My little piece of peace

[pdwiley]

Any ideas and advice would be greatly appreciated...

I'm no mast expert but fabricating one from timber has been done thousands of times over with a lot less stuff than is available today, so it seems a no-brainer to do it.

The rigging should be dead simple to fabricate too.

You'll need a compression post/ring frame/something under the mast to spread its load. Might be there already?

Comes down to what you expect from the rig and how much you want to spend... on my current figures I expect to get my rig completed for well less than $10K doing most of it myself, but it's definitely not a high tech rig.

PDW

 

[masalai]

The special frame to support the mast was done during build... The mast step will take (I think) 5500kg compressive load... Designed by an aircraft engineer who does a lot more with boats than dabble occasionally in boat engineering stuff - Just think I could turn the boat upside down and rest the boat on the Mast-step with great confidence, apart from stopping it from tipping over as the mast step may not be the centre of balance whilst inverted

Basically I am seeking technical stuff on construction, timber size, and such...

 

[pdwiley]

The special frame to support the mast was done during build... The mast step will take (I think) 5500kg compressive load... Designed by an aircraft engineer who does a lot more with boats than dabble occasionally in boat engineering stuff - Just think I could turn the boat upside down and rest the boat on the Mast-step with great confidence, apart from stopping it from tipping over as the mast step may not be the centre of balance whilst inverted

Basically I am seeking technical stuff on construction, timber size, and such...

A quick look shows nothing on point in Nicholson's 'Boat Data Book'. There's a chapter in Skene's 'Elements of Yacht Design' with lots of tables. Tom Colvin's second volume has a lot of detail on wooden spars including the dimensions etc for one for a 45' ketch.

Plenty of examples in the books on how to build a mast. Requirement number 1 is, have 3X as many clamps as you think you're going to need.

Outside my knowledge base so I can't make any suggestions.

PDW

 

[masalai]

Maybe Kiri is not the best choice in timber? key question being sectional size, as a box shape is possibly more visually in-keeping with the boat overall? - an opportunity for the old hands to make a mark...

 

[sabahcat]

Kiri for a core as in a strip planked mast would probably be fine.
By itself, something more like oregon/douglas fir I would think.

As for your long kiri lengths , I got some 8's in my supply, but these were established chinese trees, I dont think the Australian trees are much good yet.

 

[masalai]

Hi Sabah,
Aussy plantation age must be getting close, When I am nearer to implementing I will surely look around and is useful to have other species that may be better on my list before final decisions are made...

Are you using OB engines in pods? I came close but sooo wanted no gas or petroleum on board as balsa and epoxy burn so rapidly and, fire at sea, I will seek to avoid strenuously...

 

[Frosty]

There is always a mast lying behind the bushes in every marina or yacht club, I think its law.

I know where there is a second hand yet brand new mast here, it was bought for a job rigged and then abandoned for some reason.

BUT--if a mast was all I needed to get off and see the world instead of waisting time when time is running out I would be looking for any thing. I have seen Scaffold pipe, and what about a PVC water pipe lined outside with glass --ille tell yer that is strong, youlle just have to reef down earlier if not very early. then while your in coconut island spending money on nothing but beer and condoms your money will be safe back home in HSBC collecting your pension.

Stop being so fussy and get a wooden mast,---its not an excuse not to go is it?

 

[masalai]

Hi Frosty,
Masts, "standard", as for monos and such with inline sails WILL NOT WORK, as I am set up for and using a 'hitch-hiker' rig, (All chain-plates are specially laminated in position), as developed by John Hitch, with the latest iteration in his sailing designs being "X-IT" which is for sale if you wish to buy it...

I will go when the other things are sorted mast and sails after PNG voyage... (I did some sums, - and up to Cairns, from Brisbane is more than 910 N Miles, Cairns to Samarai is 480 N Miles and allowed for at least 450 miles in the Goodenough, Fergusson & Normanby Islands region... I am not counting on fuel availability after leaving Cairns and until I return to Cairns... Some fuel may be there but unlikely clean and not likely a full drum of 200 litres, let alone 1200 to fill my tanks...

