HT mast position

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  • 9th November 2007 at 12:56 pm #10990

      Hello HT friends,
      I am looking for a HT built 1978 – 1980.
      A few weeks ago I saw a HT with the mast measuring 8 -10 cm.
      The plate of the mast is approx about 1 cm over the edge of the roofof the salon.
      The owner told me that the roof of the salon was to week and therefore he placed the mast in the direction
      of the cockpit.
      The inside of the roof was supported by a metal pipe that reached into the Nacelle.
      My Questions :
      Are there any possibilities to strenghten the salonroof from the inside, for example by using large laminated
      Polyester mats which are placed over the entire width?
      Could the Sprayhood and the Bimini still be fitted if the mast is placed 10 cm to the cockpit?

      I look forward to your reply
      Thanks in advance

      Kind regards

      12th November 2007 at 3:16 pm #11586

        Hi, quite a few HTs have a box steel frame fitted around the door providing support for the mast step. I've just put one in myself and should you buy your boat I can send you the sketches… bill

        13th November 2007 at 3:42 pm #11587

          Hi Bill,
          thank you for your answer.
          The catamaran Quintett, that I have seen ist a MK III built in 1978.
          I have red that late Mk III have additional reenforcement under mast/above saloon door.
          Is that the box steel frame ? Is it strong enough that it good works?
          I am a little bit frightenend that I buy a bad HT which I only can use as a motorboat on the French Channels.

          Volker

          13th November 2007 at 4:56 pm #11588

            Dear Volker & Bills

            First Volker I don't think I have heard of a mast failure due to this reason. HT's are supposed to be very safe , even if they are getting older. My HT does not seem to be having a problem there but then I havent spent much time on her. Billis I would also love to get your scketches just in case.
            By the way, I have a sliding acsess main entrance which I think is a pain but maybe it gives extra support as the frame is double the width.

            Steve

            15th November 2007 at 7:59 am #11589

              Dear Steve,
              thank you for your contribution, that gives me confidence in older HTs.
              I think I have to find out all the weak points of these lovely boats.
              Perpaps I can get help from other owners who know where to look when buying an older one.

              Volker

              18th November 2007 at 4:07 am #11590

                Hi, Steve I'm in New York until christmas, can send sketches when I return, remind me!

                Volker, bear in mind that these HTs are nearly 30 years old, and many will be showing their age. Common problems, rot in the wooden crossbeams under the cockpit floor, rot in bulkheads (sometimes under fibreglass), leaking forward deck lockers (which itself can cause problems in the main transverse forward bulkhead). May also have poor fibreglassing in interior, deteriorating woodwork, electrics and skin fittings, weathering of deck and hull gelcoat.. ho hum don't want to put you off!! But none of this is unfixable although you may spend more time fixing than sailing. Bear in mind that even a good surveyor may miss some of these problems since they will be concealed under veneers/carpets/joinery… or your surveyor may be ******* useless like mine and miss the lot. But HT owners love their boats anyway so it's still worth it. bill s

                20th November 2007 at 4:05 am #11591

                  we must have had the same surveyor ;0)

                  23rd November 2007 at 1:48 pm #11592

                    Hi Bill s,
                    You haven`t put me off !!
                    OK, 30 years is a long time , but if all is to repair and does not cost to much,I think for me it is it worth too !
                    Where else can you get a 26 f catamaran with two rooms, a kitchen, a small floorboard and a bathroom too,
                    furthermore with terace and balcony.
                    Since I have sailed on a HT I fellt in love with this nice boat !
                    Regards
                    Volker

                    26th November 2007 at 12:46 pm #11593

                      Hi Volker
                      I've seen a HT26 with extra strengthening in the roof. An extra iron beam was bolted under the ceiling. The rooftop was bent downward because of the pressure of the mast. If I were to have that problem I would surely make a solid support under the mast too.
                      1.I would make a frame around the door (on the inside)
                      2. A crossbar somewhere, where the sittee ends and there support this bar on stainless rods on the floor.
                      3.Then a sturdy bar in between these frames where the mast sits on top.
                      Good luck
                      Juup

                      27th November 2007 at 8:28 pm #11594

                        Hi Volker,

                        When I purchased Camargue (HT MKIII), the previous owner had created a hardwood (Iroko) “A” frame to reinfoce the deck directly underneath the mast. This frame was attached directly to the inside bulkhead by epoxy and was visible when sat in the saloon….but being varnished it didn't stand out. The timber was approx 3″ x 2″ and ran horizontaly above the door frame and had two splayed legs supporting it running down to the top inner edges of the hull where the most strength was found. I owned Camargue for over 10 years and with this arrangement no deck movement in the way of the mast was evident. Unfortunately this modification (or similar) hasn't been done on all other HT's (MK1-3) where this problem is fairly common.

                        Regards

                        Bruce

                        30th November 2007 at 1:45 pm #11595

                          Hi Juup,
                          thank you for your contribution.
                          Sometimes I had considered to buy a newer version,
                          perhaps a MK IV, but I don`t like a solid foredeck !
                          Otherwise the history of the HT´s shows that the
                          MK III have already got a reenforcement undermast/above saloon door.
                          Maybe the later versions of the MK III.
                          The construction you have discribed,I have seen in a
                          similar way built in the HT named Quintet,at a Netherland mooring.But there was the mast additional displaced to the edge of the saloon roof.
                          Regards
                          Volker

                          30th November 2007 at 3:36 pm #11596

                            Hi Bruce,
                            I have seen pictures from Camarque, a really nice HT!
                            I would be proud to own her.
                            It is interisting for me to read, that there are other
                            HTs with this problem.
                            I was frightened that the HT roof could get a irreparable through-going crack that would weaken
                            the whole roof.
                            When I read some offers in the Internet I am a little
                            bit leery and I think it`s better to take up time !!
                            Thank you for your proposal to eliminate the problem.
                            Regards
                            Volker

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