Anonymous wrote:
Bonsoir Jacques
The mast step should be made of plywood and epoxy to spred the load of the pylonning mast (shoppy sea) to the hull.
The tube is more an alternative or a complement to the reinforcement at deck level.
The tube goes from the mast step to the deck and above; as it is on a Laser. It is an elegant way to build a stuck. It prevent any water ingress at deck level. It uses the two plywood vertical reinforcements under the forward berth to spred the efforts.
Of course, a water drain should be available at the mast step.
I agree that there is a risk of corosion but normally the aluminium tube should not be in contact with water and even less with salty water. This tube should be in a dry zone protected by the waterproff mast colar, at the stuck level. Of course a drain should be installed at the bottom of the tube to let any water or condensation out.
As both tubes, the mast and the partner are in aluminium, the risk of electrolysis should be minimal.
Eric
PS : My knowledge is academic and ingeneering! I don't have any experience hands on in this domain !
Hi, I have recently made a mast partner for an aluminium mast, which is an aluminium tube as you describe here. I did have concerns about corrosion between the mast and the tube and used something called anti seize assembly paste, essentially some sort of grease, to decrease the risk. Seawater always seems to find a way in! I do have a drain hole in the plywood base of the mast step which drains into the bilge.