Hobie 21 mast repair

I need to repair my mast for my Hobie 21 SE mast. The previous owner dropped the mast and put a small dent and slight bend in the mast. The mast is no longer available and a replacement would cost appx 3000 so repair is the way to go.

My idea;
about 1 meter long
sleeve the mast with a ud glass/carbon, epoxy, vacuumed sleeve
layup would be
600gm ud glass
3x 280 bd carbon
600gm ud glass

This would be formed from a mold formed inside the mast and the vacuum molded.

'then it would be epoxied and riveted inside the mast.

Doe this sound like it would work?

Bob

 

Careful with carbon and aluminum..they are not friends.

I guess you can make a composite repair to an Aluminum mast . It the damage were at the butt or mast head it would be easy. If its in the middle, a repair might be problematic.

Ive never seen it done.

Perhaps you could wrap your laminate stack around an inflatable bladder...insert this glass wraped bladder into the mast tube...inflate and cure.

do a Test run on a pvc pipe first to perfect the bladder arangement

Your bond to the aluminum will always be suspect.

 

I have heard of this type of repair before but can't get info. The outer layer of glass will insulate the alu/carbon. Gluing with epoxy to Lau has been done for years. Selden (and other rigging co's) have been sleeping alu masts with composites for years so it can be done. I just can't find any info on schedules for layouts.

Bob

 

The problem with bonding is that the surface must be prepared correctly. Clean of oxidation and typically acid etched.

You might post a specific thread on inflation molding . Im sure there are tricks of the trade.

Ive only done it primitively when making simple eglass bent tubes.... using a bicycle innertube, peel ply then glass stack... pvc pipe as a mold, then splitting the pipe off with a Fien multi tool. It works...hard to remove the peel ply

 

You are better of gluing with MMA glue (ITW Plexus for instance).

You might get away with a round tube, which fits in the aluminium mast. Blind rivet and glue it in.

 

Thanks Herman for the MMA advice. That is what I'll use to bond the sleeve inside the mast. Any advice on the layup? The mast has square type profile so a round tube won't work.

Bob

 

Are you sure the mast section isn't available. Check with Dwyer Mast.