Our main past pad is nearly nonexistent now. Plan to change it in NZ. The shrouds are still incredibly tight, on the lee side as well.  I suspect a slight loosening of the forestay. When changing load directions there is a small shimmy in the boat which I suspect is new, but I doubt myself. 

Regardless, the rig seems tight and integrous (with a magnifying glass at the shroud based) but plan on a change in NZ, the primary reason being this pad, and going into the 10th year new wire seems prudent. 

I am considering doing the rewire myself, ordering the ACMO and then having a rigger check my work vs, since I have to get a crane to lift the mast, just have the whole thing done by a rigger- wire and all. 

The only reason I have to pull the mast is this mast pad: has anyone seen the Martinique gizmo that obviates that need in order to replace the pad?  

Any experience with rerigging one’s self?

Any suggestions for a rigger around Auckland?  

As always thanks for your help. This forum is such a wonderful resource. 

Porter McRoberts 

A54-152

Vava’u Tonga

Excuse the errors.  

Sent from my IPhone 

Www.fouribis.com

On Sep 19, 2019, at 6:54 AM, ngtnewington Newington via Groups.Io <ngtnewington@...> wrote:

Hi Arno,

Did the guys in Martinique actually tell you the pad was to dampen the load on the deck when pounding?

I can not imagine that there will really be any give in it, after the rig is tensioned. The worst thing for a mast is for it to go slack and then tight again. If the pad really is for that purpose then that is what would happen, obviously to a very small degree. The compression load on that mast base must be immense. If we say that the rigging is tensioned to 50% of the wire strength and work out the angles, the downward vector of all the shroud tensions added together must be in the order of 50-100 tons. (very quick mental arithmetic)

Although Amels are very well constructed there must be much more spring in the whole structure of the boat than that 5mm plate. All boats bend a little, which is most of the reason that when sailing in a stiff breeze there is much less tension on the leeward shrouds. That and the stretch the wire itself, which is actually quite a lot.

I do not know for sure but I think the pad is to prevent the paint on the base of the mast from chipping. As you point out it is interesting to note that the mizzen plate lasts longer. Maybe that is not from less compression but because it is less exposed to sun and sea. It is interesting, and I would like to know for sure.

Nick

Amelia 

AML54-019

On 18 Sep 2019, at 18:19, Arno Luijten <arno.luijten@...> wrote:

Hi Ruedi,
Strange answer you have got from Amel as the crew in Martinique has even build a special rig to replace the pad with a standing mast. It is meant to dampen the forces of the mast on the deck when sailing turbulent seas. Mine was replaced when I bought the boat (July 2018), nine years old. The one under the mizzen does not receive much pounding so it stays much better over time.

Regards,

Arno
SV Luna,
A54-121