Dawn Smith wrote: Hello,
This is my first post on here, though I suspect it won't be my last!
I have been offered an aluminium mast and I wonder if it could be the first part of my new junk rig to fit to my Elizabethan 29?
This is an oval extrusion, but has never had anything fitted to it, such as a track, so it is completely smooth and open at both ends. It was originally ordered for a catamaran but never used.
It measures 9.14m long, 154x100 section and has a 4mm wall thickness.
I forgot to measure the diameter at the base and top, but suffice to say it is wider as the bottom and narrows to the top, but I could supply this if these dimensions are key.
So, can anyone advise me would this be a suitable start for my junk rig, or not?
I look forward to your replies and thank you for your time.
Dawn
Just for comparison, my mizzen mast (on a bigger heavier boat) is 175mm dia x 5mm wall, with a doubler inside at deck level. It is 11.5m long, with 2m bury, and tapers to 80mm dia which is a little small, making the mast flexible. 90mm at the top would have been better. Your bury will be about 1.5m , so the length above deck would be 10m on your Elizabethan 29. This would, I suggest, be just about adequate for the area of sail you'll need, but I would prefer something a little bigger.
Have a look in "Ask the Junkmaster", where the concept of buying a parallel tube from a stockholder, and then making a tapered wooden topmast, is described. This is a pragmatic way to get a low-cost mast. If you could get a tube of about 175 - 200mm x 5mm wall, you would be away to a good start.
David.