Mast Stepping question

[jsampson818]

Hey All,
2nd year with a 1990 C34, first year the yard I bought her at stepped the mast and tuned the rig. I noticed last year when we hauled her that there were a couple of wooden shims between the mast and collar, is this standard? I haven't put them in yet and tuned the rig, seems ok, but I haven't sailed her yet.

Thanks

Greg
"Blind Ambition"
Scituate, MA

[waterdog]

Yes.  They are mast wedges.  They stop the mast from moving at deck level just like your lower shrouds do half way up.   You should have four.   They can be wood or other materials.    Mine had plastic ones that required gobs of silicone to keep them in place.  I replaced them with wood wedges - I just cut a dozen or so of different sizes on the bandsaw and tapped them in once the rig was tuned.

[jsampson818]

Thanks, first keel stepped boat!

[jsampson818]

ever try this?

Buy THICK 3 strand nylon line that is thicker than the gap between your mast and the deck hole (mast partner). It should be long enough to wrap around the mast 3-4 times...usually around 10' is plenty.
Get a couple of tubes of marine silicone.
wrap once around the mast with the line then pound it down with a mallet and dull chisel into the space between mast and partner.
Layer in a good thicklayer of silicone on top of this.
repeat this step until you have at least three layers and have completely filled the vertical space in the partners. More wraps are better.
Put the mast boot on and you are done for the next few years!

[Ron Hill]

Greg : Use some oak and make some new wedges about 1/4" wider than the the originals.  I also installed 6 rather than 4 .  With 6 wedges you can tap them in place with a hammer and they'll stay in 
place.
Move you mast step bracket as far forward as possible so you can rake the mast bask a few degrees from vertical (see my Mainsheet article on removing and stepping the mast)  Don't forget to put a quarter under the mast - for great sailing and good luck.   

[Craig Illman]

Greg - another option, http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/SparParts/Mast_wedges.html, although they don't "pound in" too well.

Craig

[Bob Kuba]

Ron,

You mentioned moving the mast step forward. I haven't looked at my step that closely. Is the only adjustment forward and aft, or can it be adjusted side to side as well?

Bob

[Ron Hill]

Bob : As I recall the only elongated holes were for & aft. 
You can take care of the side to side adjustments with the wedges.   

[Rick Johnson]

Greg,

Or there is always SparTite or the cheaper McMaster-Carr solution.

Cheers,

Rick