[C320-list] Mast blocks reprise

[Warren Updike]

I took Jeff's advice and, this Spring, I checked these blocks and found most
of them immovable. OK, so the boat is 15 years old and I'll bet the PO never
attended to this. I started spraying with PB Blaster and all but two came
free.  I continued to apply PB Blaster every few days for nearly two weeks.
One did not come free. I'll be working on this again. Lesson is to deal with
it asap, and put one more potential problem on the shelf.

Warren & Pattie Updike
Catalina 320, #62, "Warr De Mar"
Middle River, Chesapeake Bay



-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Burti [mailto:clburti at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2009 8:44 AM
To: 320
Subject: [C320-list] Mast blocks reprise

I was searching through some old emails and thought I would renew
Jeff's wise admonition for the newer member on the list.

See Below....


----- Original Message ----
From: Jeffrey Hare <Catalina at thehares.com>
To: C320-List <c320-list at catalina320.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 10:37:27 PM
Subject: [C320-list] Mast Step Blocks

Hi All,

  With a number of new owners on the list this year, and it's spring
commissioning time for lots of us in the cooler climates, I figured it's
time to re-broadcast the annual Mast Step Block maint. tip.

Apologies for those who've heard this before.

The blocks at the base of the mast have SS studs that screw into a SS nut
that slides into a slot under the mast step.  Since the nut and the stud are
Stainless, and the mast step is Aluminium, they are very subject to
corrosion, especially in salt water.

They need to be able to turn freely to keep from being bent under load.  I
suggest you unscrew each block (counter clockwise of course),  coat the
shaft of the stud and the threads with "TefGel" anti-sieze/anti-corrosion
grease and reinstall them.  If they do corrode and freeze up, it could be a
big job to correct.  After that, liberally spray the bearings of each block
with "Sail Kote".  You shouldn't have to remove the lines  to do this, just
have enough slack in them to allow the block to be twisted a half dozen
times or so.

-Jeff H.





-- 
Chris Burti Farmville, NC