Phils Rig School continued...

Inspired by a need to understand this thread I have just read a very interesting article entitled 'The Potential of the Bendy Mast'.  The article details the considerations of the mast builder/engineer when trying to match a rig to a boat and also to enable the sail plan to generate as much power as possible. 

There are some interesting ideas in there, such as, are we doing the right thing in creating tapered masts, suggesting that since much power is lost by the tip of the mast bending off and opening the leech, thus spilling wind, maybe a uniformly straight/stiff mast would be better on an under canvassed boat.  The article also suggests having the sheet take off point from the boom moveable according to wind strength, so as to optimist the mast bend at gooseneck level for the given conditions.

All food for thought.  I feel more enlightened now.

food for thought.

I am waiting to see the mast stepping arrangement of the Rooster Project X dinghy.  That looked to have some kind of slot arrangement, indicating not only could the mast be raked according to conditions, but also moved back and forth.  I think that will be really interesting, if that's where they're taking it.

ps, it was the one bit of Luca's post which intrigued me....


Edited by winging it

Originally posted by G.R.F. Surely no-one in their right mind in this day and age is going to design a deck stepped mast

Almost every "stand on" boat (as opposed to a sit in boat) doesn't have a choice in the matter, given that their deck is separate from the bottom of the boat, unless they want to put leaky tube down into the hull, like a laser mast step.

I think most are supported with an x frame underneath to take the loads. Something else that "Lord Bethwaite" talks about.

But i agree with you when it comes to a sit in boat, imagine something like a wayfarer with a deck steped mast

Edit: Forget that, Getafix just changed my mind. Although I still think something with such a high fordeck such as a Wayfarer would look a bit odd, given the boom is only a foot or so above the foredeck


Edited by Flick-Flock

cats have effectively had deck stepped masts for ever.... jeez I wonder what those delusionals where all thinking..... oh yeah, they wanted the big stick to rotate and be raked back (if needed) a long way, plus they had the ideal space frame in which to carry the loads... 

Must control . . . desire to post point by point
rebuttals all night . . . medication wearing off . . .
resistance breaking down . . . must persevere . . .

Sorry where was I

Oh yes. The point about deck vs gate is not the strength
of the structure under the mast, but whether the mast is
fixed only at its heel (=deck stepped)- free to bend all
the way up its length unless controlled by lowers /
strut; or fixed at its heel and at another point higher
up (=gate stepped, if I've got the right terminology) -
not free to bend in the lower section, although
adjustable by mast ram / chocks / whatever.

Old skool desk stepped mast - Enterprise
Old skool gate stepped mast - GP14
New skool desk stepped mast - almost any cat or 'stand
on' skiffy-shaped dinghy
New skool gate stepped - take your pick from the others