J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Mast cracks ?

always had a little bit of this ... but I fear that this crack ??? is gettin bigger..

I dont know if it is s cratch in the paint or if the Mast has a problem ...

please look here for pictures :
http://www.thorusa.com/mast.htm

Thanks Thor

Thor, I can't imaging how your mast would crack like that. I am having a hard time imagining how a mast could be stressed to create a crack running vertically below the deck. Are you sure it isn't just a scratch? Someone with a big belt buckle using the head? A crack that long should easily be moved by pressing on one side or the other. The other test would be to find someone that could NDI it with some dye penetrant and a black light. Good luck!

Thor,

I think this is a scratch too. Since the mast could use some cosmetic touchup, why don't you sand the area and see how deep it is? Agreed on the post above - use some die penetrant, then look at it with a black light. Assuming it's a scratch, mask the compartment spray paint it to make it nice and shiny again.

I had the spreader fix done 2 years ago and had some real stress cracks spidering out from the rivet holes behind the spreader mounting bracket. The cracks were "opened" by grinding, then heliarc weld filled. I had Hall Spars do the work professionally, and had the "bar through the mast" fix. The spreader fix is in a much greater stress area than between the mast step and partners, so I don't think you have much to worry about. If you haven't had the spreader area inspected, I highly recommend you do that. We dodged a big one without knowing it!

Bill - Rhapsody J/30 #348

Thor,

What's cooking on the grill?
http://www.thorusa.com/sail505.jpg

Also do you ever use the extra Genoa track I see next to the anchor locker?

David
#397

there you have it.... that was actually a race ( we placed first ) Grill and all...lol

you can see how politically correct we are ..racing with a grill ...oooops


I use the inner track for no 3 headsail .... well I hardly use that sail. but if I do it works pretty well...
thor

So you do not use the track that is on the cabin top or did you move the one from the cabin top to the deck?

http://www.thorusa.com/j30d.jpg

I have 3 tracks
regular rear long one
small front one on the outside

AND
small one inside the spreaders on cabin top ...

99 percent i am useing the rear one.
3 % I am using the outer forward one
1 % I am using the one on the top cabin

makes 103 % usage ..... as I said we are flying ....lol


with the small headsail in a blow on top of the cabin top its kinda neat how high the boat points .... lol


thor

update....

I took emery paper and sanded down the paint ... where the scratch was really deep i had to sand a little bit of alloy from the mast... but withing seconds the " crack" dissapeared ...

RELIEF it was just a scratch .... got it all micely painted back to new and went out and got the first bullet of the season in our club event....

what a relief.....

Hall SPars do have a new mast ready to ship for 6900 buckaroos ....

Thor

Thor,

Congrats on the 1st bullet, and not having to spend 6900 on a new mast. Our 1st race was called off last week due to gale force winds and ugly rain. We haven't seen dry weather here in over a week. Still raining and flooding in New England. I may have to move to Rhapsody soon. Hopefully Tuesday we'll have decent weather for what was supposed to be the 2nd race in our spring series.

Bill

I am suppose to launch on Wed. but with another inch or two of rain I can just float the boat off the stands and put it on the mooring!