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Annie Hill wroteJeff, as you seem to be a man of energy and resource and still have some enthusiasm left for the project, I would very strongly recommend that you get it right now, before you start on the interior joinery etc.
Truth to tell, I am a chronically lazy habitual procrastinator, but I'm just desperate to go sailing in my own real, junk cruiser.
I'll have to do a touch of joinery before I redo the rig, because the PO put a strange sort of a rectangular chute to function as a chain locker, and it slants diagonally down through the space where the mast will have to stand on its trip from the deck to the keel, where the rode terminates. Other than that I'll be going with your suggestion.
Especially, if moving the mast would actually improve the way the interior works. Junk rig is very forgiving, but if you are going to re-design, I would agree with Paul that you might as well do it as well as you can. There are lots of people on site who will help, and reading PJR helps you understand the why as well as the what.
Someone Close To Me reckoned he could knock out mast, partners, etc in about 3 weeks. Of course, he's never done it, but it's true that making the partners, reinforcing, cutting a new hole and filling in the old are not individually large jobs.
I'm pretty comfortable with that part.
Getting the fittings made up should not be a big issue in a farming community, where, I would guess, there are plenty of chaps happy with steel and welder.
Shouldn't be much to make, or at least not out of metal. I've got the existing steel step I can move, the existing steel masthead fitting I can continue to use...
And you already have the rig. Go for it - if nothing else, it will give you something to do when you've had enough of your engine!
I've already had enough of the engine! Gaskets came today...
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