Mast Wedges
 

Went sailing last night and my buddy who races J-boats says that I should
redo/replace my mast wedges. There's no play, but she thinks they could be
partially rotted inside and I should play it safe. No big deal, but this is my
first keel stepped mast.
Can anyone explain the specifics of mast wedges? Are they supporting the mast
to any great degree, protecting the deck/collar? What happens if wedges fail?

Thanks,

Capt RB
C&C 32
NY

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
| Can anyone explain the specifics of mast wedges? Are they supporting the
mast
| to any great degree, protecting the deck/collar? What happens if wedges
fail?

Don't fret about it.... she was just taking a cue from Suzanne and making
herself feel important by talking down to a dummy. If anything.. a failed
wedge [ why do I have the urge to laugh?] would only remove the stress on
your mast from the grossly uneven tension of the stays you didn't bother to
set correctly.

Can you explain to me how she managed to determine this through your mast
boot? .... or did she dig her knife up through the thin edge of the shims
from the inside??

Bwahahahahahahahaaa!

CM

Mast Wedges
 

http://www.polyprod.com/
http://www.spartite.com/


On a keel steeped rig like yours, the deck collar wedge acts a a
spacer/ shock absorber/buffer between the deck and the mast. It
provides only minimal lateral support as none is needed to hold up the
rig. The collar is there to provide a packing medium for water
proofing and support for the mast base sheeves.

As opposed to a stayless rig where the deck IS the support for the
mast and the mast wedges are critical.


On 10 Sep 2003 12:53:38 GMT, (Bobsprit) wrote:

Went sailing last night and my buddy who races J-boats says that I should
redo/replace my mast wedges. There's no play, but she thinks they could be
partially rotted inside and I should play it safe. No big deal, but this is my
first keel stepped mast.
Can anyone explain the specifics of mast wedges? Are they supporting the mast
to any great degree, protecting the deck/collar? What happens if wedges fail?

Thanks,

Capt RB
C&C 32
NY

Mast Wedges
 

Can you explain to me how she managed to determine this through your mast
boot? .... or did she dig her knife up through the thin edge of the shims
from the inside??

Poor Mooron. He's seems bent on making a fool of himself. Yes, she did push her
knife into a couple of the wedges. They are easily visible from the cabin. Age
of the wedges was what primarily concerned her.

RB

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| Can you explain to me how she managed to determine this through your mast
| boot? .... or did she dig her knife up through the thin edge of the shims
| from the inside??
|
| Poor Mooron. He's seems bent on making a fool of himself. Yes, she did
push her
| knife into a couple of the wedges. They are easily visible from the cabin.
Age
| of the wedges was what primarily concerned her.


She's probably correct Bob... it sounds like she knows her wood and testing
the fine edge of the wedge would clearly indicate the condition of the wood
inside. [especially indicative of partial rot on the interior] If she thinks
they could be partially rotted inside ... she must be right and no matter if
they look sound right now ... I'd suggest you replace them immediately.
Failure might lead to a collapse of the standing rigging and at the very
least your mast will wobble when you sail.

It's not often you get a free inspection dockside by someone with
credentials in wood like being a J24 Racer. Take advantage of this timely
advise.... please.

CM

Mast Wedges
 

Come on Marc... it's a Troll and I got to the hook first... now BACK OFF!!
;-)

CM

"Marc" wrote in message
...
| http://www.polyprod.com/
| http://www.spartite.com/
|
|
| On a keel steeped rig like yours, the deck collar wedge acts a a
| spacer/ shock absorber/buffer between the deck and the mast. It
| provides only minimal lateral support as none is needed to hold up the
| rig. The collar is there to provide a packing medium for water
| proofing and support for the mast base sheeves.
|
| As opposed to a stayless rig where the deck IS the support for the
| mast and the mast wedges are critical.
|
|
| On 10 Sep 2003 12:53:38 GMT, (Bobsprit) wrote:
|
| Went sailing last night and my buddy who races J-boats says that I should
| redo/replace my mast wedges. There's no play, but she thinks they could
be
| partially rotted inside and I should play it safe. No big deal, but this
is my
| first keel stepped mast.
| Can anyone explain the specifics of mast wedges? Are they supporting the
mast
| to any great degree, protecting the deck/collar? What happens if wedges
fail?
|
| Thanks,
|
| Capt RB
| C&C 32
| NY
|

Mast Wedges
 

Come on Marc... it's a Troll and I got to the hook first... now BACK OFF!!

Wasn't a troll. It was also posted to the C&C list, where the importance of
mast wedges was rated a bit higher than marc indicated.
You, of course, can't tell the difference between actual sailing content and
trolling.

RB

Mast Wedges
 

f she thinks
they could be partially rotted inside ... she must be right and no matter if
they look sound right now ...

Got some e-mails from the C&C folk about this. It's probably a good idea to
change wood wedges from time to time. In the case of Alien, said wedges are at
least 10 years old. Sounds like she was right and you're wrong.
Again.

Poor, poor mooron!

RB

Mast Wedges
 

It's not often you get a free inspection dockside by someone with
credentials in wood like being a J24 Racer.

And J30, J35 racer and capable of rebuilding the diesel engine in her father's
Pearson Wanderer.

RB

Mast Wedges
 

Well Bob... if it wasn't a troll... you have to be dumber than Horvath on
the IQ scale. Let's review some facts to clarify things for you..

*Wedges... hardwood.. think about it Bob!!
*Rot... can't be determined by poking with a knife let alone at the tip of a
wedge. Use your head.. it's the end grain on the cross cut portion.
*Mast isn't exhibiting any movement slack... how could there be compression
determination?
*Racing a J24 don't make you an expert in wood or wedges... especially not
if you're a NYC know it all dock side expert.
* You saw the wedges before inserting them.. did they look soft??
*Wood doesn't rot from the inside out you idiot!
*Wedges aren't submerged....
*Wedges are only used like Marc said... to control lateral movement. Switch
to rubber chocks if you're worried.

How stupid can you be and still breath?. Now tell me again how this wasn't a
troll and that you really are a supreme Idiot!
You want to verify your wedges Bob?... poke firmly with a 2" common nail on
each exposed _SIDE_ ... if it penetrates beyond the cone of the tip it's
either very soft wood or doughty.

Now just fess up... it's a troll ain't it! :-D

CM... who's never owned a keel stepped mast.





"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| Come on Marc... it's a Troll and I got to the hook first... now BACK
OFF!!
|
| Wasn't a troll. It was also posted to the C&C list, where the importance
of
| mast wedges was rated a bit higher than marc indicated.
| You, of course, can't tell the difference between actual sailing content
and
| trolling.
|
| RB