Just A Couple Of Questions

[seaescape]

Where to start?

1. Mast Steps, Ive seen these on a number of yachts, on my boat I've got 4 at the bottom of the mast (fold up type), others I've seen go right to the top. So my question is can you just start drilling holes in your mast to attach these or does it need to be done with some engineering design.

2. UV sacrificial replacement. I have just got mine replaced on my Genoa. I was wondering is it right that they cut the sail down by 400mm (16 inches) on the foot and leech (I think thats right) of the sail then sewn new UV material to the sail redoing the edge and eye.

3. I am looking at living on my boat in a marina. My boat is Aluminium. Do I need to worry about other boats Antifoul causing me problems?. I ask this because I had to use special antifoul for my boat.

4. Do you need to have water tight bulkheads in a cruising boat?

Regards

Kevin

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by seaescape

Where to start?

1. Mast Steps, Ive seen these on a number of yachts, on my boat I've got 4 at the bottom of the mast (fold up type), others I've seen go right to the top. So my question is can you just start drilling holes in your mast to attach these or does it need to be done with some engineering design.

Go back to May 1st 2007 topic :- Mast Steps, Worth installing?

2. UV sacrificial replacement. I have just got mine replaced on my Genoa. I was wondering is it right that they cut the sail down by 400mm (16 inches) on the foot and leech (I think thats right) of the sail then sewn new UV material to the sail redoing the edge and eye.

Hard to understand why the sailmaker has to reduce the size of the sail - what reason do they give?

3. I am looking at living on my boat in a marina. My boat is Aluminium. Do I need to worry about other boats Antifoul causing me problems?. I ask this because I had to use special antifoul for my boat.

You need to be concerned about electrolysis in a marina ! There are ways to protect your hull electronically - need more information from you.

4. Do you need to have water tight bulkheads in a cruising boat?

No , you do not - but, it would be nice to have a watertight bulkhead at the station just foreward of the saloon. Which could provide sufficient flotation to keep the yacht afloat when it is holed aft of the saloon.



Regards

Kevin

[JeanneP]

Re: the UV strip on your headsail. We have had many done over the years, and the sailmaker NEVER removed any sailcloth. The UV cover was always sewn OVER the sail foot and leech. Unless your sailmaker has identified some damage due to UV degradation, I hope you misunderstood the sailmaker; otherwise, find another one.

The link to the discussion of mast steps is: http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/ind...showtopic=3614

Although it's not a complete answer, I address a little bit of electrolysis in my Cruiser's Dictionary - here's the link to the relevant section: http://www.cruiser.co.za/faq2.asp then just scroll down to electrolysis.

I'm a bit curious about the source of your thoughts about a watertight bulkhead. "Sinkproofing" a boat is an issue that I don't recall being discussed on this forum, and might be worth its own thread. ??

[seaescape]

Thanks for your input.

Mast steps - I've read the forum post 21st May 2007 and thats all good but it doesn't tell me if I can just start drilling holes anywhere in my mast to afix the steps.

Uv replacement - In the sailmakers opinion this was the cheapest way to do it (instead of unpicking all the uv stitching). I didn't know that he had done it this way until my son put it back on the boat and found it was shortened. I suppose whats done is done but he won't be getting any referals from me it appears.

Yeah I understand electrolysis to a point, (the point that it's no good for my boat), but what do I need to do to stop other peoples antifoul or stray electicity putting holes in my boat.

Water Tight Bulkheads - Came from me reading different fit out stories for cruising boats and then the other day reading Billibong Blog that KT talks about their forward hatch leaking and flooding the forward compartment destroying their watermaker.

Hope this sheds some more light on things.

Regards

Kevin

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by seaescape

Thanks for your input.

Mast steps - I've read the forum post 21st May 2007 and thats all good but it doesn't tell me if I can just start drilling holes anywhere in my mast to afix the steps.

On the understanding that you wish add more steps on the starboard and port side of the mast - points to remember :-

#1 The concave profile of the step must match the convex profile of the mast.

#2 Monel Rivets if obtainable are the best method of fixing the steps to the mast.

#3 The Rivet's diameter must have a close fit to the steps existing holes

#4 Each step is then placed on an appropriate position on the mast - making sure that steps that are near shrouds and other stays allow sufficient space for climbing feet so that they don't get trapped between.

#5 Once placement is satisfactory, steps are clamped in position , then receiver holes are drilled into the mast using the steps holes as templates - Then rivets are compressed and tightened.

Note : if Monel rivets are not available , then the options are :- 1. good quality

aluminium rivets of a larger diameter than that required for monel rivets (which will mean enlarging the steps mounting holes) 2. or stainless machine screws -- which will mean applying a goop to stop galvanic action between the stainless and the aluminium.

Originally Posted by seaescape

Uv replacement - In the sailmakers opinion this was the cheapest way to do it (instead of unpicking all the uv stitching). I didn't know that he had done it this way until my son put it back on the boat and found it was shortened. I suppose whats done is done but he won't be getting any referals from me it appears.

If I were you (but I'm not of course) I would take the sail back to the sailmaker and ask him to provide a solution.

Yeah I understand electrolysis to a point, (the point that it's no good for my boat), but what do I need to do to stop other peoples antifoul or stray electicity putting holes in my boat.

I will get the info on the capacitor to use and bring it back here.

In the mean time, if the boat is in the water in a marina hang some big zinc anodes alongside

your hull - check them often for corrosion.

Kevin

[JeanneP]

More comments and thoughts.

Sailmaker is a crook, and you should insist that he fix what he broke. If he felt he didn't want to charge you for picking off the old UV strip, he should have told you and you could have done it. It's a really easy job with a seam ripper, and his excuse is bogus and just the sign of a substandard sailmaker. I assume you paid him. We encountered such a poor sailmaker, and it takes a long time to get the bad taste out of one's mouth after such an experience.

Mast steps. Whatever you use to attach them to your aluminum mast, be sure to paint them, or the aluminum where it comes in contact with the rivet, with an isolating paint. Monel is only slightly less corrosive against aluminum than stainless steel, so you will have galvanic corrosion if you don't isolate the two metals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_series

Richard will provide you with better information regarding electrolysis, but I believe that you should have, or should install, a bonding system for your boat. Also, as Richard suggests, hang some sacrificial zincs (most marinas sell them as chunks of zinc cast in the shape of a fish) in the water, connected to the raw aluminum of your hull.

Do you have a reverse polarity detector for your electrical system when attached to shore power? We had a friend who stayed tied to the dock in American Samoa for two years with no clue that the power on the dock was wired wrong. The reverse polarity rotted out his engine oil pan, and his propellor fell off! OMG!

[seaescape]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Too late to do anything about the sail as it was done last October and I live 1600 klms away so it makes it hard to do anything. I've now got another problem, I arranged to have my dodger re-made (by a different guy) and my son says its loose around the frame. He sent me some pictures and I find instead of sewing it on, the guys drilled holes in the frame and used press studs.

I think I'll get an electrician to check the polarity (thanks JeanneP) and throw some zinc over the side when I get her to the marina(Thanks Richard)

Thanks

Kevin