Mast Steps as Consumables?
Paul Goodwin - US 46:
I have never seen a (Sarns) mast step weld break, but I'm not saying it couldn't happen. I have been using the same one for 30 years, I guess I should hang on to it.
wnethercote:
Paul,
I was always of the same mind and the boat and mast-step in the photo was 18 years old when the photo was taken, but the recent failure the third mast step (in 30 yrs I would admit) in our fleet. But maybe 3 in 30 years is near-as-anything 'never.'
The one that failed recently had a bit of undercut welding as I recall (which is never good for crack avoidance), so it may have been Monday for the welder. Here in Nova Scotia it is road-salt-city, so the car top environment can be a bit tough on equipment too, although more of us are using covers (or, O luxury, trailers) to keep our stuff road-salt free. We tend to be too trusting of stainless steel, when it is a material that is sensitive to crevice corrosion cracking.
Warren
KC 3786
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