[C320-list] Maintenance Tip: Mast Step Blocks/Studs

[Jeff Hare]

Art,

I sprayed it with penetrating oil / corrosion cutter and let it sit overnight.  Then *light* taps to the stud with a metal hammer side to side and on top finally freed it after a while.  May have to work at it over the course of several days.  Don't rush it, it's unlikely to get any worse now that it is sprayed.  Good luck!

-Jeff Hare

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of millers1 at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2015 12:38 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Maintenance Tip: Mast Step Blocks/Studs


Jeff, Thanks for the heads up on the subject issue.   All mine are rotating ok (willl pull 
and lubricate), except for one.  It appears to be seized to the step.  I haven't tried anything yet, other than to spray it with penetrating oil.  What did you do to loosen the frozen one you had?
Thx.
Art   #680
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com>
To: C320-List <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Mon, Jun 8, 2015 9:46 am
Subject: [C320-list] Maintenance Tip: Mast Step Blocks/Studs


Hi All,

With a number of new owners on the list this year, it's time to re-broadcast the important annual Mast Step Block maintenance tip.  I can't remember if the newer MKII mast steps are the same as the older ones, so someone else can comment there.

Apologies for those who've heard this
before, but it's important and not
always very obvious.

The turning blocks
attached to 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 Aluminum, the studs will corrode against the mast step plate and freeze up, faster 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),  and slide the nut out of the slot with a screwdriver.  Coat the stud and threads and the whole nut with "TefGel"
anti-sieze/anti-corrosion grease and reinstall them.
Without doing this they
will corrode and freeze up and may require removing the mast and mast step to
fix them!   After that, liberally spray the
bearings of each block with "Sail
Kote" or your favorite dry lube.   

 

To do this simple maintenance job,
you do not have to have to remove any of the lines, just loosen the lines to
provide some slack.   When you screw
them back in, screw them in all the way
with your fingers until they stop
then UNSCREW them one full turn.  This allows the blocks to pivot easily and stay fair to the pull of the line.

 

I
didn't do this last year (maybe it's been 2 years?) and one of them was right on the edge of being frozen up.  Took a bit of effort to get it freed up.  I saw serious case on a C380 where the owner snugged up all the studs so that they didn't pivot at all and under load, some of the Garhauer blocks bent because they couldn't swivel to align with the rope under tension.  On top of that, most of the studs had corroded solid to the mast step.  The mast had to be pulled, the step removed and the studs had to be removed by a machine shop. 
This was on a boat only 4 years old.  Don't let this happen to you! :)

-Jeff
Hare

#809