Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
Harry Krause wrote:

wrote in message
ups.com...
Additional photos of the rebuild and refit project are now at:

http://www.pbase.com/gould/extreme_makeover

Things are beginning to go back together rapidly. Bow thruster
scheduled to go in next week.
With any luck will be launching in two weekends.

There will be a new aluminum mast and boom installed. I suppose the
yard has this all figured out, but just in case,........

1) The painted aluminum mast will be stepped into a bronze fitting.
With dissimilar metals in contact there is a potential for
electrolysis. Being a stinkpotter and therefore relatively
inexperienced with masts, what precautions, if any, should one take?

2) The old wooden mast wasn't much of a lightning hazard, but the new
mast would serve as an excellent conductor in the event of a lightning
strike. Ideas for grounding? Is it important to ground it?\


Thanks for the update and photos! Hope to see the boat in person on
the water sometimw! Dan



Nylon bushings and washers.

Harry,
This seems like a great and easy solution, but I would question the
strength and longevity of the bushing and washers, both from stress
fatigue and UV degradation. I know they have made advances in nylon and
plastic but I still would be leery of this w/o follow up by some
experts. I don't know the answer, but if this was a viable long term
solution, I would think it would be standard on new sailboats.

Chuck,
I can be guilty of over engineering a solution, so I only have to do a
project once, but I would contact sailboat and trawler mfger's or even
your boatyard (you must have a lead or two) and ask for their
recommendations. My ignorant uneducated solution would be to separate
the two problems and solve each separately. I would see if quality
caulk to keep water and oxygen away from the dissimilar metals would be
a viable long term solution. Then use a lighting dissipators at the top
of the mast to reduce the risk of lightning.

http://www.fourwinds-ii.com/lightning/lightning.htm


I have always liked the look of a classic trawler and this will turn
heads on the water.


I hope you know I mean YOUR BOAT will turn heads, not the lighting
dissipator.