IainO
Pro 
Member #: 153 Posts 93
Registered: 23-2-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Closer to the sea now
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 posted on 11-12-2003 at 23:22 |
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Jammed Mast Extension, Advice?
I've managed to get a mast extension well and truly stuck in a mast and everything I've tried has come to nothing.
It's a Tushingham 400 RDM with a RADZ skinny mast extension. It got stuck after a sailing session in Skegness (very coarse sand) and I
stupidly left it a few weeks before trying to remove it.
Tried the boom clamped to the mast and managed to twist the mast extension (extremely difficult) but could not manage to get them
apart. Soaked the whole lot in WD40 and tried again but still no luck.
Tried lots of other stuff and have even gone as far as anchoring the mast extension to a fixed point, placing a brace round the mast
extension collar and hammering the brace to shift the mast; all to no avail.
The mast has only been used a few times so if anybody has any ideas I would be most grateful.
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Shaka
Hot shot
Member #: 252 Posts 63
Registered: 24-6-2003 Location: London Member Is Offline Mood: Frustrated - im working
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| posted on 12-12-2003 at 08:40 |
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The only thing i can suggest is to put a screw driver through the extension holes (if possible, unfornatnatley i dont know that
extension) and use the screw driver as a handle and get someone to brace the mast.
Your not trying to pull the extension out but twist it inside the mast so it grinds the sand down which should allow you to pull the
extension out. Good luck!
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shawn
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 403 Posts 255
Registered: 15-10-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Chilled
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| posted on 12-12-2003 at 09:31 |
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Yep - the boom on and screw driver through the extension technique (and a bunch of yer biggest mates) ususally works for me. If you
don't have a hole going through the extension, get yerself a decent drill and make one - I've done it to both my extensions, and
although I was initially concerned about making them weaker I've not had any problems, and they have had a lot of hammering over the
years.
Don't have a cow man!
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IainO
Pro
Member #: 153 Posts 93
Registered: 23-2-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Closer to the sea now
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| posted on 12-12-2003 at 13:35 |
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Tried that one already. It's stuck so fast that no one could hold the mast tight enough.
I ended up with a boom clamp fixed as tight as possible round the mast ferrule (for maximum torque) and a screw driver through the
extension with the boom arm over the handle of the screw driver for maximum leverage. I fixed the boom clamp to a lampost and was only
just able to turn the mast extension with the boomarm/screwdriver lever. It did work loose but only rotationally, it wouldn't budge any
further out of the mast.
Just as an aside the mast is 100% carbon and the extension is alloy, does this cause some sort of dissimilar material corrosion when
mixed with salt water and sand?
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adam
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| posted on 12-12-2003 at 15:01 |
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Lots of people on each section and twist. This is the best way to shift a stuck mast, problem with the extension there may not be
enough room to hold on to it. Could try attaching the mast + extension to your board and then twisting the mast (again few people) but
don't blame me if you break your UJ! 
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Ian
Hot shot 
Member #: 29 Posts 64
Registered: 4-8-2002 Location: Land Locked Member Is Offline Mood: Chilled as hell
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| posted on 13-12-2003 at 03:23 |
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The other thing to try is flushing water down the end of the mast whilst gently tapping the mast extension with a hammer or using the
screwdriver through the holes. I found that works may take some time but its worked in the end.
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shawn
A Force-of-Nature *
Member #: 403 Posts 255
Registered: 15-10-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Chilled
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| posted on 17-12-2003 at 09:02 |
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Alternatively you could run over it in the car and claim a new one on yer insurance, but that's a bit dodgy innit? Couldn't possibly
recommend it....
In fact - would it be covered on yer insurance anyway, without actually having to take to it in your car?
Don't have a cow man!
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badexcuseforasailor
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| posted on 17-12-2003 at 11:55 |
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How about someone else running over it? not your insurance then
http://brogboroughlake.windsurf.me.uk/
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IainO
Pro
Member #: 153 Posts 93
Registered: 23-2-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Closer to the sea now
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| posted on 17-12-2003 at 13:22 |
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Unfortunately I've just put in a claim for ditching my rig on Saturday after getting trashed in the waves at Bigbury. That was my
other skinny mast so I'm back to using normal ones now.
Seems a waste of the mast when its in perfectly good condition apart from the now broken extension stuck fast in it. I'll try the
flushing water Ian mentioned but I'm not sure if there's a bung in the mast.
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zebedee23
Hot shot
Member #: 488 Posts 33
Registered: 30-12-2003 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 30-12-2003 at 09:37 |
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I got my mast jammed together on christmas eve - sprayed wd40 into it and trickled some 3 in 1 around it, did the same next day, got 2
people to hold the skinny end and I held the widest bottom part for maximum grip and it came apart - still took a fair bit of effort
but the WD40 had clearly penetrated all the way down. To he who waits....
Terrible session though - was out at Allonby and it was a nice strong consistent wind but as it was my first time out since about
August and the sea temp took a bit of getting used to - all I managed to do was 2 planing runs and a whole bunch of effort spent
waterstarting. A session like that is always worthwile though as it proves how often you need to go to maintain a standard, never mind
improve!
