At the end of this season, when I took my mast down for winter storage, I noticed that the forward rivits that hold the spreader brackes to the mast have started to pull out. In addition, I noticed a small hairline vertical crack in the aluminum mast just above where the forward rivit is pulling out on the starboard side of the mast. I understand there is an approved after market replacement bracket that is designed to solve this problem. I am looking for advice on this from anyone who has experience or who may have some suggestions. Where can I buy one of these brackets? How much do they cost? If more than one style is available, which one is the best? What is the best way to remove the old rivits? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Larry Woods

This is a known problem with J30 masts that get used in heavier air. The repair is detailed in the Articles of Interest section on the J30 website.

I do not have experience with this repair specifically but I do know how to remove rivets. You drill them out. Start with a bit that you know is smaller than the shaft of the rivet you are removing. Drill out the center of the rivet. Increase the size of the drill bit until you have removed the rivet. This way you'll be sure not to drill out more of the mast than needed.

You'll need to have the crack in the mast welded, of course.

I have this same problem. I understand that you don't want to weld the crack in the mast because it will need to be retempered. A friend, who happened to build my trailer, is a professional welder. He suggested finding the end of the crack, making sure it's the end, drilling a hole and putting a rivet in it.

Larry,
Dito on not welding the mast. Everyone I talked to says you have to have the whole mast retempered - because you cannot temper only part of it. I just repaired my mast - put a sleeve inside it. I had a crack about 3/4 of the way around it down where the vang bracket and the turning blocks for the halyards were fastened. Here in Kansas City there aren't any places to get mast retempereed.

Hi all,

Just found a crack in my mast behind the starboard spreader bracket. It goes through the front 3 rivets and just a little above and below the bracket. I have the compression tube add-on in the mast already.

Anyways, while trying to decide between a new mast and trying to get this one fixed, I called Hall Spars and talked to Cory. He says I Can weld the mast, as long as I put a backing plate behind the crack and the weld touches this backing plate while sealing the crack. Then, rivet the edges of the backing plate. Does this make sense? I want to do it this way (at least until I can get a new one), but then I read and hear that you must retemper the mast, but he says no need to with the plate.

Any suggestions, or anyone with experience that had their mast welded with a backing plate?

I also considered to just put a sleave in it, like discussed above, but worried it won't bend enough there, and just cause more problems above and below the sleave.

Also, would love to just buy a new tube from Rigrite, but they are having their own problems right now....

Thanks for the info...

Hi Scott,
I have a J29 and this Winter my rigger found the exact same vertical cracking through the rivet holes of both spreader bases.

I am now in the middle of the very same decision making. And because we share the exact same issue, I would be curious which way you have choosen to go?

Have you had any luck getting through to Rig-Rite?

Charleston Spar purchased Kenyon and is the leading supplier of J24 masts. They have told me that they have the extrusion for the J29 mast section and can supply me with a new mast. You may give them a try.

-Rob

I ended up having the crack welded, and then a piece of 1/8 inch aluminum welded over the area on both sides (it seems the other side had a small hairline crack starting as well). This way, the mast is now twice as thick in this area. From what I heard from Cory and Hall Spars, and from what my welder said, I'm not worried about the mast in that area. The welder basically said its better then it ever was (at least there, the rest of the mast is still 26 years old .

Had our first race with it last weekend out in 25 knots. Everything held up great and no more worries. Will probably still look into a new mast tube over the winter. That way I won't have to think about any of it anymore.