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Jamie600 View Drop Down
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Posts: 718 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Jamie600 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Van owners
    Posted: 27 Oct 06 at 12:27pm

 

When I had my high-top camper, I did the opposite - I actually cut down my mast support so the mast laid flat along the top of the boat. I then bolted an eighteen-inch long box section in between the towing hitch and the rest of the trailer, thus extending the length of the trailer.

The mast could then be pulled forward until it was just a couple of inches off the van door, and then onl poked out about a foot at the back. I believe it can extend up to 3 feet from the back if you mark it with a flag.

The reason for doing this was that the mast support would have to be ridiculously long to alow the mast to clear the roof, bearing in mind you have to leave some allowance for the mast to move around, for example if you go up a ramp, the mast may hit the roof as the van mounts the ramp.

When the mast was flat it could go right up to the doors, and not be affected by ramps or other changes in the road surface. As an added bonus, it allowed a bike rack to be mounted on the doors, and the mast swung around happily underneath the rack.

 

 
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Wes View Drop Down
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Posts: 97 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Wes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 06 at 11:55am

great stuff, that's just a bit of welding, and no need to worry about roof bars then. Cheers for the help!

 

Wes
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Hiker View Drop Down
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Posts: 10 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Hiker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 06 at 8:49am
I extended the mast support to clear my VW 's high top, always put the top of the mast, (lighter), in the mast support then brace the mast mid length to each side of the boat with an extra strap to cut down the sway. Have been doing it a lot of years without problem.
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stuarthop View Drop Down
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Posts: 1040 		Post Options Post Options   Quote stuarthop Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 8:06pm
with the rents motorhome we just put the masts on the roof and tape up all the shrouds ect to stop rattling

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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 6:59pm
I have it on the roof. Apart from anything else it means that if my old heap of a van breaks down the breakdown company can get me home. Really the mast suppost needs to be long and string enough to clear the vehicle roof when said vehicle is on a transporter...

Depends on the boat though, if you have a boat where the kite halyard is a major pain to rethread then keeping the spar on the boat looks an awful lot more attractive!

Edited by JimC
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foaminatthedeck View Drop Down
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Posts: 318 		Post Options Post Options   Quote foaminatthedeck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:44pm
I exteded mine about 6-7ft behind the back of the boat, it would depend on the lenght of both as the contender is a long boat with a fairly short mast, with the N12 it has to go on the roof.
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Major Iyeswater View Drop Down
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Posts: 82 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Major Iyeswater Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:38pm

Originally posted by iansmithofotley

I often tow my boat on a combi trailer behind my motorhome.  When I got my vehicle, I had a 'long' mast support made along with a more substantial base support for the mast support tube. 

I raised my mast support to its maximum to clear the top of a high top Movano and it sheared off  (Probably due to sideways swaying causing stress cracking) luckily only breaking the mast when it hit a post and not a load of parked or moving cars!

 

So I feel that beefing up the support is a very VERYgood idea and have now done similar as well

 

Andy Webb of AW Sailboats does make fibreglass supports for Cat masts that can be bonded on to the top of camper vans with Sikoflex or similar, sure he would make some if you could supply the cross-section etc  But also as said they would then be a permanent fixture and may cause noise and some drag.
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rogerd View Drop Down
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Posts: 1076 		Post Options Post Options   Quote rogerd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:13pm

Hi Wes,

I fixed a mast support to the top of our camper but found it was very noisy pushed the fuel consumption up quite dramatically. I opted for a long mast support and allow the mast to extend over the transom a bit.

There is probably a legal expert here somewhere but I think it can extend up to 6 foot beyond the transom. I put a reflector on the end of the mast as well.

 
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bovlike View Drop Down
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Posts: 221 		Post Options Post Options   Quote bovlike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:09pm
I just got a longer mast support made!
Ian (Bov) Turnbull
18ft Skiff Ronstan UK
Chandlery, tapered ropes and specialist solutions for sailors who demand the best - BovBoats.co.uk
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iansmithofotley View Drop Down
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Posts: 209 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iansmithofotley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:06pm

Hi Wes,

I often tow my boat on a combi trailer behind my motorhome.  When I got my vehicle, I had a 'long' mast support made along with a more substantial base support for the mast support tube.  The base support is made of heavy duty box section about 2' feet long, with a piece of triangular plate steel welded to the base. The bottom of the triangular base support is drilled with three sets of holes which take three large 'U' clamps and the whole thing bolts to the trailer A-frame.

There are two large screws in the box section to tighten up the mast support.  The whole thing has been galvanised, it cost me £45 for the mast support and £15 for the base support, they were made by a local engineer who makes dinghy trailers. I was originally worried about 'sway' due to the extra height but I have found it fine so far as it is so strong.

I considered getting some roof bars and putting my mast on the roof but my long mast support saves me having to climb on to the roof.

I hope that this helps.

Ian  (Yorkshire Dales S.C.)
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