I am preparing to replace my compressed mast step...

[Pterobyte]

I hope you are running your beams into the bunks and up the hull. Tie the mast step beams into the bulkheads. There is a serious flex point between bulkheads and mast step. The beam of destiny will help you out a lot!

[admin]

I could be wrong but I believe the phrase "beam of destiny" was coined by people who sail those 30 foot George Olson boats. But it seems like an apt choice of words and a valuable upgrade to an E 32-2...in fact, possibly more so on the Evelyn!

[rocklobster]

Step 1 went well. I agree with Russ that somebody may have engineered the mast step, but they seemed to encourage creativity as well. In my case I think they were building the mast step right before lunch or before quitting time. On the downside pict #3 show that there is not much inside the mast step. An extra 3-4 lbs of material here probably would have been worth the weight. On the upside, only the top deck is rotton. The vertical plywood and the rest of the mast step is completely dry. The drain must work. Considering this boat is 26 years old, I am very impressed!

So the fix will be:
1. remove balance of rotton deck with recip saw.
2. build a box (similar to Russ's drawing) in three pieces:
two outside pieces to tuck under the remaining glass, plus
one center piece to put in place once the two outer pieces are in place.
3. inject resin between the new box and the existing glass to fill space and create bond.
(Any suggestions here would be appreciated!)
I will use Purple Heart to minimize rot. I will then build up and glass to exising fiberglass. I may add another 1" to the front of mast step, as my boast points better with the mast racked back.

Images below are:

1. Mast step still intact with mast resting on temporary support 18" above mast step. lSupport also served as collar to keep mast vertical during lift. Used spinnaker pole and a saw horse on deck to easily lift mast.

Mast Step Still Intact

2. Inside mast step with top turned upside-down and placed in front.

Inside Mast Step

3. Inside mast step with rotton deck removed.

Inside Mast Step with rotton deck removed.

[admin]

Drawing of the forward brace dimensions courtesy Russ Horn/"Jammin"
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Russ says:

"I attached a template so others can use. The curve along the bottom is fairly gentle but if you need a mid point I can provide. I saw a few questions on the forum. None of these Plywood supports ran past the inner side of the hull liner. Everything stops there. I think they glassed in the lower bulkhead brace then lowered the liner into place then glassed it to the hull. Once in place they glassed the liner to the bulkhead. The glass work look like it was hard to lay up. You know bubbles and air pockets.
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[Pterobyte]

Drawing of the forward brace dimensions courtesy Russ Horn/"Jammin"
-----------------------------------
Russ says:

"I attached a template so others can use. The curve along the bottom is fairly gentle but if you need a mid point I can provide. I saw a few questions on the forum. None of these Plywood supports ran past the inner side of the hull liner. Everything stops there.
------------------------------------

do yourself a big favor: run these through the bunks and up the hull!


Also most owners have added these into the keel sump. There should be at least three keel sump ribs. These boats flex way too much, especially with inboards.

[Jammin32204]

Just Joined the group. This will be my first post.

Just saw the pictures posted by RockLobster's keel step. The only simularities appears to be the crack that developed. Mine occured in the same spot. Per the drawing I posted my step had 3 seperate 3/4" vertical plywood supports (Center and on either end). Compared to Rocklobster they only have all three at the center and nothing at each end?? Seems at this point to be a variation. I wounder who was a Monday build or the Friday build?

The brace I posted is for dropping in a new brace the down and dirty way if you elect not to do a major job. I cut and fitted the back brace that spans between the two outside bulkheads. This brace will be bolted and glassed into place to the current bulkhead which seems to be dry. As I noted in a previous email that I wanted to stiffen the bottom and spanning all the way across.
The big question is fitting this all the way accross. You can cut the bunk and drop into place, which will weaken the for and aft loading or cut a slot on one side and slide the brace in from the side. This limits the span and how much surface area you have to bolt to the bulkheads. I chose to cut a slot and slide into place. More pictures to come.

Russ
Jammin

[Pterobyte]

These boats had two builders and evolved or changed as they were built. Starting with hull #8, C&C built them. Mine, Formula Yachts hull #1, has an aluminum frame just under the mast step and between two ribs. Between the ribs is open. The mast base is welded on to this aluminum frame. The Frame is where the two wire stiffeners are attached to the bulkhead. This is the 'jock strap'' and isolates, to some extent, the load from the ribs and the bottom of the boat. This makes for a very stiff boat.

I believe the first hulls were done this way. You can tell in interior pictures, starting with the C&C boats, that the stiffening wire attaches to a reinforced point on the bunk wall and not the mast jock strap.

Also note that the bulkheads are tied into the ribs. I did the extension of the bulkheads to tie into the ribs. Originally the bulkheads stopped well short of the ribs. It also looks like the ribs, starting with C&C boats, stopped outside the bunks. This may exasperate the flex of the boat as well. Although the C&C boats have a much more substantial bunk construction.

These are my observations. Please contribute to this if you have anything to add or change.

NOT TO SCALE

[Motorboat!!]

Jim I don't know where you get all this information, but I love hearing about it. I have Formula hull #4, and it appears to be built the same as yours. I am just praying that I don't have to replace this any time soon, I can't take on any more projects!

[Pterobyte]

Jim I don't know where you get all this information,

I just make it up as I go along...

[rocklobster]

More images of my mast step replacement are attached...

[rocklobster]

More images of my mast step replacement...

[rocklobster]

More mast step images...

[rocklobster]

Final Steps:

Practicing with color matching pigments

Practicing with color matching pigments as I build up layers...

Getting closer with color

Getting closer with color

Bingo... just like Bob designed it.

Bingo, just like Bob designed it!

Key lessons learned during project:
Keep scraps to use as templates on replacement pieces
Patience pays when working with color

[Pterobyte]

This winter my keel box re enforcement finally got on the list for getting some TLC. So took this opportunity to take some pics and thought I'd share them here. This box has been fabricated out of 1/4" plate aluminum and provides support for mast and basically isolates the down force from the main stringers.

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