RS600: separating seized mast
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11616
Printed Date: 13 Jul 25 at 5:42pm
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Topic: RS600: separating seized mast
Posted By: dohertpk
Subject: RS600: separating seized mast
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 7:15pm
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Hi all, Has anyone any experience with separating an RS600 mast? The previous owner didn't use the reefing system at all so I think it's been ages since it's been separated. Is this a lost cause? Would like to be able to sail in more wind... Cheers, Peter
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Replies:
Posted By: simsy
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 8:05pm
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I may be thinking of a different story but I think I remember somebody telling me they used their car tethered to one end of the mast and the mast attached to a suitable fixed object, to separate. I won't be held responsible for being wrong though.
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Posted By: dohertpk
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 8:19pm
| Crikey. That sounds like a recipe for an exploding few feet of carbon and/or a shattered rear window. There has to be a less risky way, no? |
Posted By: dohertpk
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 9:19pm
| Also, I don't a car. Is there any alternative method? |
Posted By: Rob.e
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 9:25pm
| Go on the RS 600 yahoo group, there will be loads of people who have done it: there is all sorts of advice including using heat and ice. personally I have separated a number of RS100 masts and I just alternated water from a hose from each end of the mast, with WD40 and bending the mast at the joint while you do it. When we came back from the 100 nationals at Parkstone we brought back a 100 mast from the IOM that 6 people had tried to pull apart by force, and me and the Saturday girl separated it over the course of the morning by just gently keeping on at it as above- we didn't get frustrated or annoyed, we didn't butcher it and we didn't give up, in the end it came apart quite easily! It is only microscopic bits of sand and mud jamming it usually so just persevere. |
Posted By: dohertpk
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 9:40pm
| Thanks for that Rob - having trouble accessing the RS 600 yahoo group. Flushing it out is a good idea, although I've read elsewhere that WD40 is bad for carbon (correct me if I'm wrong!). I just need to separate the mast for reefing. Is there any reason I can't simply zip up the sail and use it on the full length mast? I know I'd have a big gap between the boom and the sail, but is there any reason it wouldn't be sailable? |
Posted By: 2547
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 11:17pm
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Trouble with the old 600 masts RS in their wisdom used an alloy stump and there is a reaction between carbon and ally and the stumps fused to the masts making separation very difficult. These days they have learnt and the stumps are carbon. Separation is a mix of hot and cold water lube and pulling and flexing. Good luck. |
Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 8:45am
That was only the elliptical shaped angel masts with the aluminium sleeve - all the superspars ones had a carbon sleeve. If its an angel mast then leave it. For the superspars mast then use the holes in the mast for the boom bolt and rope through there and the halyard at the other end - couple of ratchet straps to something very immovable and gently tap the side of the section with a piece of wood and it should come apart slowly. Once apart clean all the grit out - give the mast a good flush and i always used Vaseline on the joint and took it apart every few months even though i didn't reef it in 3 years.
------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: MattK
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 11:03am
 Concrete Block  Forklift  Drive the forklift away from the concrete block 
Success
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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 11:36am
| I seem to recognise some of those people... |
Posted By: MattK
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 11:41am
They are not RS600 sailors for sure, those are from back in 2007, the mast in the photos ended up on comfortably numb if i recall correctly
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Posted By: chrisg
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 12:34pm
Me too. Same uni course as one of them. Hi Gavin if you see this. ------------- |
Posted By: simsy
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 8:36pm
| I don't think I was too far off then! |