 

[masalai]

Well I never, mid level cloud streaming in from the NW has given us a cool day in Brisbane, now, 16:50 a fog has descended or did it rise out of the humidity from the gentle onshore (easterly)... - Not a heavy fog as visibility is about 2N miles, but everything is still and quiet....

 

[Manie B]

Mas I am also at 30 odd south AND WINTER is here, big time.
Good for me because my "workshop" is lovely in winter.

 

[masalai]

Hi Manie,
I am watching your build progress with interest (especially the mast at the moment), Thanks...

Rain is appreciated here (normally rain here is a "summer thing" but climate change (warming) has upset the apple-cart of consistent weather patterns... I look forward to the PV panels being washed of seagull guano, Time to go on the hard soon (the winter maintenance & storage layover)... Once the fuel tankage is done the only excuse will be "RO watermaker" and travelling solo I am tempted sometimes not to worry about that and bugger off..... Planning late 2012 to early 2013...

Prediction is for colder winters in continental USA/Canada, increasing extreme weather events, and some confusion on Australia (more or less rain), - the latter - drought - is not a comforting thought... Our winter is earlier and the rain is streaming from the NW as opposed to the usual winter of the past, with the occasional cold front sweeping up from the Antarctic and up across Australia with cold dry air followed by cold rain... I cannot abide cold weather...

Queensland and northern NSW used to have reliable Summer rain and 2 to 4 cyclones a year. All has changed??? - - Northern NSW used to be a prime sugar-cane, banana, and other sub-tropical crop growing area.....

http://www.caseyresearch.com/gsd/ed...y-interview-gold-standard-prophet-john-butler - The links are most worthy of perusal...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-27/study-finds-climate-change-altering-oceans-rainfall/3977656 "Climate change altering oceans, rainfall: study" - - Interesting and I will keep an eye out for further analysis and raw data...

DO YOU WANT A SPECIAL BOAT?
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...the-scrap-market/story-fn5kftjr-1226340934941 "DARPA puts its $195 million Tomorrow Never Dies stealth ship on the scrap market" here http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucdsclnk?sl=31QSCI12129001#
136758

 

[dialdan]

Hi Masalai
Next time you visit Montys checkout the red yacht just left of the ramp , it has two wooden masts built from hoop pine . Eric the owner will set you straight on how to build one .
Cheers Al

 

[Frosty]

If you check out on an international trip you can buy fuel less GST they told me this when I was going to take my boat to Singapore. Bugger is that they wont nlet you check out till Darwin.

So--- what you need to do is check out to New Zealand fuel up and say you got lost or changed your mind . I dont think any one will even ask you.

 

[sabahcat]

Hi Sabah,
Aussy plantation age must be getting close, When I am nearer to implementing I will surely look around and is useful to have other species that may be better on my list before final decisions are made...

Are you using OB engines in pods? I came close but sooo wanted no gas or petroleum on board as balsa and epoxy burn so rapidly and, fire at sea, I will seek to avoid strenuously...

On a 50ft powercat?
No, Cummins B3.3 65 hp x 2
Same as these http://www.tadiesels.com/cu-B3.3M.html

 

[masalai]

Hi sabahcat,
Nice piece of engine, - at 700 pounds (317.5kg), a bit on the heavy side for my boat

Hi Frosty,
When I was sorting out my PNG visa, (some time ago), I tried researching that, (fuel rebate etc), from Australian customs/Immigration and all of a sudden they started talking in Norwegian or something I could not identify, nor understand...

Unless someone has been hosing, or urinating in the rain-gauge, we have had better than 2.5 inches in the past 18 hours of steady drizzling precipitation... According to the radar, there is rain-clouds coming in from just N of East, and higher rain coming along the coastal plain from the NW all converging around Brisbane at the moment.... Looks like several wet days ahead...