Mast Step Replacement

[SV THIRD DAY]

Metalmast Marine replacement mast step

Several Pearson models were designed with the mast stepped on a steel plate in the bilge (10M, 365, 323). Water in the bilge completes a galvanic cell and causes corrosion in the bottom of the aluminum mast. One solution to this problem is the replacement of the steel step with an aluminum one. Metalmast Marine can fabricate a new step as a bolt-in replacement that raises the mast out of the bilge water. You cut off the bottom portion of the mast (how ever much you think you need to) and send the cut-off portion and the OEM mast step to them. They fabricate the new step with a riser to put the mast at the right height with the removed portion. Cost is in the $400 range.



Contact Metalmast Marine:
Metalmast Marine
55 Providence Street
PO Box 471
Putnam CT 06260
Phone 860-928-2776
Fax 860-928-7312
http://sailingsource.com/metalmast/

[Randy]

Rich,
I too will have to replace the mast step. How did you cut off the mast to get an even cut?
Randy

[SV THIRD DAY]

Rich,
I too will have to replace the mast step. How did you cut off the mast to get an even cut?
Randy

Simple...I paid to have someone else do it...ha ha ha

I had the boat yard cut off the bottom 2" of my mast and they used one of those portable band saws and locked the mast tight in a portable vice.  I then had the yard fabricate me a new step.  My problem was that if I ordered one from Metal Mast, and something was "wrong" and it didn't fit just right, as we were putting the mast back on THIRD DAY, the yard would have just turned to me and asked "well...what are you going to do about this".  But by having them make the new step they had to take ownership of the whole task.  I paid a bit more, but I was too busy to worry about it at the time...so I paid to lesson that worry and it did turn out great!

[p424owner]

My replacement step from MetalMarine is here! Here are the photos for those who are curious:

[skier842]

Rich,

I have been considering changing out my mast step for some time. I will be back aboard in October and want to have it ready to sail, however I called a company to see how long it would take to have one made but they want the mast style number etc, etc, which I don't have. Giving them the the Year (1976) Pearson 365, Ketch didn't help. Is there a standard mast step for the 365 ketch? or, do you know of the model step you put on your boat. Any information will help

George

[PeteW]

My mast step is but a memory. My idea is to use a homemade wooden clamp to attach to the mast and use screw jacks to lift the mast just enough to get the old step out. I will have to loosen the rigging of course to do this.  Then I'll have to saw it off insitu.  Has anyone ever done it this way or am I dreaming. 

Pete W.  Pears 365 ketch hull # 6.

[POG]

Pete,

I think you are dreaming.  It must be infinitely easier to work on the mast as well as the mast step with the mast out of the boat though it will take $$$ to do it.

My second aluminum mast step by Metalmast is on its way to mast step heaven.  We Californians, who don't have to pull our masts each year have more corrosion problems than the crowd with horrible winters.  The bottom of the mast ends up in a constant puddle during our winter rains.

When it comes time to put in a third mast step I believe that i will build up a raised fiberglas base which will bring the new step about 6" or so above the present bilge location and shorten the mast accordingly.

That should be a vast improvement.

Carl
POG Hull 118 

[Henri Hali]

Carl
I replaced my mast step this spring. (Make that early summer!) I finally got in the water July 20.
I had the mast pulled last fall. Since the price for the privilege was $1,0000, I decided to do a number of other things while it was out. I see no way out but to bite the bullet if you need to work on the base.
Removed all the (original) crap inside consisting of dried out foam tubing and God knows what else!
Then tried with limited success to install a conduit for the wiring. Ended up making a harness and dumping the conduit.

I cut about an inch off the base of the mast using a hacksaw. This was not at all difficult. I etched a line using a scribe and slowly sawed the end piece off. It was perfect.

I then decided to change my halyards to have them running internally. I cut opening slots and bought Ronstan stainless exit plates to make it pretty. Hey, nothing's to good for my boat!)

I also replaced my original roller furling with a used larger one. That required me to remove the bow rail and reposition it. Are we having fun yet?
Bottom line, I'm pleased with the results, but it was expensive and a lot of work.

Quick question, how long did your mast step last? Mine was machined out of solid aluminum and is about 3 inches thick. I want the pleasure of replacing it again to go to my grandchildren!

I like the idea of building up a fiberglass platform. If I had thought of it, I'd have done that.


