MAST REPAIR PROCESS F39PHS?

[ketch22]

Hello Riki,

I think you'll find that the reason there has been so much interest in this thread is because it is so unusual for a Freedom mast to break or break free and "hole" the hull.

To decrease the odds of such an occurrence, Ketch 22 has twin running backstays to relieve the stress on the mizzen when I fly a staysail, and she also has two stainless steel "L" brackets at the base of each mast, to prevent the mast from moving, either rotationally or vertically. I also drop the staysail when the winds exceed 20 knots.

Have my "mast failure" prevention techniques worked? I'll leave that to your judgment, but Ketch 22 sailed round trip to Hawaii from San Francisco in 2004 and just recently returned from a 9 year voyage from San Francisco to Charleston SC and back (through the Canal).

Mast failure is an issue regardless of what style rig you own because of the potentially catastrophic results. Stainless steel rigging deteriorates and should be replaced every 10 years, or as needed if you sail offshore. Freedoms have an excellent record with regard to failures of any sort. They are well built boats.

Tom
Ketch 22
F39 Express

[Mike Holibar]

Gosh, I wish I had seen these last posts sooner. Three or four years ago I had a problem with the foremast moving around the top hat base. This was the first time I had attempted to remove one of these masts. We undid the collar, attached the crane and lifted. Up came the mast with the boat still attached, 2 - 3 feet out of the water. They have a taper lock system with a tapered circular wedge that locks in very tightly even when the bolts are removed. We had to use a hydraulic jack to push the wedge out before we could move the mast. IMO there is no danger of one of these masts just popping out.. On top of the wedge of course are the wto halyards, and the reefing lines all running through blocks at the base of the mast. With sales set and reefed, there would be an extra tonne or more of downward pressure helping to keep them in place.

My mishap was just bad seamanship. It takes some serious stupidity to damage one of these masts.

Mine is now back in one piece by the way, and we will be launching soon to resume the cruise. I did a lot of other refit work, and travelling in SE Asia in the meantime.