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

Are there supposed to be wedges fore and aft at the mast partners? Hull #92 has none. Any info on placement would be helpful if they are needed

To my understanding, the various versions of the 30 have different configurations at the partners. On my boat (hull 485) the mast is hard against the aft end of the partners, with no wedges, only rig tension maintaining position. Check your rig tune-if you race, so much as 1/2 inch of position at the step or partners can radically affect performance upwind. Class max headstay, max aft at the partners, max forward at the step is the best initial set-up.

Thanks for the feedback. Tuneup is per the tuning guide. I was trying to seal up the mast boot and notice the absence of wedges. I will sleep better knowing that it is intended and not something that was missed during mast removal/stepping.

I would not want you to think it was intended. It appears that some J30s do not have partners while others do. Mine was lacking but my sail makers suggusted it be a priority to 'fix the mast in place. My mast is not center in the opening but close. I used several pieces of battan material and wedged as appropriate. I'm now assured that there will be no motion at the deck level. I was told that lack of partners would allow the mast to move (even with rigging tight for heavy air.) Certainly has not hurt!

John Parkinson
Dream Catcher #405

Actually, some of the original boats had huge holes through the deck. I sailed hull #007 once out on Long Island. There was a large wooden partner which slipped around the mast.

We've got hull 3. There's about two inches of
clearence forward of the mast, about 1/2 inch aft. (the mast goes through a fairly big rectangular built up area in the deck.) Ours came with a decent pair of blocks, one a U shaped wedge which fills the space in front of the mast and a much smaller block which rides just behind the mast. As near as we can tell, this puts the mast where
we want it through the deck.

- David (J/30 003, 22604 "Youthful Indiscretion")