Mast and Maintenance: 10 checks to make to navigate safely

Before setting off on a cruise, a long sail or any outing that we already (pre-departure) know will be challenging, it is essential to check the health of one’s equipment. Just think about the fact that, a good part of the accidents to which boats are often subject, is precisely due to lack of maintenance. We have already talked about Osmosis and Wheelhouse System Maintenance. In this article, then, it’s the turn of theMast: here are the related checks and adjustments that would be wise to carry out before demanding sailings.

Mast and Maintenance: what to check and why

Checking rigging, fixed rigging and currents, theoretically, is good practice to carry out before each outing, however, it becomes essential upstream of long periods to be spent at sea. Before we even look at the mast, however, one piece of advice that applies instead regardless: before each outing, always check that the rigging has all the respective cotter pins and their safety rings, which are essential to block the rigging itself from unscrewing under load. One of the most common accidents, in fact, is due to the lack of one of these: when the rigging is downwind (unloaded) it is not so uncommon for the cotter pin to slip out, leading to the risk of dismasting by changing tack. Arridatoi aside, here are 10 checks to make to sail more safely.

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1 | Mast Maintenance: State and rigging

The rigging is critical in that it supports the mast laterally and allows them to ‘adjust’ its shape and deflection. Basically, with the mainsails, they are responsible for unloading the mast’s stresses on the hull framework. Checking their condition is therefore crucial. In fact, rigging is divided into 3 broad categories: spiroidal, rod and textile. Generally, cruising hulls have this first category, consisting of a series of steel wires wound together to form a single cable. These have the advantage of lasting a long time (10-15 years), but they are subject to high elongation and are very elastic. It is always necessary to check them for signs of rust and that the wires are intact. Damage to even a couple of them can compromise the overall integrity.

2 | Mast Heaths and Rows

Verify that the cotter pins are present on all the pins of the heaths and in the hole of the harnesses. Should the shrouds go bando (upwind, it happens to those downwind), in the absence of cotter pins they could slip out leading to the fall of the mast. A good technique is to ‘tape’ the cotter pins, or use Velcro, to hold them in place. In fact, it is not uncommon for ropes et al. to become entangled in these, compromising their integrity or positioning. Fixing them in place reduces this risk.

3| Crosses

Making sure the crosses are angled in the correct direction is always a good thing. Ideally, you want an upward angle of about 2-4 degrees. Never, however, go out with the spreaders angled downward-this could result in the profile closing, leading to inadequate forces and consequent risk of shaft failure.

4 | Shaft – Longitudinal Trim (Stern-Pulley)

The mast should never be luffed towards the bow and, indeed, if not perpendicular to the boat, should at the limit be slightly luffed towards the stern (agollected) by a few degrees (except for pure racing hulls, with the example of a Class40, where luffing is extreme by design, but this is not the case for a cruising hull). Hypothetically, drawing a perpendicular to the hull from the masthead, the distance between it and the boom attachment should be about 20-30 cm for a 15-meter mast (find an article HERE to explore the issue of pre-bending). This Tilt can be easily verified by tensioning the mainsail halyard with a ballast.

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5 | Shaft – Lateral Trim

The lateral trim of the mast is particularly important for boat performance. This must be perfectly straight and not tilted to starboard or port. To check this, a metric wheel is used by attaching its end to the masthead (via mainsail halyard) and measuring the distance between it and the starboard and port luffs. If the distances are equal or offset by a few millimeters, there is no need to worry.

6 | Shrouds adjustment.

In port, the first “adjustments” to the tension of the shrouds can already be made, but the actual adjustment has to be done at sea. In medium-light wind conditions (10-12 knots), with full sails set to windward, first on one tack, then the other. If the masthead flexes downwind, we will have to string the shrouds high. If, on the other hand, the profile “sticks out” on the middle part, we will have to intervene on the lower shrouds or the middle shrouds.

7 | Backstay

It is a good idea to have a good hoist or hydraulic system that will allow you to string the upwind backstay well, to give good tension to the forestay, flatten the catenary as much as possible and maximize upwind performance. Conversely, aft will have to be let go to tilt the mast forward and increase performance under spi. With the boat at rest, the backstay should always be loosened so there is no pressure on the mast. Checking their good condition is so crucial.

8 | Mast Foot

Sometimes it is the element we think about the least, yet it is as structural and important as everything else. Therefore, in addition to checking its location and health, it is good to keep its water outlet holes drained regularly to avoid the formation of a salt solution that corrodes the tree from the inside. Especially if you have the aluminum profile and stainless steel base.

9 | Boom and vang attachments

Both highly stressed points, it is important to check their integrity. Here, it is the rivets to which our attention goes, taking care to make sure we have no play. That the screws are tightened well and that there is no corrosion is also critical. Here, too, check for cotter pins in the boom and trough pivot.

10 | Mast Maintenance. Getting on top

Periodically, it would also be good to go up (safely) to the masthead to thoroughly check a little bit of everything encountered along the way. Indeed, the rule of cotter pins comes up again, to which one adds checks to the pulleys, to be sure that they have no strange play and that they turn well, lest the halyards “eat” them. Checking the connections of the spreaders and shrouds is essential, thus verifying that there are no “cracks” in the aluminum parts. As for the heads of the crosses, watch out for oxidation: if you have protected them with covers (leather, scotch tape), check them very often because these covers keep moisture and salt inside them, facilitating corrosion.

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