mast(same section). He welded an external plate to the area and never had any problems on his heavily-sailed boat.

Cheshirecatman

What about those auto body guys that pull out dents without drilling?

Depending on dents or dings they use powerfull/small suction cups.

Regards

I have also heard of dry ice being used to remove dents in automobiles

Lee,

That guy in Kemah, is a legend.

Automotive sheet metal is thin and ferrous. I'd have the same concern using extreme temperatures on aluminum, whether high heat or low heat.

I don.t know if it is possible to drill a hole on the opposite site of the bend.
You might be able to use this hole to push (hammer) it out with some tool.

Afterwards rivit the hole with a watertight rivit to ensure the mast can not fill up with water when your crash.

The (usually) unseen problem is that the existing metal is now stretched. There is physically more area; just as a curved line between two points is longer than a straight line between the same two points. To bring the mast back to its original strength, the metal must be shrunk.

When working with ferrous alloys, like a car body, this can be accomplished by heating and then striking or quenching. I don't know if aluminum has the same property.

If the bend is still there... you have not put enough force and deflection to surpass the memory of the aluminum. I have not heard of aluminum being heat treated. BUT... putting heat on aluminum is sketchy... it does not glow before it suddenly turns to a liquid.

You have to get past the metal's modulous of elasticity.