Mast Step Spacers

[Ian McColgin]

Originally Posted by Brian Duff

We occasionaly come across the need to shorten an aluminium mast because of physical damage or corrosion at the bottom (probably from all those darn rivit mandrels and old drilled out then punched-through rivits that end up down there ! )

I have either build a new step which is built in such a way to raise the mast up a couple of inches ( or however much is needed) to keep everthing the same height, or I have also other times added a spacer of Alum plate under the old step if only a little bit needs to be built up.

I was wondering what other materials have been used for spacers, and how they worked. I am thinking plastics or composites? Also, how much do you consider too high to stack spacers, versus building a new step ?
I have never stacked Aluminium spacers more than 1" tall, opting rather to build a new step which makes up the needed distance.

Ahoy there,

One local Bristol 40 sloop lost a couple inches to corrosion so we built up a new under the mast step pad - I'd been promoting wood but another friend made it - of Corien. There were many jokes about the risk of "molecular creep" but thus far (third season) it appears just fine.

I still most like a well sealed stout wood - pine, locust, oak, whatever - for workability but most anything that is crush proof will work.

G'luck

Ian