Hello, We presently have a hollow fibreglass over wood mast, with boom, about 16 feet, fastened to the deck of the flybridge and held up by four stays. Problems: The mast as it is will not lower. Any inventive ways of hingeing a mast? The other part of this problem is the 4 stays that are also attached to the deck of the flybridge (and always in the way). We will have to have it hinged before doing the Loop, won't be necessary for this year, but since we're doing all kinds of other work on the boat we thought we'd look at this too. Obviously winter is too long! The mast holds up a radar platform as well as VHF antenna and necessary nav lights, and all the wires run through the mast down into the ceiling of the cabin. The joint would have to be waterproof to protect these wires. We use the heighth of the mast and the boom for a steady sail, which works well for us so we don't want to eliminate this. We would like to either modify the existing mast or replace it (if we can do so relatively economically). Any suggestions on a new mast? How are masts typically fastened to the deck of a boat? We don't want anything coming apart in rough weather! Trawler is a sedan model, looks like the Grand Banks, and is only 35' long. Any ideas? Thanks, Mike & Darby Goode

> Problems: > > The mast as it is will not lower. Any inventive ways of hingeing a mast? > Mike, I have a similar mast and here is how I rectified the problem. The mast has two SS braces that attach with hitch pins so loosening them fr. the mast and laying them down is easy. I removed the mast and with it on sawhorses I GENTLY cut it in two with a circular saw set just barely deep enough to cut the glass but not the wires inside. this cut is horizontal to the deck and abt. 5 ft. above deck level. Since the mast will fold, hinge, at this point I LENGTHENED all of the wires. Then I cut blocks of wood to fit in the top and lower parts of the mast . Just used some scrap 3/4 inch plywood. A hole was drilled thru each and the wire bundle passed thru. These wood pieces were then Fiberglassed in place forming a closure to the top and bottom of the inside of the hinge. These blocks give the hollow mast strength at their ends and closes them off to weather. The hole thru which the wires pass is not water tight. Should I expect rain while the mast is down it is easy to tape over the hole but this is seldome the case. I fabricated a hinge of aluminum and a SS rod, this is mounted on the BACKSIDE of the mast as the mast folds back. I made a similar "hinge" for the FRONT of the mast except that the hinge pin is removable and is held in place with a hitch pin. To lower the mast remove the SS stays and then remove the fwd. hing pin and the mast folds back . I did place a strap of alum on each side, not frt. nor rear, of the mast at he hinge to prevent rain fr. being driven in at the hinge joint. Some can get thru. but runs out the base of the mast onto the deck I can do this alone and do have my radar on this mast. Works great. When the water in the bayou is up I lower it to get in my boat house so it had to be easy and quick. I built a crutch of 2x4 and a base plate to hold the mast in the folded position. By the way did basically the same hinge setup on my SS gin pole. Should you decide to do the project contact me off line and I will give details. CCC LETS ROLL CHARLES and PAT CULOTTA Patterson, La. http://www.geocities.com/charlesculotta/ >