After setting the keel and stem I realised that once I set the moulds I would not have room to build the mast and spars. So I purchased some excellent Sitka Spruce from Rod Henderson at Anagote Timbers, 6 x 3" section, 20' lengths. I aligned them so the inside of the tree would be the outside of the mast, trued the joining surfaces and scarfed each side of the mast from two lengths with joints staggered. The mast is comprised of four pieces of timber. I hollowed each side keeping a conservative 25% wall thickness with a series of progressive saw cuts then chisels, a core box plane and finally a round-soled plane. The insides of the hollows were then sealed with WEST System epoxy, and the two halves glued together. I used a laser level to make sure the joining surfaces were exactly straight, and as always did a dry run before applying the glue. Note the electrical wiring for the mast including a radio aerial all fits inside a plastic conduit bonded to the inside wall of the mast with Sikaflex polyurethane. After the glued dried I marked and cut the taper and planed it so that at any point along the mast the section is dead square, then knocked off the corners to make it 8-sided, then 16-sided then 32-sided, than planed and sanded it round. I added a few necessary wooden chocks and applied 12 coats of Awlwood MA gloss, then fitted the mast cap, spreader band and gooseneck band that I had made the patterns for and had cast in bronze at Central Foundry, Mascot. Gaff and boom were made in similar fashion, then all three were slung up near the roof out of the way, leaving me room to assemble the moulds and set them up.
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AuthorIan Smith, Boatbuilder (ret'd) Archives
January 2024
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