⚠️ Mast base blocks on X-yachts
At Marstrand Big Boat Race this weekend, X-55 Luft called it quits after some breakages Saturday.
One of the most noteworthy, was the jib mast base block pulling straight out of the laminate 😮
On many boats, the mast base blocks are attached to a mast collar and held down by a tie rod. With modern sail- and halyard technology the loads tend to increase, and even on a J/111 we’ve beefed up the hardware to take the loads.
X-yachts have a very clean layout, where the blocks are mounted through single laminate beside the mast collar. This seems to be a weak spot, and I’ve heard similar stories from owners of X-332 and X-40 (below).
It’s easy to fix with a decent backing plate, but could be important to check before cranking that halyard with a new 3Di jib?
