• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

36C Mast step

Jon Libby

Member II
Has anybody replaced the Mast step on the 36C, or others if the same. We have a steel I beam that the mast sets on, about 6 inch tall that must be set on top of the keel and then glassed in. Why did they use steel, was the mast rig too short by 6 inches,...

Thanks in advance

Jon Libby :egrin:
 

Emerald

Moderator
Well, I don't have any direct experience, but is the steel piece the mast is sitting on rotting? I'd say cut it out and glass in a new piece of stainless perhaps. No idea why they would have done this though versus just having a slightly longer mast from the start.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I do not know if this applies to Ericson's, but it is best practice to always have the keel stepped several inches (well above) the bilge area where it would get wet with bilge water and majorly corrode the aluminum.

It is possible that the steel piece was, long ago, galvanized. (?)
I would replace it with something inert like some laminated G10 in a block. Or, build up a raised "box" with about 1" thick sides. That is about the thickness of the sides and top of the hat stringer that our mast is stepped on.
 

Jon Libby

Member II
Been away for a while,..good to see some familiar names to my aide.
Sure don't put the aluminium mast in the bilge, lets use steel, LOL. The bilge with the deep sump is rarely wet. Who knows why. Anyway I was thinking of building something up from the keel too, what is the other material you talked about G10? I'll look into that. Also worried about getting the base in the exact location fore\aft, port\starboard. 1/8 inch at the base has got to be inches at the top? Or is my worry department working overtime?
 

Jon Libby

Member II
I just found out it's not going to be G10 stuff, to build up a 6 inch piece is going to be a grand,...I like the Stainless Steel or Aluminum custom so far.
 

Nick J

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Blogs Author
IMAG1154.jpg


Sounds like the 36 is keel steped and probably has access from the top so this may not apply. The 25+ is deck stepped and supported by a wood compression post that sits on the cabin sole which is supported by a glassed in wood block. Of course the wood rotted over the last 35+years which left me with a mess. I had to remove the block and replace it with some kind of a support without access from the top. My solutuon was to have a ss jack screw fabbed up that bolts to the compression post through the cabin sole and sits on a bed of epoxy directly on top of the Keel. The screw allowed me to easily install it, then tighten the screw to lift the compression post in to place. So far so good and it's removable if rust becomes an issue.
 

Jon Libby

Member II
Nice clean install,...

I have knowledge of a 2nd 36c that is struggling with what to do with this iron I beam. He may be doing his before I do ours. Scheduled to be in the work yard by October.
 

Emerald

Moderator
I like Loren's G10 idea, and that stainless screw jack is also nicely done. I wouldn't worry too much about aligment. I think as long as you rebuild it in the same place and it has some surface area to it, you will be fine. I've seen slight offsets on masts and compression posts before (think the E31 is slightly offset actually), and it all seems to work.
 

Brass Dragon

Member II
36C Mast Step Replacement

Ahoy s/v Kasidah,
I am also staring at a rusted out mast step on my 36C. Mine is not yet in as bad shape as yours according to pics on your blogsite. I have fabricated a new step but am hesitant to proceed with trying to rip out the existing weldment from the hull. Can you please tell me if it is only bolted down or did you have to chip it out? How did you re-establish orientation of the step surface to the mast? Any encouragement would be helpful.

Dave Gane
s/v Brass Dragon #28
 
Top