Spindrift 11N Mast

[JetStream]

Just wondered a few things about the Spindrift 11N mast. I saw that Garry had a special sail made with a reef point and a special split lower sleeve with a halyard that went up through the mast. I'm assuming that the halyard exited aft through the lower mast plug. The note didn't say how the mast was made but I'm wondering if the 3rd section was a 1-3/4" aluminum section with a wood cap up top to take the halyard sheave. If you are listening Garry, I also wondered if the reef thing worked out. I like the concept and we have a lot of days here on Narragansett Bay with smallish kids sailing that could use less sail area.

Even without the fancy halyard, I'm wondering if a 3rd section made from 1-3/4" x .065" tubing would make sense rather than using the fir 1-5/8" closet pole. It would be easy to make a wood top cap for the aluminum section in a lathe and then the whole mast would have a fairly uniform shape. The 3rd section would still store the same as the wooden one in the lower sections. I haven't seen any good wood closet pole material around here. If weight aloft is an issue, I suppose the top section could also be 1.5" dia x .058" wall with probably ample strength.

[Designer]

Bruce, the the halyard pulls the sail up the front of the mast, through a sheave and comes down the aft side of the mast inside the sail sleeve. If you need a drawing I can send it to you.

I would use 1 1/2" x .065" for the top section of mast with a wood plug as you mentioned.

I think that the reefing system works very well.

[JetStream]

Thanks Graham. That sounds like a very simple and elegant solution.

[rlchenry]

I put a sheave in the top of my Spindrift 9N. The top 1/3rd of the mast is a wood closet pole

Some more description here: http://seaweed.thebilge.com/spindrift (mast sheave description is about 1/2way down the page)

Hope this helps!

Ray

[Garry]

I bought a mast kit from Graham which included three aluminum sections even though the drawing called for the top section to be wooden. It seems to work out just the way you said. I ordered the sail as well as many of the fittings through Graham also. It seemed a good deal to me.

Rather than turning a piece of wood down, I simply started with a square piece of spruce and used a plane to round it off, then a chisel to cut down the section to insert into the tube. While it was still square, I drilled two holes and carved out the section for the sheave.

I also plugged the bottom end of the top section of tubing to keep it from filling with water in a capsize. The extra flotation might keep it from going turtle.

Sad to say, I still have not sailed the boat. My recent move to Morro Bay, CA, has put some things on hold. Plus, it seems that I left the centerboard in Florida.

[JetStream]

Thanks guys. This has been very helpful.