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S&S Swan Maintenance - Spinnaker Pole rail
10 January 2022 - 19:53
#1
Join Date: 25 July 2008
Posts: 30

Spinnaker Pole rail

Swan 47 hull 59,  

Dear All,

I would like to have your advices and experience concernning the spinnaker pole rail. 

The screw holes on the mast (see picture 1 ) are under galvanic corrosion since many years and have become to big to screw the stainles steel bolts.  The rail is not well fitted and this has led to three breakage of the rail under spinaker.   

I see the following options:

Option 1:

make new holes above the actual holes and just transltate the rail sligthly,  question: would this new set of holes reduce the mast strength?

Option 2:

replace the screws with aluminium pop rivet, question:what kind of pop rivet and would this be strong enough when using the spinnaker pole?

Option 3:

Increase the size of the screws and therefore rethread the mast hole/ or insert on the mast a double filet tube (see picture 2)

Option 4: 

weld an aluminium plate and make new holes on this plate.

Other idea???

This problem will also be seen on the boom end and in many places where a stainless steel bolds are screwed on an aluminium plate.

I am confident that our wonderfull community has expereienced this trouble although I did not find any threat with spinnaker pole rail.

Looking forward at reading your advices.

Ludovic de Meeûs

Rumtrader

Pic 1 screw holes on the mast

Pic 2 Double filet tube

11 January 2022 - 08:58
#2
Join Date: 02 January 2008
Posts: 1547

Dear Ludovic
The recommendation is to use Heli-coil inserts, they are developed particularly for damaged aluminium threads. If you want to open the screws later, in addition put Tef-Gel on them.
Kind regards
Lars

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