spinnaker ring on mast
Printed From: Laser 28 International Class Association
Category: Laser 28 General
Forum Name: Maintenance
Forum Description: All the things to care for your boat
URL: http://www.laser28.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=601
Printed Date: 19 May 2024 at 10:21pm
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Topic: spinnaker ring on mast
Posted By: frfletch
Subject: spinnaker ring on mast
Date Posted: 19 November 2012 at 10:54pm
This weekend while running in about 20 knots true, our spinnaker ring bent downward making it difficult to release the pole. This is the second time this has happened. Last time I was able to bend it back into place with a long lever, but I'm worried that it will break this time. Does anyone know what makes this happens? We were running very square when the occurred and there was no drama going on with the kite am.
I am thinking that this ring is slightly too large in diameter and is no sufficiently rigid, but on a run like that there is very little pressure on the pole.
Has anyone else had this problem? If so, what was the solution?
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Replies:
Posted By: Winner
Date Posted: 20 November 2012 at 8:33pm
Hi Frank,
When I purchased my boat a year ago one of the first things I noticed was that the spinnaker ring on my mast is bent; however unlike yours, mine is bent upwards about 35-45 degrees. I've also been hesitant to try and bend it back for fear of breaking it, plus the amount of bend I have does not appear to affect functionality.
It's riveted to the mast to boot, making removal a tricky proposition. I've been tempted to replace the fixed ring with an adjustable track which although I've never checked I'm sure will violate class rules, but I don't do class sailing anyway.
In your case Frank is it possible that the jaw of the spin pole got momentarily wedged into the ring which combined with a sudden downward force on the bow end of the pole due to a wave or wind shift, may have bent the ring downwards? At 3 metres in length, that's a lot of lever arm and it wouldn't take much nominal force combined with the lever arm to bend the ring. Just a thought.
Interested to hear other people's thoughts....
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Chris
Eclipse #240
Thunder Bay, ON
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Posted By: frfletch
Date Posted: 20 November 2012 at 9:32pm
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Thanks for your thoughts on this. What we noticed was that after it bent down, the pole was slightly twisted in its setting such that the beak was sort of jammed in the bent ring and took some fussing around to get out. When we took the pole off, a crew member was actually able to hold the pole in place for a short while, even thought it was blowing 20 knots, so there is not a lot of compression on the pole when running square. I can't figure it out, but I think if I had a new one made with a slightly smaller ring, but with equally thick stock used (I think the original is 1/4"), then it would be sufficiently rigid to resist whatever bending moment is being applied. Having said that, the 1/4" is not very much after it is compromised by its weld to the base plate. Perhaps 5/16" stock would be better. I just don't understand what force is causing the bend. The only thing that could possible happen is that if you let the pole "sky", then perhaps the beak does temporarily jam in the ring. Then the foredeck person pulls on the downhaul and with the beak jammed he bends the ring down. That is the only possibility I can think of. If that is the case, then a smaller diameter ring would actually make matters worse. I must go to the city tomorrow and will hook up the pole and prop its end up high and see if the beak can jam. Your idea of a jam may just be the cause.
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Posted By: lucgmix
Date Posted: 21 November 2012 at 7:24am
Hi Frank,
Yes, the ring getting bent is usually caused by the spinnaker pole getting to close to vertical. If you use pole up/down cam cleats at the cockpit, you can make a figure eight knot on the pole down line, just behind the cleat to prevent the pole from going higher than maximum height needed to fly the spinnaker. I saw it happen twice on a boat, every time the pole goes skying, the ring gets bent.
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Posted By: frfletch
Date Posted: 21 November 2012 at 10:51am
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Ahhh. Thanks Luc. I will take a look this afternoon and see if I can sort it out and save the ring.
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Posted By: Winner
Date Posted: 21 May 2017 at 10:14pm
After 6 years of a bent ring I'm contemplating getting a new one. Anyone replaced their ring and have any suggestions? Best to attach with rivets or drill/tap machine screws?
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Chris
Eclipse #240
Thunder Bay, ON
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Posted By: frfletch
Date Posted: 22 May 2017 at 12:56am
Chris,
I drilled and tapped. Think I either used a metric screw or something like a 1/4 x 28. I would not suggest 1/4 x 20 owing to the thin wall of the mast. Better to have a few more threads in there.
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Posted By: Winner
Date Posted: 08 June 2017 at 12:57pm
If I decide to try and bend it back down, is it better or worse if I heat it up first?
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Chris
Eclipse #240
Thunder Bay, ON
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Posted By: fatjohnz
Date Posted: 08 June 2017 at 2:19pm
I replaced my lower a couple years ago. The upper ring got twisted at the end of last season and was recently replaced.
The upper was a Ronstan RF602. I reinstalled it with rivets because I'd rather have the rivets fail than damage the mast.
js
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