Henri

[POG]

Henri,

Congratulations on your mast improvements!  Thanks for the advice on how to cut the foot of the mast.  Your machined mast step is a lot heftier than the one from Metalmast that a previous owner replaced the original with on my boat.  It should last you a long, long time.

On my boat I found a sales pamphlet from Metalmast and there might actually be some kind of receipt showing when it was installed.  However, I don't have access to this at the moment.  I am writing from the attic of an old Swedish farm with ice cold rain thundering on the roof above my head, as it has been doing for the last week or so. 

My educated guess, knowing something about the two immediately preceding owners, is that the step now in place is about ten years old.  It is puckered with corrosion  and I worry that the crossing ridges on the step inside the mast holding it in place are getting eaten away.  A loose mast is a great ramrod if you want to punch a hole in the bottom of your boat and sink it quickly in a seaway.

Carl
POG Hull 118

[PeteW]

Carl's point about the loose ramrod is something I would not like to experience and Henri's mast step machined from solid aluminum (3" thick) seems superior to a welded up piece from Metalmast. Plus I too have water collecting around the base of my mast. Seems to have something to do with running the shower. The mast boot too. Hence my old steel step looks like a rust colored mushroom. So I'm trying to combine all this input into one big happy solution.

I have about an 3/4" of water that collects forward of the mast and not so much aft. Raising these low spots with glass mat and resin seems like to only way to get things to run toward the bilge. Naturally this solution may be for naught once the bow tank gets filled. Also a glassed up gutter may help divert what ever is leaking from the shower.

So I am going to attempt to make an Autocad Drawing that can be sent to any NC equipped shop (unless one already exists). Some of the features I will include in this design will include the following:  1. Mast will fit into a machined pocket, ( Beacause I can measure the OD and know nothing about the ID) this pocket must have weep holes so water can exit. 2. The step will bolt to the floor. My old step has some SS bolt heads for this purpose I assume. Glassing up this floor area will keep the step out of water and will to create a fresh flat surface for the step. 3 There should be some tapped holes in the step for  brackets to attach the mast to the step so it can never pop out.  This will also short out any galvanic action by making a solid electrical connection between the 2 parts. There should be a stud for bonding.

This may take a month or so to complete and  post. But any input from the the forum will be very usefull.   
Pete

[slokat]

Since the mast is stepped on top the ballast, kinda hard to ram it's way anywhere. I have a pristine step that is bonded to every other piece of metal in my hull & doesn't sit in bilge water.  My concern is the rain that works it's way into the mast. But I have no rot, corrosion, etc. on the mast, or step.

[Henri Hali]

Slokat:

I'd love to see a photo of your mast step area. I can't imagine the bilge being dry at all times.
Whenever I have to clean my knot meter paddle wheel I get a minimum of a gallon of Long Island Sound water pouring over my bilge. Then there's the rainwater coming in thru the mast.
If I can ever figure out how to post photos on our site I'll send in the before and after shots.

Let us know okay?

Henri

[POG]

Slokat,

I agree that the mast would have a lot of lead to pound through in a Pearson 365.  I was thinking in more general terms than just this particular design.  I actually was told about the the bottom inches of a mast compressing from corrosion in an Islander 36.  As the rigging went slack the mast jumped about and pounded a hole in the hull.  Whichever way you look at it a loose mast is no fun, P 365 or not. 

Consider yourself lucky that you have such a pristine step and foot of your mast.  On my boat the mast step sits slightly lower than the hull around it and always ends up in a puddle when it rains.  This is why I want to build up under my next and third mast step.

Carl

[PeteW]

This is probably not what I would consider a pristine mast step. This one is made out of soft iron. I looks worse than rusted. To me it appears to have been sacrificial. Perhaps because it was connected to the bonding system? Aluminum and steel are pretty close in galvanic potential. Maybe 100 mvolts apart. Yet way more Anodic than Bronze. There does not seem to be much aluminum corrosion, only the soft iron.





I almost appears that the iron protected the aluminum. Does anyone know if this step is an original Pearson design?

[Henri Hali]

Gorden,

I can't speak to what's under the maststep, When I installed my new Aluminum step I tried to find stainless lag bolts but was not successful. I settled for longer galvanized bolts and used stainless steel washers to isolate them from the step.
I only removed about 3/4 to 1 inch off the mast. The buildup of 6 to 8 inches sounds like a lot to me.
Only time will tell if I made a reasonable compromise, or the wealth of experts in our site will advise me if this was not a good move.

Good luck on your project. 


Henri