Mast ball is supplied without drill holes
Attachment with extra-hardened Monel rivets
Mounting instructions at the bottom of the product page.
Fits to any original Dart 18 front beam. Simultaneous replacement of mast foot and mast ball (WS21029) promotes even wear of the foot and ball.
Because over the years the drill holes have shifted, the ball is supplied without drill holes. See below for assembly instructions.
The pin on the head of the ball reduces wear and ensures that the mast turns smoothly during course changes while sailing. Note that the mast foot plate (WS02286) is attached to the mast heel. If the mast does not turn or turns very stiffly over the ball, the mast foot plate is usually missing in the mast heel.
The horizontal opening in the mast ball is intended as a passage for the mast ball pin (WS02055) which is applied during hoisting and lowering of the mast.
Use Monel rivets size 6.4 x 18mm (see accessories below) to attach the mast ball to the beam. Monel is an extra-hardened metal alloy that securely fixes the ball.
Instructions for placing the new mast ball:
The mast foot is supplied without drill holes because the exact location of the drill holes has shifted over the years per boat. To ensure that the mast foot fits every Dart 18, the drill holes are made during assembly.
The easiest way is to follow the step-by-step plan below, starting with making a template based on the old mast ball after removing the old mast ball.
When drilling the new holes, it is important that the new drill holes are made at the same angle as the old drill holes.
Remove the old mast ball from the front beam by drilling out the rivets with a 6mm metal drill with an extra-hardened head. Do this carefully without damaging the original drill holes; the old mast ball is still needed as a template for drilling the new holes.
Take a piece of paper or thin cardboard and press it into the bottom of the old ball. The paper now stands bulging in the cavity of the ball. Mark the exact location of the holes with a pen or pencil.
Place the template in the new ball. For convenience, you can secure the template with a piece of tape.
Drill the new holes with a quality drill at 6.4mm (this is the thickness of the Monel rivets). Make sure to drill the holes at the correct angle; otherwise, the new rivets will not fit through the beam.
To facilitate fastening, you can secure the new mast ball with double-sided tape or glue to the beam. Pay attention to mounting it correctly, not backward. Check if the ball is in the correct position. Press the 6 rivets through the ball and beam in their place.
Secure the rivets with a good rivet tool by pulling the pull pins from the rivets crosswise.
The mast ball is now securely in place and ready for many more sailing pleasures!
