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

[rocklobster]

I am preparing to replace my compressed mast step. Can anybody tell me what is inside the glass cover? Any suggestions regarding the rebuild? Thanks,

Doug

[Pterobyte]

I would think it is wood. My beams are wood. I have drilled into them to check for moisture. They were dry thank goodness. But I have an aluminum frame that does all the support set between the beams. Do you not have that?

[rocklobster]

I have an aluminim mast step with a strap that runs along the top of the beam. Other than that I don't see any alumimum. It will be interesting to cut it open and learn what is inside. Wood is a good guess.

[Pterobyte]

How is this project going? Did you get into this winter? What did you find?

[admin]

Russ Horn is doing this now down in Fla. He sent me some pix, I'll post them. He was going to do a drawing...what he found was pretty incredible...I dont think he'd mind if I clipped in his narrative:

from Russ:
-----
I soon will send you
pictures of what is under the fiberglass mast step. While beating on the
way home to Ft. Lauderdale we came off of a huge wave and the step
cracked. This force us to return to Key West and trailer the boat home.
Boat is on the trailer while I repair. This weekend I just finished
pulling out all of the rotten plywood. Many other Evelyn 32 owners will
need to know if you drill into the top and get dry wood it can be
deceiving. I did so and got dry wood, however, if The top layer is 3/4"
plywood, fiberglass, 3/4"plywood then three main Plywood vertical
supports that will pull moisture from the bilge. I made a diagram for
the others. I think with the diagram others may be able to drill long
hole and fill with Git rot.
------

I put the picture up too, once things calm down a bit here in the orifice.

[admin]

More from Russ and his project re: the mast step
--------------
I also have some
measurements and ideas for those who may elect to drill some deep holes
and fill git rot.

Here is one shot. I will see if I can get one with the flash off which
should give better detail. There was three vertical supports of 3/4"
plywood. One against the rear, the front and the third a few inches
from the rear. Not sure why not in the middle. The front and center
support was so bad that nothing came out in larger than 2 inch chunks.
Mostly rot.

When they lowered the interior insert they placed strand of resin and a
long hair like strand. It runs from one side to the next. Smells when
you cut so I hope is not asbestos. You can see it the middle. They also
placed under the front and back part. There was a bad fit and hole into
the sump allowed water up into the bottom of the mast step from under
the step.

Note the black stuff under the forward support where the vertical member
was. This is the Carbon fiber they noted on the brochure. It is
actually there. Not much of it but it is there.
---------------
picture coming --tf

[admin]

Pic of Russ'es mast step repair on Jammin' thus far....
-------------

[admin]

More from Russ and I just remembered I never wrote him back after this, sorry Russ!
----------
Yeah, so far 4 carbide dremmel cutting wheels. It was surprised how
much stuff was under that beam. It was a maze of glass and plywood. It
seemed to be no pattern. I am not sure if the others are built the same
but I will supply the drawing. It looked as if they had a plan but it
was optional..
They could have done something different like enclosing the bottom and
it would have most likely been still good. Like I said the deception is
if you drill you will most only get the top horizontal layer and think
everything is alright. That is what I did.

I was thinking of using Oak 2X6 lumber. G10 is so expensive. Two
trusses. One in the front and the other in the back. Sandwich the oak
beams between a fiberglass. I'll set the beams down on Kevlar tape. Then
tape on the top. The rear beam will actually bolt onto the bulk heads.
The mast will sit on an aluminum plate between the two beams. I will
then have Aluminum support tubes up to the chain plates from the bottom
of the mast base. I will then put back the Beam of destiny and
everything should be very stiff. Maybe now the head stay will not sag
as much.
_______
Bottom line is you may want to be a little aggressive with those diagnostic pilot holes!!!!

[Pterobyte]

More from Russ and I just remembered I never wrote him back after this, sorry Russ!
----------
I was thinking of using Oak 2X6 lumber. G10 is so expensive. Two
trusses. One in the front and the other in the back. Sandwich the oak
beams between a fiberglass. I'll set the beams down on Kevlar tape. Then
tape on the top. The rear beam will actually bolt onto the bulk heads.
The mast will sit on an aluminum plate between the two beams. I will
then have Aluminum support tubes up to the chain plates from the bottom
of the mast base. I will then put back the Beam of destiny and
everything should be very stiff. Maybe now the head stay will not sag
as much.
_______
Bottom line is you may want to be a little aggressive with those diagnostic pilot holes!!!!

I can't tell from the pix. Do your step beams run into the bunk or stop a the bunk face?

[admin]

Here are detail shots from the original...hard to tell, but my money is on not penetrating the bunk wall

[rocklobster]

By coincidence I will be cutting open the mast step this weekend. I am doing the work on the water. So, this last weekend I built a temporary collar/support to secure the mast step in place 18" above the mast step. The mast raising went well, so now I will cut open the mast step. Thank you SO MUCH for the pictures. I had assummed there was a solid block of wood inside, and my approach was going to be to cut a square block section out of the existing step with a reciprical saw and the replace with a block of Purple Heart. Given your pictures, I will substitue a dremel for the reciprical saw and perform surgery instead of demolishion. I will post some images for comparison.

[rocklobster]

One more note... I am having "tangs" added to each side of the aluminum mast step so I can run cables directly from the mast step to the chainplates (ala Olson 30 Jock Strap). This will allow me to tension the shrouds without compressing the mast into the keel (of course the back stay and headstay will still apply this force).

Additionally I will replace one bolt on each chainplate with an eye bolt. This will allow be to insert a beam of destiny when racing with full rig tension, and remove it when overnighting.

[admin]

Russ sent me the drawing and pix yesterday, so here they are. I tweaked the drawing (nice drawing, Russ!) so that it might be a little easier to read on the web. More pix and Russ'es narrative, to follow:

[admin]

Russ'es explanation of the drawing and pix
--------
See the attached cross sectional diagram on how my step was made. Maybe
Rock Lobster can confirm.
This past weekend I cut out the final items. Everything is open and
ready for glassing. Note I cut out the fiberglass cord that they laid
on the bottom of the boat prior to lowering the insert. It is hard to
describe what is actually is but basically it's a single glob of single
strain of unidirectional glass. Like a three foot section of glass
fibers dipped in resin and laid on the floor. Picture 0013 shows a
large section out. Much of this stuff was not wet all the way. Lots of
it dry see Picture 0019. I remove this stuff as to not have any hard
spots on the bottom when the new supports go in.
Ever wonder what is under the Liner insert tabbing. You know the raised
section of the insert attached to the bottom of the boat. Chopped glass
and resin see picture the stuff closest in Picture 0019. This stuff was
water logged and rotten. Also another note on the chopped glass. I
found this stuff on the floor around the rear keel sump. It was over 1
inch think. At first I thought it was added after a hard grounding but
now I think it may have been placed there by the builder to stiffen the
aft section of the keel. I cut that all out and laid down Kevlar.

Thanks for the note below per Oak. Indeed I was planning on using white
oak but did not think about epoxy sticking to it. Most of the Beam will
be covered with Glass but hate to have the tabbings delaminate. I am
hoping to not only support the mast base but span the bulk heads and
limit the twisting. I guess that the step would see around 8000 lbs in
an extreme state.
Sounds like I should heat the lumber to dry out and then use a very thin
slow set penetrating epoxy coating prior to any glass work? Sound good
or do you have any suggestions on another lumber type?
------------
Huge thanks to Russ, I figure a lot of owners will find this info helpful, not to mention the heads-up to check this area thoroughly. ANy of you boatbuilders (PRoss?) want to chime in with a suitable substrate besides oak, please do!

[admin]

Pix from Russ.