Hello.

And hello Arne in my neighbor contry

Thank you for your answers. 

I read through your link Arne. I believe I also can find it in the the Junkrigbook. 

Have not got going yet but I’m aiming for next year so there is still time.

I read it and I’m still confused  but it will come to me one day when I read it through a

couple of times, I’m sure.

It looks like the mast to your Johanna could be the one that can make it work. When you write 20% wall thickness is that 20% of the diameter?

Is there’s any advantage in make it hollow or glue it?

I have a feling that a dug out mast could be more flexible because it’s a dug out from a full tree trunk.

And a glued mast get more stiff because it’s done of several strips of wood.

I will see which way I go but I am very grateful of advise I can get and please let them come.

best regards 

StefanP

Hello and Thanks for the replay. Dindnt think that far in the process but it’s worth thinking of

Igot hold of a good wood worker that is interested in having a go at it.

We will sit down a look in the junk rig book and see if we kan come up with a good plan.

I think it will be a wood mast on this first prodject.

best regards 

StefanP

Jeremy wrote:

Seems that this particular boat (SV Bertie) was merely knocked down in a squall, and was then flooded.

Slightly off topic, but linked to masts.  A friend phoned me up today and while telling me why I need to open a Facebook account, mentioned that Bertie had been nearly capsized.  Some points worth mentioning: she is a Spray, which was not a self-righting vessel; she had rigging; apparently the mainsail was bowsed down.

My friend tells me that the boat was hit by a 'white squall' while she was running, which involved an extreme windshift from E to W (or possibly the other way round: I don't quite recall).  One has to assume that the mainsail attempted to gybe and its boom being secured in place, made it impossible to do so, which resulted in the boat being knocked well over, its mast in the water.  As Jeremy says, the wooden mast probably saved their lives (apparently the owner had to swim for the EPIRB in the flooded interior - again, assuming I have the story correctly).

I have had the unhappy experience of running on a boat with everything tied down and a situation arising that demanded an instant and extreme course alteration.  All I can say is that we were lucky that we were both on deck at the time and that the engine was reliable.  It was an extremely unpleasant and worrying few minutes and confirmed me in my already deeply-held conviction, that having to vang sails down is, essentially, unseamanlike.  This is my greatest objection to putting standing rigging on a junk rig; it makes it impossible to square out the mainsail; so while we are on the topic of how big and of what material the mast should be made, it is worth remembering that the fact that the sails on a junk are always capable of being gybed, makes this sort of accident less likely to happen.

Hi Stefan,

yes flag poles make good masts. If you can get hurricane rated poles they are the best as the base diameter can be somewhat reduced. If not then using a thinner wall pole slightly over length and cutting off the top ten percent or so works well. The major problem is supply, I have found that the best suppliers are in the USA and the cheapest in China and they also seem open to producing a custom spar to your specifications, ( have a look on Alibaba.com). Expect to pay as much again or more than the purchase price to get it delivered.

All the best with the project. David.

Stefan Persson wrote:

Anyone that know pros and cons if I say 

Wood vs Alu...

First question: Do you already have a preference? That is, do you have a ready supply of one material vs. the other? Do you find it easier working with one over the other? What size is the mast? How big is your pocket book? Do you like a "traditional" look? Are you building the mast yourself or having it made?

Both materials have been used with success.

I think also you would widen the question:

• Include Hybrid
• Grown wood
• Laminated wood or built wood
  
• pre-formed (engineered) aluminum mast
• flagpole
• constant diameter

That would be a great start. Not that I think hybrid masts are the way you should go but because of the explanation of why the choices were made would be a good start in finding pros and cons.