Bent mast

I have a slight bend in my mast. When I Run a string from end to end there is about a 1 and 9/16" gap from the string to the mast. The bend is about 7 feet from the bottom. How much of a problem is this? Will it make it hard to tack one way? Should I try to fix it? It is a slow bend, but I dont want it to get worse. On the other hand It is useable right now and I don't want to make it worse by trying to fix it. What do you think?

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I wish winter was not so long in Sask. Canada. It's hard to sail on ice! 1984 16' hobie cat Sail# 84848

Here is what I have done it the past for a bend in a mast very similar to the one you described.

I parked two vehicle equipped with trailer hitches side by side laid the mast behind the vehicles and under the trailer hitches, with the center of the bend centered between the two.
Then I positioned an automotive floor jack under the center of the bend.
Place a flat block of wood, preferrably a 2 x 6 or so to act as a buffer between the metal edges of the floor jack and the mast itself.
Start jacking the floor jack until the mast contacts the trailer hitches and then apply upward pressure until the mast is actually bowed a bit upward.
Take a measurement from the ground to the sail track, or some other point that you can easily check each time you apply the upward pressure.
then release and check to see if you applied enough pressure to straighten the mast. If not, reposition everything and have another go at it, putting a bit more upward bow in the mast. Then take another measurement, release the pressure and recheck to see if the mast is getting straighter. It is a bit of a time consuming process, but it is an easy way to apply controlled pressure to the mast so that you don't dent it, kink it, damage it, or over bend it in the other direction. You can also use a bottle jack, but it is much more difficult to keep everything lined up and balanced. You may be suprized at how much you will need to counter bend the mast to get it to straighten back out, but it can be done.
Just be patient and careful as you go and you will be pleased with the results.

An alternate method is to place it on blocks over a point that you can attach a ratcheting strap or a come along and once again apply controlled pressure to the bend in the mast until you get it straightened out.

I have heard of bouncing up and down on the mast or placing it between two trees and trying to "unbend" it by pulling against the end of the mast, but using those methods makes it a bit harder to control the amount of "corrective action" and the possibility of overdoing it go up by a siginificant factor.

I hope that my explaination makes some sense, and good luck.

Thanks, That sounds like a good way to go about it.

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I wish winter was not so long in Sask. Canada. It's hard to sail on ice! 1984 16' hobie cat Sail# 84848