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

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| 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!

What a goof ball... Yeah Bob... the wedges are rotted... sure.! ... yet you
said they were fine when you inserted them way back when... .

Sure you'd change them from time to time... compression of the wedges to a
point they have to be driven in to far Bob!
Rot... ha ha ha...

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| 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.

Yeah.. sure Bob!

CM

Mast Wedges
 

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

Yeah.. sure Bob!

Real women can sail, Mooron. Even Suzanne is learning fast and loving it. Last
night she essentially singlehanded the boat for the 1st hour of the sail,
leaving slip, setting sail and so on.
Sorry you can't manage the same.
As for my ex-girlfriend, she did indeed rebuild her fathers Wanderer engine.
Such women do exist if you have the character to attract them.


RB

Mast Wedges
 

What a goof ball... Yeah Bob... the wedges are rotted... sure.! ... yet you
said they were fine when you inserted them way back when... .

When? Hmmmm? When did I say this? Hmmmm?
Caught again!

RB

Mast Wedges
 

*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.

What a putz. A knife would find bad rot. She only said they "might" be rotted
and their age was good enough reason to make the change. You've failed to make
a single valid point.

As usual.

RB

Mast Wedges
 

*Mast isn't exhibiting any movement slack... how could there be compression
determination?

How do you know this?

RB

Mast Wedges
 

* You saw the wedges before inserting them.. did they look soft??

How do you know this?

Hmmm?

RB

Mast Wedges
 

*Wedges are only used like Marc said... to control lateral movement.

I'm afraid this is not correct. Wedges are used for and aft as well on many
boats.

RB

Mast Wedges
 

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.

Good lord.

RB

Mast Wedges
 

Wood mast = wood wedges
Aluminum mast = rubber wedges


S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
Trains are a winter sport

Mast Wedges
 

I thought this boat was professionally surveyed by a great surveyor
when it was purchased less than 1 year ago. I wonder what else is
ready to fail that wasn't caught.

I hope it's not my radio! That thing made a shout to Jersey City last night!
Only lasted a few minutes.

RB

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message ...
What a goof ball... Yeah Bob... the wedges are rotted... sure.! ... yet you
said they were fine when you inserted them way back when... .

When? Hmmmm? When did I say this? Hmmmm?
Caught again!

RB

You don't remember the following exchange that made you look the
fool?

From: Pony Express )
Subject: Hey bob


View this article only
Newsgroups: alt.sailing.asa
Date: 2003-04-17 04:10:19 PST

Did they put your mast back up yet?
--
----
Steve
S/V Pony Express
Message 25 in thread
From: Bobsprit )
Subject: Hey bob


View this article only
Newsgroups: alt.sailing.asa
Date: 2003-04-17 04:18:57 PST


Did they put your mast back up yet?

The mast was stepped for less than two hours, went right back up. Why the
interest?

RB

Stepped for less than two hours. Bwahahahahahahaah!

S.Simon - Googles with the best of 'em.

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| What a goof ball... Yeah Bob... the wedges are rotted... sure.! ... yet
you
| said they were fine when you inserted them way back when... .
|
| When? Hmmmm? When did I say this? Hmmmm?
| Caught again!

Nope... you said it all right
Posted about it during your pre-launch check up report. Matter of fact you
specifically referred to them.

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| | And J30, J35 racer and capable of rebuilding the diesel engine in her
| father's
| | Pearson Wanderer.
|
| Yeah.. sure Bob!
|
| Real women can sail, Mooron. Even Suzanne is learning fast and loving it.
Last
| night she essentially singlehanded the boat for the 1st hour of the sail,
| leaving slip, setting sail and so on.
| Sorry you can't manage the same.
| As for my ex-girlfriend, she did indeed rebuild her fathers Wanderer
engine.
| Such women do exist if you have the character to attract them.

Of course they can Bob... lots of them do. Did I state otherwise? Have I
ever stated otherwise?
Of course not.... you know that. Don't be a chump all your life and act
like it's some miracle or something.

...but checking your chocks with a knife along the end grain and stating a
tight unmovable wedge is rotting on the core... Bwahahahahahahahahaaaa!!!

Nice Troll Bob!

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message

| What a putz. A knife would find bad rot. She only said they "might" be
rotted
| and their age was good enough reason to make the change. You've failed to
make
| a single valid point.

No it won't Bob.... not in a month of Sundays. Not in end grain and there is
now way in hell your concrete queen can tell me wood will rot from the
inside out! You want to know why Bob?? I'll tell you why a knife is not
used to check for rot... the blade slices the grain and will give you little
if any feed back as to the density or uniformity of the wood. A rounded
point pressed into the wood will not only give viable density but also show
the strength of the wood grain. When sounding strakes you would also listen
for the sound it makes on impact.

Once more you've proved how little you can absorb and how idiotic you can be
when it comes to advise you seek and yet refuse to believe.

| As usual.

Exactly!

CM

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| *Mast isn't exhibiting any movement slack... how could there be
compression
| determination?
|
| How do you know this?

What are you ... Brain Dead?? You boast at how much this woman knows...
tell me she inspected it and poked at the chocks with a knife... if your
mast was loose you dipwad of a dork.. it would have shown movement and the
chock would've pushed out.

How do you even figure out how to untie the dock lines... never mind
navigate??

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| * You saw the wedges before inserting them.. did they look soft??
|
| How do you know this?

So now you state you unstepped the mast at pre-launch and restepped without
even holding one of the friggin chocks??? Bwahahahahahahahahahaaa!!!

Oh the must have fun with you on the C&C list Bob!!

