mini cup mast

[HankD]

Hello,

I doubt anyone remembers me, I lurk this forum daily but have only posted once or twice and that was years ago. My weekender is nearly finished, sitting in my driveway with a wet coat of paint as we speak.

Anyway, on to the topic. I sold my Snark Sunchaser II yesterday leaving me without a boat that I can just throw in and take off with. So i'm looking to finally finish the mini cup I built back in 2005. All that's left is to find a good source for mast material. I was wondering if anyone had tried some alternative mast materials and how successful they may have been. Maybe EMT conduit or wood?.

I know a few people here are in the Mobile, AL bay area so maybe you guys can point me to a metal salvage yard where I can find the aluminum? One thing that crossed my mind is flag poles. Where I work we have an aluminum flagpole that comes in 6 foot sections and seems to be just right in diameter and thickness. I'm having trouble finding a supplier though.

Thanks for everything, everyone here has been a great resource throughout the building my weekender whether you knew it or not = P. Look for me and my weekender in the Mississippi Sound around Dauphin Island soon = D.......just don't look too close.....the closer my boat is to finished the more I rush and the rougher she looks.... = /.

[Andrew_Butchart]

There have been a few people that have had success with a wooden mast.  It does create more weight aloft but the mast on a lateen is pretty short anyway.  The gaff and boom might be a harder to source.  Taking a quick look at the plans though I see that there is only 6' of gaff that is unsupported so you might be fine with a 2X2 of some clear wood rounded over.

[John Weigandt]

I've used conduit for 24 years on mine.  2 inch or so diameter for the mast and I think 1 inch stuff for the boom and upper yard.

I sailed it at first with a sail of about 40 sq ft to learn with, and now have a larger 60 sq foot sail made of rip stop nylon..  Have had to re cut and shape the nylon a couple of times over the years. 

http://www.riverbendvet.com/newweb/images/beauty.jpg

John

[HankD]

Thanks for the help so far. I think I might try the EMT conduit. It's pretty heavy but it's pretty cheap and readily available. Any more suggestions are more than welcome. I seem to remember PAR suggesting someone use the gray PVC UV protected conduit and pour it full of expanding foam....that's an interesting alternative if I can find the two part foam at a decent price.

Here is a picture of my weekender as it currently sits.

There is still a lot of finish work to be done....I'm sick of sanding and I'm pretty sure my neighbors are too = P. I just sat the mast, grab rails, bowsprit, etc... up there for the photo. I'm still in the process of sanding, painting, and finishing.

[HankD]

While at lowes today I scoped out the conduit and I can see the 2" EMT working for the mast and the 1" for the spars using compression couplings with a dowel inside to stiffen up the joints if necessary. I might have to put this project on hold though since I'm still trying to finish my weekender and I'm almost certainly buying an 18' hobie cat tomorrow. If I don't get the hobie I might have to scramble to finish the mini cup just so I can get on the water this weekend, lol.

[lbrewer]

Howdy neighbor!

I'm not going to be much help on locating aluminum for the mast.  Goldin Industries on Conception Street Rd. may be a place to try.  Another idea is a birdsmouth wooden mast. I've made three of them for recent projects and have been very pleased with them. 

If you need a hand on anything let me know.

Larry

[Andrew_Butchart]

The internet's a wonderful thing some days.  I did a search for Dauphin Island on Google Maps and then a search for "Metal Supermarkets" - a chain of metal suppliers.

That lead me to -

Cameron Ashley Industrial Metals

9310 Waring Rd

Pensacola, FL 32534

(850) 479-5925

Give them a try.  Aluminum tube varies widely in price and metal people speak their own special language so tube is not the same thing as pipe.  I've found it's easiest to go in and talk to the guy at the counter whenever I've had to buy metal.  Usually after I've explained it, and it's been discussed by the usual crowd that hangs out in such places, I end up getting what I need regardless of what I asked for -  :

[HankD]

Hello Larry, Good to meet some of my fellow gulf coasters = P.

Wow, thanks Andrew I actually went to Metal Supermarkets website a few days ago but their store locator was taking to long by zip code so I searched by state and pulled up one way up in North, AL. It's good to know there is one in Pensacola. Honestly though this project is on hold until I find the time. I picked up the hobie 18 last night and it should be ready for water by this weekend = D.

Thanks for all the help.

[Konrad]

So did you buy the Hobie 18?

[HankD]

Sure did, and it's all I can do to not call in sick and take it out for a whirl = P.

[HankD]

Oye.....after I took that picture of my weekender I left the mast laying on the ground out front exposed to the sun with only half a coat of spar varnish = /. Now it resembles a fish hook. Two steps forward.....one step back.

I wasn't really happy with that mast anyway. I think I'll make a birdsmouth mast now and coat it in epoxy rather than spar varnish.

I'm too young for a moaning chair so I think I'll head to my moaning bar stool.....which is probably why I'm in this position to begin with. Come nightfall when it's time to roll my tools up I might be a bit inebriated  ;D

[Bud_Wilson]

HANKD  I guess you are right, if the mast didn't make you use the moning chair you don't need one (YET).

I am old and need one quite often just to sit in have a drink look at my mess up wonder "what the hell made me do that" Bud

[HankD]

Haha, you know it's funny because throughout the process of building this boat I spent whole afternoons just looking at it. Get out all my tools, make a few measurements, mark a board or two,....then just sit there and stare at it for the rest of the afternoon. Half finished boats are like a campfire, after a few drinks they just suck you in and mesmerize you.