Re: Kerthwack- Plonk! - Tabernacle for Micro
Although totally ignorant about masts for the Micro, here is an
alternative which assume your mast is 16 feet or less in length:
Fiberglass windsurfing masts make a strong, flexible mast. There are
lots of old glass ones in garages since carbon fibre is 'in' now.
They can often be had for free to $20 U.S. If you nest two together,
cut off the excess, you'll have a mast that can't be killed.
A new wood mast with better construction is probably the way to go.
You sound like a gutsy guy so a sectional aluminum wing spar from a
wrecked ultra-light aircraft (or a two piece windsurfing mast) makes
a dandy spare if you have a place to stow it (normally on the cabin
overhead) and you plan to run in heavy conditions or offshore.
Dave Godsey
alternative which assume your mast is 16 feet or less in length:
Fiberglass windsurfing masts make a strong, flexible mast. There are
lots of old glass ones in garages since carbon fibre is 'in' now.
They can often be had for free to $20 U.S. If you nest two together,
cut off the excess, you'll have a mast that can't be killed.
A new wood mast with better construction is probably the way to go.
You sound like a gutsy guy so a sectional aluminum wing spar from a
wrecked ultra-light aircraft (or a two piece windsurfing mast) makes
a dandy spare if you have a place to stow it (normally on the cabin
overhead) and you plan to run in heavy conditions or offshore.
Dave Godsey
I have a couple of designs for a tabernacle for the Micro. One comes
with the Navigator conversion and another I purchased from Duck Flat
Wooden Boats in South Australia. Is there anyone out there who has
some pics or designs of other tabernacle variations for the Micro.
Why do I ask this question? I was out sailing on the weekend, on a
beat, 10 - 15 Knots sheet hard on and leaning about 10 - 15 degrees
when Kerthwack - Plonk the mast snapped off near the snotter!??
Yeeeeehar! sheeted in the mizzen, started the motor and then
proceeded to dredge the sai, mast and boom from the depths. After
fastening all the collateral damage to the deck I switched off the
motor and ran home under mizzen only with a ragged toothpick at the
bow where the mast had been. Nothing like putting on a show just as
we were about to go under the Bridge and then past the Opera House.
The mast has been a problem for some time due to my poor craftsmanship
in not putting a large enough scarph in the timber joins and also by
locating one scarph right near the snotter downhaul. This caused a
crack to appear along the scarph joint. Only a matter of time before
it failed.
I tried to load some pics of the damage but was unsuccessful. The
mast is probably not worth fixing, but all suggestions warmly received
. Will a massive amount of epoxy hold it together? As well as
fixing/replacing the mast, I thought I might build a tabernacle as well,
Cheers,
John Mann
with the Navigator conversion and another I purchased from Duck Flat
Wooden Boats in South Australia. Is there anyone out there who has
some pics or designs of other tabernacle variations for the Micro.
Why do I ask this question? I was out sailing on the weekend, on a
beat, 10 - 15 Knots sheet hard on and leaning about 10 - 15 degrees
when Kerthwack - Plonk the mast snapped off near the snotter!??
Yeeeeehar! sheeted in the mizzen, started the motor and then
proceeded to dredge the sai, mast and boom from the depths. After
fastening all the collateral damage to the deck I switched off the
motor and ran home under mizzen only with a ragged toothpick at the
bow where the mast had been. Nothing like putting on a show just as
we were about to go under the Bridge and then past the Opera House.
The mast has been a problem for some time due to my poor craftsmanship
in not putting a large enough scarph in the timber joins and also by
locating one scarph right near the snotter downhaul. This caused a
crack to appear along the scarph joint. Only a matter of time before
it failed.
I tried to load some pics of the damage but was unsuccessful. The
mast is probably not worth fixing, but all suggestions warmly received
. Will a massive amount of epoxy hold it together? As well as
fixing/replacing the mast, I thought I might build a tabernacle as well,
Cheers,
John Mann