TIMBER MAST.

[Big tane]

Gerry on big tane.
My boat is an tanenui 28.
I will need to make an timber mast for it as the current one was damaged by the past owener and wondering if anyone has made one and how they built it.

[Frank Higgott]

Hey man, check this link...

http://www.stexboat.com/boat_building/faux_b_mast.htm

[Big tane]

G'day Frank,
I read it all up. I think the process looks very easy to do. Can you estamate the cost aproxmaly from start to finnish. I gess an layer of glass will keep the mast preserved for some time. But overall great info and many thanks. I will keep you up to date with my projects. The strips of timber, can they be the whole length of the mast?.
Gerry on big tane.
Toora.

[Frank Higgott]

Hello Gerry, I wouldn't have a clue how much to build, all depends on how much you can get the materials for. Not even sure of the dimensions of a T38 mast.

I would think carefully about  coating with fibreglass though as fresh water getting trapped under the cloth will cause rot very quickly. You are better off using some very good quality Oregon or similar and keeping it well maintained, with paint, oil, or varnish.

A construction like this is very strong, flexible and light.

[Big tane]

Thanks again Frank.
Can you tell me what you used for rigging lines and wether i should go for spectra or stainless steel. The revious owener had dropped the mast on concreke and being ally, bent it an third of the way from the top. So not even the rigging any good. I will try to take some photos off it later.
Gerry on big tane.
Toora.

[Big tane]

G'day Frank.
I had an look at your profile.
Very neat. The idear of an tiki for your logo, is very logical. I came up with big tane as i seen an tanenui allready called tane. I than looked up the list for polyneasian names and foud the name closet to use so not to couse any conflick with the other one thats on ytube. I am trying not to put my name on the boat as there are copyers and will argue its therres. So i am l leaving it off untill i can go on the ships regisiter. Than i xan protect my boat name. So far no problems hear on this site.
Thanks again for the info
Gerry on big tane.

[Frank Higgott]

I have an aluminium  mast with stainless rigging. 

You could use stainless steel or dyneema for rigging. Galvanised wire is a cheep option also, not so popular these days though.

[Big tane]

Yes i know because it rusts and strech vary quickly.
I will likely go with dyneena or more likely spectra.
Thanks again Frank.
Gerry on big tane.

[paul anderson]

Yep. Two in fact,the first one was made with uncured timber,this was because I had no clue as to nature of the wood. Second mast i built out of Hoop pine.I see you are in qld, i am on the sunshinecoast,pm me if you are nearby and we can talk about sticks.

[Big tane]

Burrum heads is around an 40 min drive north of hervey bay. I can not drive as to medication so i travle on the buses. Would you like to call me some time or come up and have an look at my boat?. Or come up for a weekend in your boat as i only have acc for myselfe at this point and time. I will be going up on the slip aroud easter. As i have to save up for it.
Gerry on big tane.
Toora.

[Ricardo Aráoz]

I'd go with the bird's mouth method, eight sides. The V notch is 45º on both sides so easy to cut, very easy to make tapered mast, and above all it's self jigging. This means you just have to press the staves and they'll go in together and the mast will be usually straight. You can use plastic precincts to hold the mast tight enough while glueing (epoxy of course), real easy.

My advice is to put some tape in the V notches of two opposing staves (don't glue them), so you will get two half masts. Then you can do internal cleanup, put some extra wood where needed, and fix a plastic tube to get cables up the mast. Then you glue the half masts together.

To get stave dimensions you can find a calculator here http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/articles/birdsmouth/

[paul anderson]

Good share Ricardo. Tane I sent you a p.m. mate.

[Dan Hammond]

I'd second the bird's mouth suggestion - worked nicely for me, albeit on a smaller boat. Some photos of the process around here if they are of interest.