Pete Rasmussen wrote:David Tyler mentioned a 30:1 ratio for his halyards and I wonder how this is set up, not having seen such a device.  With one mast I would need the battens to be around 7 metres long and this should work out ok with room for the sheets.  Thats one huge sail though and I wonder if it will handle easily.

Pete, it's a 3:1 ratio. See Davids comment under Peter's Mallimac thread. I use the same system on LC and it works well. I can host my foresail 25 Sq.M with ease and my main 38 Sq.M is just doable. From the Pramhood however, I do need the winch.

Suggest that the new owners of Peace Haven (a) join the JRA and (b) stop by in Whangarei Harbour.  mehitabel  is still lurking down the bottom end and I will be based here for a while.  Either or both of us may be able to help them.

Have you tried the Dunedin (or was it Invercargill) City Council?  One of other of them has a forest of spruce trees planted for building planes in the Second World War.  (They were either anticipating a very long war, or WWIII!)  I think Lex Hodgkinson knew something about them.  There was a rumour that the lot were going to be clear-felled, but it may not yet have happened.  They would be perfect for you.

Thanks Annie,
Even better.  I was under the impression a bit of flex in the mast made the "ride " more comfortable.  Using this material the mast should be very rigid if left at 45mm thick planks.
I think the weight should be acceptable.  This is so cool, I can go to my local Carters and order these planks on my building account and get them delivered to the door!  I'm struggling to find a tree!  Using this Hyspan stuff I can get a wide plank and then turn each stave the opposite way and that way have very little waste.

I'm considering using Hyspan pine planks to make a mast from.  These are radiata pine, laminated from rotary cut veneer , building planks!  I can get them up to 13 metres long!
According to the manufacturers engineer they are stronger and stiffer than pine f7 f10 building grade timber, so very strong indeed.  Here's a link ...http://www.chhwoodproducts.co.nz/hyspan/
These are 45mm thick and can be had from 150mm to 600mm wide.
I think they would need tapering in thickness towards the top of the mast to get some flex into it.  May even need to be reduced in thickness all the way along actually, being so strong.  600 kg per cubic metre is also a bit heavy but I feel Balaena Bay needs some weight in her mast to slow her action in beam seas.  Did a rough calculation and should be around 120 kg.  I say rough calculation.

At this time a split Junk Rig is appealing, thanks for the advice David. 

Well I had a good go at getting to the Junket but a couple of gales on the nose slowed us somewhat and then hid in a corner while a really mean low went by.  That East Cape is mean!  I was 50 miles off and still wind over current.  5 gales in ten days and I'm now home licking my wounds!
I was wishing for a Junk rig the whole trip as it would have been so much easier to sail.  I found Balaena bay to have a much too lively motion probably due to being designed originally for a timber mast but now having an aluminium mast.  Fine under a lot of sail but when reefed down with just a jib she get a lot of sharp motion which is uncomfortable.