I am looking for info. (problem solving). I need to rethink how to handle making a mast for my 16 ft daysailer (Thats my picture on the "Whats New" page showing the swing keel/centerboard box). I had originally planned on using a 23 ft spruce pole obtained from a neighbor's yard. Unfortunately, it has cracked and checked badly over the previous winter and this summer. The cracking is so deep (1/2" plus that the upper 8 ft is useless. My plans call for a mast @ 23 ft. tall. I still want to use a sloop rig as apposed to a gaff rig.
What can I do to get the full length of mast while still making it trailerable. 23 ft is just too long to handle in terms of weight with stays, wires, etc, and going around corners. I think that other motorists and law enforcement would look beyond the obvious beauty 
of the hull and ignore the mast swinging dangerously into the other lanes on curves.
of the hull and ignore the mast swinging dangerously into the other lanes on curves.I have been contemplating an articulating mast or possibly sleeving it in two parts but am having problems with manufacturing possibilities. Any suggestions out there?
Could I leave a mast stump (stepped) of about 5 ft and articulate or sleeve it? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Andy
Kind of depends on how handy you are. You could build a solid mast from spruce or cedar (cedar is much lighter, spruce is slightly stronger) 4x4's scarfed together and trimmed. This is probably the quickest way to get a mast. You could also build a hollow mast with soild blocking at the base, masthead and where the spreaders are going to connect.This is slower but results in a superior mast. In either case, you could put a folding tabernacle with a lock pin just above any structure you may have and the mast will fold down the length of the hull with the shrouds still connected. The boom SHOULD have a gooseneck on it that will allow it to fold up to the mast. HTH, Frank
ReplyDeleteThanks Frank: I have thought about your suggestions. I can't use a solid mast (one continuous 22 footer) because of the length. The tabernacle idea seems to be the best route. As this is just a small daysailer and would only be trailered any distance about a dozen times a year, I am contemplating combining a tabernacle setup along with actually unstepping the lower portion when trailering. That way I could have a longer base portion of say 5', which would leave me with a 17' upper mast which could be laid the full length of the boat. Hmmmm... Thanks for your help... Andy
ReplyDeleteI agree on the solid one piece mast but you could also put a tabernacle in the solid mast, making it a two piece. Tabernacles on a mast that size are not hard at all. you basically cut the mast just above the boom gooseneck and put a strap hinge on the back of the mast at that point (you may have to cut the hinge into the mast). You then put another strap hinge on the front of the mast that doesn't have a pin at the pivot point. If you made a hollow mast (or maybe even solid with this length), you should be able to grab the jib stay and walk the mast up into place. Clip on the jib stay, walk back and put the pin in the front strap hinge, then tighten any shrouds as necessary. You're ready to enjoy. Frank
ReplyDeleteMan--a 23-foot mast on a 16-footer; better have a pretty good lead shoe on that slipper! Suggest using alder 3/4" molding in 1x3 dimension to make strips for a hollow mast using bird's mouth joinery. You can make a solid "plug" at any point in the mast, and (using the tabernacle idea just explained) fold it up to any length(s) desired. If the tabernacle idea's tough to manage, how about a pair of steel sleeves at the 1/3 and 2/3 points of the mast (leaving 2' solid through the deck) so that the lengths would only be 7" each? Just a guess, but I'd expect you could get--or have fabricated--stainless sleeves that could just fit the taper you build into your hollow mast, so that they fit together rather like a fishing rod? Four-footer sleeves ought to do it. JR
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions: The "slipper" is 1/4" boiler plate (@ 3'7" x 1'9"), made from you guessed it, a commercial hot water boiler. The mast is actually only 22' and only carries about 130 sf of sail as designed (including jib). The designer is Edwin Monk who was most notably active in the boat design field in the late 20's to early 40's. If you go to Phil's website listed earlier in this discussion you will see that she handles quite nicely and sails well. Thanks, Andy
ReplyDeleteOops, my mistake, the website is actually sited in the 16' daysailer discussion started by wbphil. Andy
ReplyDeleteI used a variation of the tabernakle, really just a simple hinged/pinned connection, this photo is to far away- http://www.pmaynard.lunarpages.com/index_files/image029.gif
ReplyDeletethis photo is a close up of the bottom of the mast. http://www.pmaynard.lunarpages.com/temp/P6270129.JPG
I used doug fir 4X4 left square for the bottom end which ends just above the deck and it has 2 metal plates on each side that extend up to recieve the bottom end of the upper mast which has a metal fitting I made from a piece of 3" mild steel pipe I cut with a sawz-all. The pipe was soft enough I could hammer it to make a good fit to the wood. It wraps the bottom end of the mast with through bolts - very strong. To rig it, I lay the mast down the center of the boat, pin the upper and lower section, attach the side stays and they walk the mast upright. While holding the mast upright I keep tension on the forestay and then attach it with a quick release snap shakle. I can rig it myself easily. I was not able to get a clear doug fir 4X4 long enough, I scarfed together a piece from 2 shorter pieces. I have used this rig for I guess 6 years now without any problem.