Partners Supplier

[thatboatguy]

Hi all,

I've been lurking for a while and I have a question I hope you guys can help with. I'm looking for a supplier for aluminum partners fittings used on Pearson 365 sailboat main masts.

This is a picture of the old one.

Actually something better than the aluminum collar would be nice...

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,

George Huffman

[Bob Pingel]

Could this be replaced with SparTite? www.spartite.com

Bob Pingel

[Ian McColgin]

I don't think spartight a good replacement for the partners. Given the potential damage to the deck and substructure, I'd give some thought to having a good fabricator make up a new collar.

The question I'd have first is how the collar fits to whatever holds it in place and distributes the loads out to the gunnel.

When you have the fabricator make your new collar, have him give it a little taper such that the bottom is slightly smaller than the top. Make the wedges of the same taper but starting a bit thinner than the bottom of the gap and going to a bit wider than the top. That way, the wedges will land evenly along both the mast surface and the collar, properly spreading the strain.

Wedges are far easier to get in and out than a spartight unit unless the spartight slides easily on the mast. For stepping the mast, you want a nice big enough hole in the partners to give wiggle room to get the heel of the mast into the step. For unstepping you still want the wiggle room because anything other than a perfect pick will cause the mast, spartight and collar all bind, which may be how this unit was damaged in the first place.

G'luck

[Brion Toss]

I'll just add that this is an opportunity to optimize the partners, in terms of mast rake and bend. I'd cut the hole for the new partners generously, to allow for ooching the mast forward (the most likely need, to start a prebend), or aft or sideways. Partners are often not placed optimally, and sometimes that means off-center. Spartite is particularly useful when the mast isn't exactly centered in the hole, as custom wedges tend to be dear. I agree with Ian that wedges are easier to get in and out, but unless unstepping is a frequent exercise, this hardly seems an advantage.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Brian Duff]

I actually worked for a guy for a while that said that the mast should always be centered in the partners. I tried explaining how it is better to begin the rig tune with the partners free, and set the masthead where you want it , adjsut the mast at partners for pre bend, block (or spartite) then compress the rib , but he didn't believe me and I was force to always center rigs in partners till I got outta there. What nuts !

Did you check out Rig-Rite for the partners collar. They might have one.

I would follow Brion and Ian's advice and hire a fabricator to build a new one, that could maybe better suit the boat and rig. I think you will find that billet aluminum fabrications should out-last castings on a sailboat...IMHO