Doug fir pole mast

[benz]

Hi Taz,

I'm familiar with plug welding, but would ideally like a solid piece. My mast must not taper, at least for most of its length, so the gaff jaws or saddle don't get all baggy at full hoist. If I have to, I can have a mast that ends at the hounds (where the lower shrouds come in), and then use a skinnier pole above that--but that's a complication I was hoping to avoid. I like simple.
How 'bout (for your project) doug fir soaked with CPES epoxy, (available from Jamestown Distributors), then varnished a lot before the mast is stepped? once the mast is up, if you keep a good several coats of Mother's carnauba wax (Mother's smells soo good!) on the varnish, the sun won't eat it up, and a coat of wax every so often is almost a joy to apply.
If I have to go wood, I'll ceratinly do that. By the way, Bird'smouthing is exhaustively discussed on the wooden boat forum run by Wooden boat magazine, with useful links to pictures. Google it and see--pretty cool stuff.
Best,
Ben

[cwa]

Ben,

You could use 6" aluminum pipe as a mast.
That is what I am using for my boat.
Doing a splice is rather easy.
The wall thickness is a little more than the 3/16" you were looking for as it is over 1/4".
You will have the same diameter for the length you want.
I'm doing 44 feet so there will be two splices for me to get that length.

De,

Nice to see your website about TAZ.
Evan had shown us your boat as an example of his work before starting on ours.
You could consider an aluminum pipe mast as well and just shim the butt end to go into the tabernacle with a tight fit.
Aluminum pipe is very inexpensive in Canada and that helps with the budget.
Hope to meet you this coming summer when we have Evan do a little more to our boat.
Are you still at Newcastle?

Carl

[benz]

Hi Carl,

How are you doing your splices? are you sleeving and plug welding? I'm under the impression that a gaffer needs a mast section that is initially stiffer than a marconi rig would need, since the lowers land so much higher up. If this system has proved sufficient for someone in the past, I'm open to it--but I'd sure like to hear from people who've used it before, or one of the master riggers who weigh in from time to time. Nothing like experience to take out the guesswork.
Ben

[cwa]

Ben,

The splices are sleeved and plug welded.
Easy to make the sleeve by reducing a piece of pipe to the required dia. and inserting inside the joining pieces.
As for getting stiffness, I believe that the .275" wall thickness would really help there.
Actually I'm having a fellow at Beecher Bay on Vancouver Island make my mast.
He has done a number of masts (I've seen two examples so far) using this technique but haven't asked about ones for a gaffer.

I just talked to Ken (the fellow making my mast) and he has made 2 masts for gaffers using this technique.

Carl

[benz]

Thanks, Carl...it's good to know this has worked for gaffers before. I'm glad to have another option to explore.
Ben

[allene]

This may be an option, not sure. I have a 36' sloop that has a spruce mast made of mostly hollow box sections. It is 3/4 inch spruce board about 7" by 5" box. Solid where in parts but mostly hollow. Could be made easily. I am sure a good woodworker could provide details.

Let me know if I can provide more details.

Allen