Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Mast Step Cal 39 - Steel Beam????

Paul, Sorry not to get back to you on this sooner, but I was in SF sailing on my Cal 2-39. The Cal 2-39/3-39 mast step was discussed at the last caltopia. There is no steel beam. The mast is supported by 3 floors, the athwartship fiberglass "beams" you mentioned, with layers of various materials topped by the oval shaped mast end-plate/step. It seems that the early hull numbers, #1 to about #24 or so, have a step design problem. There is/was layer of plywood in the stack between the mast end flange and the fiberglass floors. The plywood crushes under the rig tension. Several boats have had this repaired (including mine by the P.O.). The later models , #25 and up, have a fiberglass floor pan that includes the seatee structure. It sounds as if you have the later in that you describe the beams "covered by fiberglass". It seems also that the fiberglass pan also crushes under rig tension. I would suggest that you remove the cabin sole section at the mast step to give room to work (drill out all the bungs and remove the screws). Cut a rectangle out of the fiberglass pan the glass the size of an aluminium or stainless block large enough to spread the load across the floors. The thickness would make up for the pan and any section removed from the mast base. Masts on Cal 39's before 1980 or so have a welded flange that bolts to the deck. If you have this type, you need to make up all mast shortening with shims at the mast base. Later models have no deck flange and you could simply shorten the rigging by the trimmed amount. I know of one Cal 2-39 that did this. Bottom line: I recommend a large thick SS plate sitting directly on and through bolted to the floors with and no weaker non-metal materials in the stack. Best of luck Duane Duane & Lynn Knize Marlyn, 1978 Cal 2-39, #18 Berthed: Emeryville, CA At 12:45 PM 4/23/2008, you wrote: >I have the mast removed from my recently >purchased Cal 39 and found that the stainless >steel plate that the mast step sits on has bent >to conform to whatever material it is that it >sits on. I have removed the plate but cannot >determine from tapping on it, what the ultimate >"mast step" is made of . It is all covered in >fiberglass and there appears to be 3 beams >running side to side with some other material in >between and it is this material that appears to >have settled approximately 1/8". > >Unless someone has a better idea, my plan was to >mix up a slurry mixture of some West System >Epoxy mixed with #403 silica for its bonding and >hardness properties and pour this onto the step, >letting it fill all the voids and then seek its >own level. The only problem I can see with this >process is that the boat is not likely to be >sitting level on the hard and is probably bow up >to make sure the water drains to the >scuppers. I don't know if it is severe enough >that it would create a surface on the mast step >that is pitched far enough forward so as to >screw up the angle of the mast but I suppose I >could put a level on it and see what I'm dealing with. > >Also the base of the mast was corroded so my >rigger is going to cut some material off the >base and cut a plate the same thickness as what >he takes off the bottom to put under the mast >step so I don't lose any height. He is also >going to weld another plate to the existing bent plate to strengthen it. > >Speaking of mast angle, anyone know that the optimum rake is for the Cal 39? > >Thanks - > >Paul West >Adventure Kwest >Cal 39 > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: chris cole <sc… [at] yahoo.com> >To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >Sent: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 3:23 pm >Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] The dreaded steel beams > >OOOOOOOOHhhhhh > >I might have to take a peek down there. > > > >--- On Wed, 4/23/08, David Wilkie Owen <wi… [at] mariposasailing.com> wrote: >From: David Wilkie Owen <wi… [at] mariposasailing.com> >Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] The dreaded steel beams >To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 11:03 AM > > >A few pictures are worth thousands of words..... > ><http://www.mariposasailing.com/Replacement.html>http://www.mariposa >sailing.com/ Replacement. html >Wilkie > > > > >From: chris cole <sculler2000@ yahoo.com> >Reply-To: <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com> >Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:56:29 -0700 (PDT) >To: <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com> >Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] The dreaded steel beams > > >Can you guys explain to me what a beam project is? Thanks, Chris >--- On Wed, 4/23/08, David Wilkie Owen <wilkie@mariposasail ing.com> wrote: >From: David Wilkie Owen <wilkie@mariposasail ing.com> >Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] The dreaded steel beams >To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com >Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 10:54 AM > > >Alan, >This is a wonderful service and I would like to >ask your permission to pass this info on to a >couple of people who have inquired of my beam >project from links on my web page. I always >refer them to the cal list but don’t know if they join or not. >Would that be OK? >David “Wilkie” Owen > > >From: Alan Storey <fortyfunctions@ shaw.ca> >Reply-To: <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com> >Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:53:35 -0000 >To: <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com> >Subject: [Cal_Boats] The dreaded steel beams > > >For some reason my posts don't show up very often.... but I'll give it >a whirl again today. >About 5 years ago I made a number of steel beam replacements for the >29's , 2-30 and the 3-30, out of 316L stainless for a number of folks >on this list and including my own 3-30 which started it all. I am >about to build another for a 2-29, and I am wondering if anyone else >is planning a beam project this year and needs a new beam? I have the >drawings and templates and would be happy to make it a beam run of >more than one. I am not building any on spec, as I found that the tabs >seem to be different on each one from boat to boat even within the >same series. >This is not a business call here and I am not in the business of >making beams. I am a sculptor and I happen to have all the right stuff >to be able to do this including the pickling and pacifying bath >set-up. The price for a 29 beam is $600 I'm afraid. If anyone has been >following the cost of stainless steel, especially 316L, will realize >that I'm not doing this to make money.... A 3-30 beam is $750 now. >I'm in Vancouver BC so there would be shipping to you as well. I've >found FedEx ground to be very economical. >If anyone is interested, my email is ><fortyfunctions@ shaw.ca <mailto:fortyfunctio >ns%40shaw. ca><mailto:fortyfunctio ns%40shaw. >ca> <mailto:fortyfunctio ns%40shaw. ca> > >Alan Storey >Cal 3-30x Chimera >Vancouver, BC > > > >Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all >with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. <http://us.rd. >yahoo.com/ evt=51733/ *http://mobile. yahoo.com/ >;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR 8HDtDypao8Wcj9tA cJ > > > > > >Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all >with Yahoo! Mobile. ><http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51733/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ>Try >it now. > >---------- >Plan your next roadtrip with ><http://www.mapquest.com/?ncid=mpqmap00030000000004>MapQuest.com: >America's #1 Mapping Site. > Duane & Lynn Knize Marlyn, 1978 Cal 2-39, #18 Berthed: Emeryville, CA