Alberg Typhoon mast

[Captmarklp]

markpellerin@mris.com

I'd appreciate any suggestions. This is about a boat that new to my care. The boat and rig are presumably 1970 models.

1st issue: I've looked at some sister models yet this is the only one I've seen with angled mast cleats. With no spinnaker gear, I'm not sure what the cleats were placed here for. The mast cleats' only purpose at the moment is to "hang up" jib sheets .....though we want to be able to add spin gear. If I move the cleats to vertical, what could I fill the old and un-used holes with ? An epoxy mix, rivets, or shortened machine screws ?

2nd: The headstay is attached to the mast with a four-holed vertically-aligned tang and 4 SS sheet metal screws. The lowest screw is free-spinning. There may be some possibility of drilling and tapping but it would mean removing material between the existing holes. What to do now...install a new tang with more vertical holes ? Stick with what's there ?

3rd: a former owner mounted a full sized Aqua Signal tri-color atop the mast. It involved a #12 tinned 3 wire cable to power and a substantial alum. mount at top....all of which I've now removed. I guess he was going night sailing or to Bermuda yet it was about 15 lbs of weight ! He ran all this cable internally and the holes, top and bottom, are not insignificant. What to fill those holes with ? There's some kind of stuff showed on-line that is supposed to mend aluminium -- dura-something....is this for real ??

4th: I wanted to inspect the spreader ends which are shaped tubes fitted to bolted-on male mounts or "nubs". One tube will not remove and the other will but is sloppy because I think someone decided to "bull" it off -- regardless of consequence. The tube noticeably has lost some of its interior wall. I'm inclined to replace it if its possible to find (I haven't had great luck with Rig-Rite).

5th: The designed mainsheet system was abandoned when a lazarette hatch was added. It was non-complex originally yet the existing replacement involves two pad eyes and a bronze rod bolted between the two eyes. I suppose the idea was to create a traditional traveler. I don't know that the rod will break yet it deflects under a load. All of this was designed with Carbo blocks and an over-sized piece of Stay-Set X as a sheet (promptly jettisoned along with the main and jib nylon 3-strands that were there).

Some of these questions I'm also gonna post on the Cape Dory Owner Assn. site, particularly with respect to where original main sheet pieces might come from.

Thanks a lot ! MP

[Don Z.]

Those cleats are supposed to be angled. About 10 degrees or so. That way you can ease the halyard in a controlled manner. Don't worry about changing them.

[Brian Duff]

oy!

ought to break that up into about 14 threads