I think we've missed something here, Doug. The drawing at
http://www.pearsonvanguard.homestead...les/index2.htm
isn't very clear, but I think the mast is stepped on deck. The door to the
head appears to be on center directly below the mast, so the step carries
the load to posts at the fore and aft head bulkheads.

Also, the drawing of the suggested step at
http://www.pearsonvanguard.homestead...les/index2.htm
doesn't specify a material, but it calls out 5/16" plate. That's pretty
beefy in steel, so I suspect aluminum was in mind.

I agree that for a step out of sight in the bilge, that modern glass and
epoxy would be at least as good as, maybe better than aluminum, and,
something that a reasonably competent DIY person could do.

For one that's in sight on deck, however, aluminum is likely to be prettier
unless the builder does a lot of work on finishing, hard to do inside a
complicated piece.

Another possibility would be to use commercial fiberglass shapes -- either
channel or angles -- plenty of strength, easy to fab in the home shop, and
would look very professional when painted. (go to www.mcmaster.com and
search on fiberglass channel or angle -- McMaster is not a low cost or
specialist vendor, but they have some of everything you can imagine).



--
Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com

..
"DSK" wrote in message
...
HallotParson wrote:

Hi,
I am about to have a new mast step fabricated for my Pearson Vanguard,
per the
specs on the owners website. The website calls for a step to be
fabricated in
steel, but my question is: will this not react corrosively with my
mast? Even
if painted or powdercoated, I am sure that eventually steel would
contact
alluminum. Any advice on the best sollution here will be greatly
appreciated.

The problem of steel reacting galvanically with the mast is a small and
easily
corrected problem: just put a small piece of hi density plastic between
the mast
butt and the step.

A bigger problem is putting a big hunk of steel in the bilge. It will rust
away
quickly and leave you with a dirty bilge in the meantime.

I would either follow Jim W's suggestion and get the frame made in
aluminum, or
else take another tack entirely and mold it out of fiberglass. A triaxial
knit/epoxy grid would be plenty strong and impervious to galvanic
corrosion & rust
too. It would also bond to the hull & stringers better, improving the
strength &
rigidity of the boat. Best of all, you can do it yourself with good
fiberglassing
skills (which if you don't have, you would benefit by learning) and no
special
equipment. And it will last at least as long as the rest of the boat,
which is not
true of aluminum and definitely not true of steel.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King