CYANE has a tabernacle mast, and the lower mast section that goes through the cuddy down to the mast step needs to be secured so it does not come loose when raising or lowering the mast. Capn Jack had an ingenious solution, he put a rubber washer and hose clamp around the mast, just under the cuddy top, that way it could not be pulled out. But clamps not being what they used to be in the saltwater environment, it rusted out after only 19 years. We replaced it with a new marine grade stainless clamp.
Here is the clamp and the rubber washer. The washer insulates the stainless clamp from the aluminum mast, preventing dissimilar metal corrosion.
Working in the cuddy, we found it easier to put the clamp and washer on loosely down low, then slide it up to underneath the cuddy top.
Once the clamp was up at the top, we tightened the nut with a socket on a nut driver, easier than using a screwdriver.
The DS II mast step is about 1 inch high and affixed to the floor, the mast nestles over the top of it. We saw no indication of fasteners to secure the mast to the step.
Ready for the next adventure
Log of CYANE.
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