Hi Jerry, Yesterday, I hauled my M15 out of the water to put it to bed for the year.
As it came out of the water, with the mast up, an overzealous friend driving my car wanted to be helpful and instead of just parking the rig, started driving it around the corner to the Marina. A large oak tree, with branches over the road, was the obstacle, and when mast hit oak branch - despite my yelling S T O P!!!! - the mast lost the battle. It collapsed with about a 90 degree bend just below the middle of the mast. He backed up and parked the rig, stammering apologies, but the damage was done. I tried straighening the mast by using a handy oak tree trunk and a large granite boulder, but the best I could do was to go from a 90 degree bend to about 120 degrees. At that point the forces increased, and simply leaning on the end of the mast to bend it wouldn't do. It was enough so that I could put the mast in the holder of the trailer and drive home. Question: Can a mast be straightened, or is it scrap? Where did you buy the masts ? (I most likely need a new one) Do you have any mast specs.; drawings; that I could use to tell the mast manufacturer what I want, and how to build it? .......or do I just give him the old one and say, duplicate it? If I get a new one from a local mast manufacturer, do you have any improvements, or recommendations that you would incorporate? . ...a "Tee" top for easier installation of a topping lift? Upgraded hardware? Tell me where to sip the FORSTERS Lager Connie Benneck M15 #400 LEPPO Glastonbury, CT _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
