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Hi:
I just restepped the mast on TOPAZ (DE 38 1975) ofter surveying it and making needed repairs and some upgrades. Here is a list of the problems I rectified and the upgrades for anybody who may be considering and wants to discuss:
- removed and lubed sheaves at head of the mast
- removed and replaced tangs for upper shrouds - installed new compression tube for shrouds and new longer 1/2 inch bolt
- installed new toggels for back and headstay
- replaced upper shrouds, backstay and headstay (used 9/32 wire on backstay since pin size is the same)
- installed LED bulbs in anchor and masthead light
- put 3/16 inch alum. sister plates on upper and lower spreader tangs to address elongation of the bolt holes (I noticed this problem about 10 years ago when I replaced the wooden spreaders with alum. ones)
- large bolt holding the tangs for the lowers was frozen in place and I elected not to mess with it since it seems massive and I would probably damage the mast trying to extract it
- put a large alum. ground wire on the mast step and bonded it to the interior of the mast ussing alum. lightning wire - will transition to copper wire inside of boat and thence to a grouynd plate close to the base of compression post
- installed new sail track that slid over existing external track
- installed new roller furler
- replaced bob stay wire (found crack in lower swage and forks of aircraft fork that was wsed - replaced with marine eye with toggel (don't trust aircraft forks and eyes)
- painted mast with one part poly paint after wet sanding - used an acid etch on exposed alum. otherwise just pointed over the one part paint that I put on 10 years ago.
I am looking at my head sails plan now and am considering adding a 100% yankee - right now have a high cut 120 genny and a jib that looks to be ab out 75%
Should I add a100% yankee? Will it reliably tack between - all inputs appreciated.
Regards to all,
Carmine, SV TOPAZ DE 38
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I'll be tackling the mast job in the next few months so this good info. I'm sure my questions will really start once I unstep the mast, but thanks for chiming in with your project!
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I'm running a 107% high cut yankee on my DE32 and still have problems getting it through the slot. The little working jib that came with the boat always made it through, but I think it was somewhere around the 75%.
Nice job on the mast refit. Putting that LED tricolor/anchor light on the mast is still one of the best things I've ever done on Bodhran.
Jason
DE32 Bodhran
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Carmine,
did you take good photos while you did this? If so could you contribute some of them.. This is an area that I don't think we have much in the way of documentation or write ups on any of the DE boats on the website. Actually a article with photos would be awesome 🙂 hint hint… 🙂
scott
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any brand recommendations for the LED masthead & anchor lights?
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I went led on my last boat at the mast head. However all I did was find some drop in replacement bulbs for the old fixture. About 10 dollars per bulb for my perko fitting on my last boat. I haven't changed out valkyrs mast head lights yet though. I did do the bow light and stern light with replacement ledbulbs. about 7 dollars for the stern and I had to get a speciality bulb for the bow at about 24 dollars. However everyones fixtures are different so you kinda have to dig in and do your research. You have to know what bulb it takes and then go somewhere like http://superbrightleds.com or http://superlumination.com etc.. and see if they have a matching bulb. They are very cheap. I purchased the stern light bulbs from them and all my interior LED replacement bulbs for the stock fixtures on valkyr. We love them They are brighter than the stock filament bulbs and just sip power.
When I replaced the perko bulbs on my Beneteau with the little 10 dollar bayonet bulbs from superbrightleds.com I wondered how bright they were on the water and had a friend that sailed his boat near us one evening say he could see the mast head light out to about 4 miles or so. I think each bulb had 8 or 10 leds in it 4 or 5 facing one way and 4 or 5 facing the other direction. There were two bulbs in the fixture one facing forward and one facing aft with a so so reflector between the two of them.
If I had the money to blow I would want totally sealed waterproof LED marine navigation fixtures 🙂 However at 10 to 20 bucks a pop for replacement bulbs I can afford to buy around 15 to 30 of them per fixture and still be in the price range of buying one of the nice dedicated units. the ones on my beneteau have lasted at least 4 or 5 years so far.. Though I haven't tested them in a couple years 🙂 boat is in front yard on trailer. The spent a solid 3 years in use on the ocean and did fine though.
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