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| *Wedges are only used like Marc said... to control lateral movement.
|
| I'm afraid this is not correct. Wedges are used for and aft as well on
many
| boats.

Ha ha Ha Ha Ha.... tell us again Boy Genius .. why fore and aft isn't
lateral?? You gonna tell me now the orientation of the boat determines that
front or back is not a Side?????

Bwahahahahahahahahaaaa

Can you get any denser Boy Wonder?

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| 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.
|
| Good lord.

Well Bob.... it's a standard method of checking for dry rot. But don't let
the fact that I've worked with boat builders and fisherman since I was 14...
on wooden Cape Islanders from garboard to sheer strakes.... and think I
would know anything about wood in a marine environment. Don't even let it
enter into consideration that I've replaced and repaired lapstrake,
edge-nailed and carvel planked boats for years when I was a teenager...
enter into the possibility I might have a clue about wood in a marine
environment. Perish the thought that after 6 seasons of hand caulking every
seam below the water line with oakum and seaming with white lead & putty to
the exact concave to flush the seam when the planks swelled..... interfere
with your beliefs about my knowledge in this area. Have you ever selected,
cut, seasoned and pegged a stem post replacement?

Now Bob... you still want to talk to me about wood and boats? Please tell me
how your oak shims might be rotting inside.... Maybe you got worms in your
wood.... Bwahahahahahahahahahaaaa!!

CM

Mast Wedges
 

...but checking your chocks with a knife along the end grain and stating a
tight unmovable wedge is rotting on the core... Bwahahahahahahahahaaaa!!!

I defy you to post where I quoted her as such. Go ahead, show everyone you're
not a liar!

RB

Mast Wedges
 

So now you state you unstepped the mast at pre-launch and restepped without
even holding one of the friggin chocks??? Bwahahahahahahahahahaaa!!!

Uh oh. He's going "armpit" on me!
What makes you think I was there when the mast was stepped?

RB

Mast Wedges
 

Well Bob.... it's a standard method of checking for dry rot. But don't let
the fact that I've worked with boat builders and fisherman

According to informed folk, my friend was right. It's a good idea to change the
wedges after 5-10 years. Removing them means redoing the boot, so might as well
put new wedges in. As for using her knife, you've made a total idiot of
yourself suggesting that she was pushing the blade into the end grain.
Yikes. I'll let you figure out what she was doing...think hard!

RB

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
..but checking your chocks with a knife along the end grain and stating a
tight unmovable wedge is rotting on the core...
Bwahahahahahahahahaaaa!!!

I defy you to post where I quoted her as such. Go ahead, show everyone
you're
not a liar!

Bob, Either you don't believe that a woman can tell that your hardwood
wedges are rotten by poking a knife into the sharp end, or you're an idiot.

Face facts. You're an idiot!
You're not half as stupid(or rich) as Oz is, though!


Regards

Donal
--

Mast Wedges
 

"Capt. Mooron" wrote in message
...


How do you even figure out how to untie the dock lines... never mind
navigate??

What on Earth makes you think that he "navigates"?

Jeeeze, he doesn't even bother to check the tides before fabricating a
ridiculous story about a *big* trip down LIS!


Regards


Donal
--

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
So now you state you unstepped the mast at pre-launch and restepped
without
even holding one of the friggin chocks??? Bwahahahahahahahahahaaa!!!

Uh oh. He's going "armpit" on me!

Now, now, Robert.
Don't exaggerate.



What makes you think I was there when the mast was stepped?

He probably thought that you were a responsible sailor. I cannot
understand how he could be so stupid! Normally, he is quite sensible.




Regards


Donal
--

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...

According to informed folk, my friend was right. It's a good idea to
change the
wedges after 5-10 years. Removing them means redoing the boot, so might as
well
put new wedges in. As for using her knife, you've made a total idiot of
yourself suggesting that she was pushing the blade into the end grain.
Yikes. I'll let you figure out what she was doing...think hard!

I would like to publicly express my gratitude for all the laughs that Bob
has provided me with, over the years.

"informed folk" .... "my friend" ... you fotgot to use the old faithful
"well regarded"!

Thanks, Bob.


Regards


Donal
--

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| ..but checking your chocks with a knife along the end grain and stating a
| tight unmovable wedge is rotting on the core...
Bwahahahahahahahahaaaa!!!
|
| I defy you to post where I quoted her as such. Go ahead, show everyone
you're
| not a liar!

Bwahahahahahaaaaa.... you're looking dumber than a post..... with every
post!
Stop it before you bite your own hook any harder!!

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
| So now you state you unstepped the mast at pre-launch and restepped
without
| even holding one of the friggin chocks??? Bwahahahahahahahahahaaa!!!
|
| Uh oh. He's going "armpit" on me!
| What makes you think I was there when the mast was stepped?

What!!! Ha Ha Ha... now you telling us you didn't even bother to check when
they unstepped your mast... but you knew for a fact it was "stepped for a
couple of hours".... CHOICE!

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Bobsprit" wrote in message

As for using her knife, you've made a total idiot of
| yourself suggesting that she was pushing the blade into the end grain.
| Yikes. I'll let you figure out what she was doing...think hard!

Gosh I don't know Bob... maybe the following:

" Yes, she did push her knife into a couple of the wedges. They are
easily visible from the cabin"

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!

Ozzy... cripes get in here fast... Bob desperately needs you...AGAIN! :-D

CM

Mast Wedges
 

"Donal" wrote in message

| I would like to publicly express my gratitude for all the laughs that Bob
| has provided me with, over the years.

I second that emotion.....
Ain't he a PEACH!!!!
I'd be bored to tears if he wasn't around!

CM