Hi all,
I bought my first beach cat the other day and one of the principal problems I'm working through is the mast step bushing. The mystere has a cast aluminium ball and a cast aluminium mast base, but the socket has a flat top, which means the normal hobie 16 cookie doesn't work.
Does anyone know what goes in here? Mine is worn badly from not using a bushing; I will need to build it up with the tig and grind it down.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2TSQvmjLj8Jj67DSA
Mystere 5.5 Mast ball bushing
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- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Aug 11, 2019
- Last visit: Jul 03, 2021
- Posts: 3
Posted: Jun 30, 2021 - 02:51 AM
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- Rank: Master Chief
- Registered: Jun 20, 2006
- Last visit: Apr 06, 2024
- Posts: 7088
Posted: Jun 30, 2021 - 12:44 PM
there is the perfect item for your mystere mast ball
a 20oz gator aid lid
there is a Stainless steel component to the old mystere ball - there should also be a stainless steel insert in your mast base. this is your actual pivot point.
the ball being grinded down isn't that big a deal -most of the pressure is on that SS pivot point and grinding away will stop at some point.
my mysteres are both ground down like this
i had my beams worked on a few years ago (grind down, new alum added where needed, painted) and i asked my spar builder/rigger about building up my mast ball - he said "don't do it - not worth it - will grind away again and your SS is the pivot (he owned several mystere's in his day)
the only time it becomes a real issue is when using a stepping pin may be unusable and line needs to be used instead since the mast is a bit lower on the ball -
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Aug 11, 2019
- Last visit: Jul 03, 2021
- Posts: 3
Posted: Jul 03, 2021 - 01:23 AM
I don't know if I can bring myself to use a gatorade lid haha
I removed the stainless circle from the mast base as I was investigating what was under it (a load of corrosion). What was the stainless top like on the ball, was it a spherical cap?
I know you said it doesn't matter, but I just couldn't leave the ball and base all gouged up, I've built them up and I'll grind them down. I'm actually having a UHMWPE bushing made to fit in the mast base. I'll have a load 3d printed in nylon if it's ok.
I know I basically asked for advice then ignored it; but I'm missing the ball stainless piece, so I figured I'd fix the issue completely.
Not made the best these Mysteres, but I'm in Canada and beggers can't be choosers at the moment.
Cheers,
Dylan
