2015 AI: Check Your Downhaul Plate's Rivets

Took the sail off to do some needlework on it.

Putting it back on, I found this:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1081497986 ... 5344680178
https://picasaweb.google.com/1081497986 ... 2957521394

That's the plastic plate that is inside of the downhaul hook.

Looks like a material quality issue to me because this sail has less than a year of use on it.

I would have expected stainless steel, but that looks more like pot metal - not that I actually know what "Pot Metal" is..... but just that it looks really cheap.

Also, I could see where the rivets were wearing the mast: https://picasaweb.google.com/1081497986 ... 5530119426 .... Doesn't look like much in the pic, but when I run my thumb along that area I can feel the grooves....... Had a windsurfing mast fail in that mode where a batten was doing the same deed. .... In this case, the plastic surface of the plate may limit the depth of the grooves.... but still.... not a pretty sight.

Replaced the rivet with something of more marine-grade matrial and electrical-taped a sacrificial layer around the mast.

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
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