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IainO
Pro
Member #: 153 Posts 93
Registered: 23-2-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Closer to the sea now
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| posted on 3-2-2004 at 22:00 |
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Thanks for all the suggestions, I've tried them all to no avail. I even went as far as taking the bung out of the ferrule, sliding in
some old boom extension poles (they just fit) then, winding in a black and decker work bench to support the bottom of the mast, I tried
hammering the extension out. It's stuck that fast that the work bench split and the extension did not budge
So I've now come to accept that the mast is set for my 4.7. Struggled to get the boom ends out of the mast. Took it out for a
tentative trial on Sunday (praying that all the hammering hasn't caused any point impact delamination) and it seems ok after loads of
big jumps
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vdubs
Grommet
Member #: 806 Posts 11
Registered: 4-6-2004 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 4-6-2004 at 11:53 |
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Not tried this but maybe cool the mast extension (Ice, or plummers freezer in a spray can) and then poor hot/boiling water over the
mast then give it loads of welly. Careful with the boiling water tho again not sure what effect that has on carbon!?
Might be worth a try
Keith
www.vdubs.freeuk.com
vdubs@freeuk.com
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perk
Member
Member #: 1117 Posts 1
Registered: 27-11-2004 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 27-11-2004 at 17:07 |
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jammed mast extension
just found this message board whilst looking for some advice on how to get my radz extension out of my tushingham 370 rdm mast! pretty
similar problem! dunno if there is some sort of carbon/alloy (or tushy/radz?!) corrosion thing going on, but i got it stuck once before
and when i managed to get it out it the extension covered in black carbon residue.
brute force worked that time but this time nothing is gonna shift this puppy. problem is i have sold the sail i set it on and now it is
pretty much useless to me.
oh well c'est la vie i guess.
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Tim
Hot shot 
Member #: 238 Posts 39
Registered: 1-6-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Not enough time to do it all.
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| posted on 7-3-2005 at 12:32 |
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I had this problem once with a C45. Carelessly I got sand in the extension top and forgot to clear it properly before assembly. I tried
all the above WD40 soaking, push up and down etc. In the end I gave in and used brute force.
I clamped the mast-foot into a solid vice in my garage. Then I used a wrap of rags and a 2' monkey wrench (plumbers stilson- the type
with deep pipe gripping serrations) around the mast. It turned and came off after a lot of sweat and effort. The trick was to turn and
pull at the same time. I used the wrench on mast over the area where the foot was so as to avoid crush damage. It was risky and heavy
handed but what else to do? It's fine now and no cracks either......
It was an adaptation of the old bike seat pin stuck in the seat tube of my race bike from years ago. Then I wrote off the seatpin and
kept the frame!
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kelvin
A Force-of-Nature ** 
Member #: 148 Posts 356
Registered: 22-2-2003 Location: s.wales Member Is Offline Mood: waiting 4 next blow
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| posted on 7-3-2005 at 16:32 |
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one more tip , WD40 is useless at freeing salt corroded parts
but a better alternative is that and available cheap is vinegar .
trust me also works a treat on old coins , ha,ha,
Kel www.winsurfing.co.uk
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mNeil
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| posted on 7-3-2005 at 18:31 |
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oh dear Kelvin has just beaten me to the scieantific appraoch, now if you had asked neil!
yep a good soak in vinegar followed by cooling the whole lot outside when really cold the expanding the outer section with hot water
or even hairdryer then a bit of brute force. unfortunately aluminiun corodes in salt water and forms a thick layer of oxide which will
bond filling the tiny fractures in the carbon.
one thing is assured though; you are less likely to do it again! 
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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zebedee23
Hot shot
Member #: 488 Posts 33
Registered: 30-12-2003 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 8-3-2005 at 09:26 |
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but surely this corrosion can't occur in as short a time as one session on the water?
Quite often the problem is grit gets in the join, the downhaul locks everything together and you can't overcome the friction - thats
what happened to mine, had to bring the mast back whole and pointing out of the window and I'm sure wd40 helped to penetrate past the
grit and get everything nice and slidy
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dunk
A Force-of-Nature *** 
Member #: 570 Posts 606
Registered: 2-3-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Spaced out
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| posted on 8-3-2005 at 13:39 |
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Dude,
Try some washing up liquid down the mast, then the twist 'n' pull, if it doesn't work, it'll smell nice!
If that doesn't work, I'm not sure how much of the collar goes into the mast, but if its only a cm you maybe able to just cut it off
around the mast just above the collar. Then with the extention out just cut the stuck bit off the collar. Most masts don't change
diameter over that much.
Don't blame me if it does though!
[Edited on 8-3-2005 by dunk]
KITE / SAIL REPAIRS
http://www.jonnieeisler.com
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Hans@BW
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 680 Posts 150
Registered: 1-5-2004 Location: Land Locked! Member Is Offline Mood: Need some waves..... :-(
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| posted on 8-3-2005 at 23:42 |
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IainO
How much of the extension is inside the mast?
Hans.
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dunk
A Force-of-Nature ***
Member #: 570 Posts 606
Registered: 2-3-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Spaced out
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| posted on 9-3-2005 at 10:05 |
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Hans,
It won't be the whole extension that's stuck, just the collar.
You need to cut around the mast carefully, not through the extension just above the collar. The whole thing should come out with the
bit of mast still stuck on the collar. Then cut lenght ways on the bit of mast to remove it from the collar.
It does depend on how much of the collar goes into the mast, as if you have to take too much of to remove the extesion the collar may
not fit back in the mast.
I've hacked the bottom off and made a 430 into a 400 in the past and its till worked ( not a skinny though)
Dunk
KITE / SAIL REPAIRS
http://www.jonnieeisler.com
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