Anyone else had a problem with the gooseneck fitting within the boom; it looks like a casting and has the "bit" poking out of the boom end that that then attaches to the mast with either a pin and clevis ring, or in my case I use a pin from a Pico, to avoid fiddling about with clevis rings.
I was sailing in our local open this weekend and I noticed more play in the boom fitting than usual and then that casting inside the boom had cracked. There was no problems, in that I don't think that Gooseneck has much force on it when it is rigged and the kicker is on. But even so, I need to get it fixed. I am tempted to replace this fitting with a Laser 2000 type gooseneck so that it does not happen again.
I looked up the laser shop, and I think this type of problem may have happened before as I think that the laser web page sells different types of gooseneck depending on when your Stratos was made.
Laser changed the design of the mast (last year I think), so that may explain why there are different goosenecks. You can distinguish the old and new designs because the old mast and boom are black/grey in colour, while the newer design is silver.
i think I know why the gooseneck fitting cracked. It is held together by a pin and clevis ring, and the retaining ring had not been put in properly on manufacture which then looks as though wear had been caused and then a crack. Beware.
Stratos Gooseneck
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 22:16:32
