Mast Step Design, Keel Stepped

[Brian Duff]

I have a question about the design and integerity of this mast step, has any body else installed this type recently, or had any problems with it ? it seems odd that it allows the mast to rotate freely, even thouhg the mast is not a round section. I suppose the spreaders being so far out from the rig and the compression wont allow the mast to rotate and get jammed/kinked in the partners, but I worry that the loads from the gooseneck and vang brakets, mounted on the aft face of the spar, do impose twisting loads. is 'spartite' installed at the partners sufficient to support and prevent the mast from twisintg ? it seems to be working ok so far, but I was wondering if any other riggers have seen this or has any thoughts on it. Normally maststeps are shaped to fit the spar and hold it securely, either outside or from the inside, with a tennon...

[Ian McColgin]

Some of the early Freedoms with their dead round unstayed masts had a tendency during a hard gybe to snap a sort of retaining bolt that kept the mast alligned. In a regular rig, the stays provide tremendous compression strain leading to much friction on the step. Even if you did not have what amounts to hard wedges at the partners, I's be most surprised if the mast rotates at all.

G'luck

Ian