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Hi Folks, I am in Ipswich and presently my boat is at Alton Water. The sail number is 1943 and the boat is just as I bought it on Saturday. I fear I will have to move it as it is too difficult for a couple of disabled pensioners to get it into and out of the water at Alton Water.
We usually sail Squibs but this year we have been sailing Wayfarers as I am doing an RYA course in a Wayfarer on the River Orwell in April.
I am going to need loads of spares and advice to get my boat up to scratch but I will press on until it is up to standard.
Peter Turtill
Welcome Peter.
Having just (if you can call 3 + years a “just”) renovated my Wayfarer (new just about everything, including mast) I know what you mean, I hope you can enjoy the journey as much as the end result. The satisfaction once afloat however and the great pleasure in sailing her makes all the work done on Kez completely worthwhile.
Keep us all posted on progress and, as you will see elsewhere, this is a great place to get advice when you hit a snag.
Mike
4137 “Kez”Hi Mike, I do need some advice right now actually. My boat has a hole for a pin or bolt through the mast and a yoke. The hole is about a foot up the mast and about half and inch in diameter. This pin/bolt is missing. Is it essential and if so where can I get hold of one please?
pete
Welcome to Wayfarer sailing, a hobby executed by a bunch of people that loves the equivalent of having a shower with their clothes on while tearing up 100 pound notes.
The pivot hole is actually 16 mm wide (maximum measure) and the mast pin is minimal 6 mm. Its function is to limit the amount of mast movement so we all race under similar conditions. Racers must have the pin mounted. Other then that the pin is a useless piece of equipment that only gets in the way of a real good trim, though it does play a helpful role when one wants to lower his mast.
There are fancy and expensive stainless steel rods you could use, with holes drilled in the ends for shiny stainless key rings. I believe you can order them from the builders. An alternative is found in any DIY shop; a galvanised 6 mm steel bolt of sufficient length and a wing nut. To top it of, add a couple of large 6 mm washers. And yes, galvanised steel does rust but if you replace the bolt every year it takes fifteen years (and bolts) to come close to the price of an “official” SS-rod, unless you make one yourself of course.
Hi Peter, as Sweibertje says, it is the mast pivot pin hole and if you intend to leave the mast up his suggestion of a galvanised bolt (preferably a coach bolt with a smooth shank and thread only on the last half inch or so) will work fine.
If however you want to get the real McCoy, here is the P&B webpage from where they will sell you a stainless steel one for £18.30 plus carriage etc.
http://www.pinbax.com/index.asp?selection=detailed&uid=36648&itemtitle=Mast%20Pivot%20Bolt
There is nothing special about it and if you could find someone to sell you a piece of 6mm dia stainless ( or I suppose aluminium?) then to drill a couple of holes in the end to take some rings should not be too difficult. In use the rig tension should be set up so that the weight of the mast is on its heel and the pin is not doing anything; in fact you should be able to rattle it in its hole. If you have not yet got one, buy a copy of the Wayfarer Book from the Association, a lot of questions are answered in there and it is ridiculously cheap for the wealth of information you will find within.
I do take my mast down quite a lot and for that the pin is invaluable, if you make yourself up a boom-crutch that sits above the transom so that you can rest the mast on it and so protect the spreaders, then lowering and raising the mast becomes a one-man job.
if you could find someone to sell you a piece of 6mm dia stainless ( or I suppose aluminium?) then to drill a couple of holes in the end to take some rings should not be too difficult
You might want to find someone who has some cobalt drill bits if you go with the stainless steel (316 grade) – it’s very hard, and will blunt most HSS drill bits before you can say “B & Q”!
@Swiebertje wrote:
Welcome to Wayfarer sailing, a hobby executed by a bunch of people that loves the equivalent of having a shower with their clothes on while tearing up 100 pound notes.
The pivot hole is actually 16 mm wide (maximum measure) and the mast pin is minimal 6 mm. Its function is to limit the amount of mast movement so we all race under similar conditions. Racers must have the pin mounted. Other then that the pin is a useless piece of equipment that only gets in the way of a real good trim, though it does play a helpful role when one wants to lower his mast.
There are fancy and expensive stainless steel rods you could use, with holes drilled in the ends for shiny stainless key rings. I believe you can order them from the builders. An alternative is found in any DIY shop; a galvanised 6 mm steel bolt of sufficient length and a wing nut. To top it of, add a couple of large 6 mm washers. And yes, galvanised steel does rust but if you replace the bolt every year it takes fifteen years (and bolts) to come close to the price of an “official” SS-rod, unless you make one yourself of course.
Fantastic answer Swiebertje, you have told me everything I needed to know about that issue. Many thanks indeed.
pete
Mike Summers, thank you for your post. I am going to get a bolt to start with and get my son to make me a pin. My boat is very old and I had considered having a Squib too but I am having second thoughts already and I may just trade my boat in for a better boat that would enable me to race. It is all to be decided by SWMBO and the market place.
pete
Stainless steel has had a bad press and I find I can work it with normal HSS drills so long as I a) lubricate and b) am assertive.
SS is not especially hard but it does work-harden quite quickly so if you are going to drill it is best to use a good sharp bit in drill-press. If you put a drop of oil on the drill tip then push it through in one go applying firm pressure you should not have too much of a problem.
The difficulties arise from a not-so-sharp bit that is not pushed hard to get the hole started.
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