FR 28/30 CK mast step
Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2017 12:58 pm
Good evening all.
The mast steps on my 1980 FR 30 CK are essentially the same casting as the mast collar without the upper rim and with no holes drilled in the ears. That results in the masts sitting with a gap between the mast and the rim of the step. The literature I have seen shows the mast foot secured by two machine screws through the side of the casting at about 90 degrees to each other, tapped into the mast. This strikes me as being a pretty poor bit of engineering, confirmed by the scraping noise the mainmast makes every now and then when the boat is rolling downwind - the foot moves sideways. The mizzen hasn't moved ... yet - possibly because it needed repairs to the foot, so the mast wall is in much better condition to accept tapped holes. The mainmast let go of the screws soon after the boat went back into the water. There is, of course, more leverage on the main with its bigger sail and less length of mast between deck and step.
I'm curious to know what the mast step arrangement is on other 28/30 CKs.
Andy
The mast steps on my 1980 FR 30 CK are essentially the same casting as the mast collar without the upper rim and with no holes drilled in the ears. That results in the masts sitting with a gap between the mast and the rim of the step. The literature I have seen shows the mast foot secured by two machine screws through the side of the casting at about 90 degrees to each other, tapped into the mast. This strikes me as being a pretty poor bit of engineering, confirmed by the scraping noise the mainmast makes every now and then when the boat is rolling downwind - the foot moves sideways. The mizzen hasn't moved ... yet - possibly because it needed repairs to the foot, so the mast wall is in much better condition to accept tapped holes. The mainmast let go of the screws soon after the boat went back into the water. There is, of course, more leverage on the main with its bigger sail and less length of mast between deck and step.
I'm curious to know what the mast step arrangement is on other 28/30 CKs.
Andy