[Anonymous]

I have a Bavaria 34 which has a problem with the mast post foot moving. Its been suggested that I should repost the article from “Bavaria 34” to the “General” site because it might help other Bavaria owners.

For some time now I have noticed that our mast post foot had actually moved back on it’s plinth ie forward towards the bow, and taken the bulkhead with it. We had to take the mast down to renew the shrouds so we thought we would take the opportunity to have a bash at fixing it. You can see the way the mast post has shifted forward on:-

http://www.pbase.com/davehamilton/alcina Password is – alcina

You can see how the mast was before the rig tension was taken off and after – it didn’t move. You can see how the bulkhead has bent towards the bow and the strip has come off the bottom of the bulkhead in the front cabin. The door also had problems shutting. The mast was forced back with large bits of wood and a car jack almost to the front of the plinth. When the tension was then taken off it just popped back to its shifted position. After the roof was jacked up there was some crumbling epoxy found underneath the mast post. Much to our surprise its simply epoxy and the floating bulkhead which keeps the mast post in place! It was re expoxied underneath the mast post and it doesn’t seem to have moved again so far but there again we haven’t gone any distance as yet.

In the mean time I’m looking for two brackets to be made – ideally I suppose in Stainless Steel – that start an inch or two up the mast post at either side from the base. then go down and hug the contours of the plinth and along the keel floor either side. I don’t think I will be quite happy until it’s all bolted down never to move again! Has anyone else come across this problem?

Regards

Ken Kirby
Alcina
Hythe

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