Bow rail pennant mast

Ramblin Reck

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My 1988 Grady 22 Seafarer has a hole in the rail with a set screw to a pennant mast. The factory does not sell them. Anyone know where I can get a replacement ?
 

Ramblin Reck

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There are a few of them out there.
The one I am looking for mounts in a predrilled hole in the rail "connector" where the bow rail joins together in the forward part of the boat. It also has a set screw in it to keep the mast from falling out. The hole I am guessing is probably 1/2" diameter
 

seasick

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I have the same fitting. Like a few have said, masts in different lengths are available in most marine stores. Now for my not so funny story about theses masts and the Grady fitting.
The set screw tends to loosen up over time which it had done on several occasions. On a trip years ago, I was cruising and thought the pennant mast looked a bit loose. Ok, I'll check that when I get back to the dock. At about the same time, I went to WOT to clean off the hull, something I often do on the way back to the slip. All of a sudden I felt something soft hit my head. At first I was in shock, I thought it was a bird but after a few seconds, I saw that my flag and mast were gone. I looked back and watched it sink in my wake. The good news is that I could have been easily hurt or my windshield could have been smashed. I don't use that mast arrangement anymore without a wire tether to hold the mast should it come loose in the socket.
 
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glacierbaze

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Same thing happened to me. Got on plane, looked back for some reason, and just had a split second to duck when I turned back around, as the mast and pennant bounced off the top frame of the windshield, and right past my ear. Could have been a serious injury, or worse. No more bow mast for me!
 

seasick

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Same thing happened to me. Got on plane, looked back for some reason, and just had a split second to duck when I turned back around, as the mast and pennant bounced off the top frame of the windshield, and right past my ear. Could have been a serious injury, or worse. No more bow mast for me!
Thanks for sharing you experience, It makes me feel less dumb
 

Fishtales

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not a fan of a bow flag. the story of the flying mast sealed the deal for me. not worth the trouble.
 

bartoma

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not a fan of a bow flag. the story of the flying mast sealed the deal for me. not worth the trouble.
It's a mixed bag... Like representing The Institute, but it is a distraction when the spotlight is on...
 
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bartoma

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The pole is clamp-on - I think I picked one up at West Marine...

The flag is a birthday present from the Bookstore... They last about three years or so...
 
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Ramblin Reck

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Thanks Since my Bow rail already has a 1/2" hole predrilled in it, I prefer to use the staff that is held in the hole by a set screw. I feel fairly confident that by getting a longer set screw, and drilling a hole in the staff itself so that the set screw will penetrate the staff, will prevent what some above have described as the "Flying Mast & Flag". This would be a little neater than using a safety wire to keep it from being lost if the set screw did come loose. And since I now have a hard top added to my 1988 Seafarer, I also have a windscreen to prevent spray and flying objects from entering the cockpit.

BTW we called the GT Bookstore which had a cafeteria connected to it, "The Robbery" back in the 1950's! You may have heard the story of the chain being run thru all of the satchel handles and then the whistle blew the five minute warning to get to class. Chaos, Panic & Bedlam resulted! The prankster was never caught!