Tiki 21 wooden mast, critical diameter.

[Éric Bouvéron]

Back on the job, I have started the mast and have glued all its components.
I have followed all instructions from the booklet, but it seems that I will end wit a diameter of 908millimeters instead of 1020millimeters. On your opinion, is it acceptable, or do I have to redo all the thing?
Thank you for your advces,
Éric

[Bo]

Sorry to hear that you are having problems. I actually just finished my mast last week and it came out to the right dimensions after following the instructions. I can't comment on what the reduced diameter of yours would do for its strength. There are probably a lot of factors that come into play: wood species, epoxy type and curing, plus sailing conditions of course. That's tricky problem!! Good luck.

[boatsmith]

is not 25mm = 1" is not 1000 mm = 1m??

[Éric Bouvéron]

Boatsmith,
You're right!
Design asks for 4", 102 millimeters in metrics. My mistake, I have writen one zero too many.
So, insteat of a diameter of 102mm, or 4"", I end with 98mm, or 3,85". Difference is 4mm or 0,16".
Thanks God, I didn't had to hand plane 1020 millimeters.. :-)
Éric

[dave tomlinson]

Could you glass it. That would make it stronger as well as less maintenance and get it close to the right diameter.

[boatsmith]

I think that's what I would do or leave it and not worry

dave tomlinson said:

Could you glass it. That would make it stronger as well as less maintenance and get it close to the right diameter.

[Éric Bouvéron]

Thank you all for all your answers. I don't think I'm good enough to glass the mast properly, so I will leave it as it is. I confess that I have given a call to the Wharram office, and the answers were like yours: leave it as it is, 4mm is not a worry, or glass the mast.
Thank you for your support,
Éric

[Axel]

If you built a mast to Wharram's design I'd say you have more than enough skill to glass it as well. So if you are worried about it, you can buy fiberglass or carbon fiber sleeves that are easy to apply and get a good finish. It's much easier than trying to wrap it with tape or apply pieces longitudinally and very much easier to get a good finish. With the sleeve, you just slide it on the mast, wet it out and once fully wetted, wrap it with plastic. I'd use a roll of plastic tape, maybe a few inches wide, wrap it tight and overlap it the whole way up. Once it's cured you will have a nice smooth finish ready for sanding and painting. Or you can just leave it....

[Éric Bouvéron]

Axel, thank you for your kind words about my skill, but the thing is that yes, I know that sleeves exist, but I don't know where to source them. I will ask my fiberglas supplier if he has these sleeves, and if he has it, I'll try. I forgot this option, thanks for remind me. I built the boat in China where you can buy anything as long as you find it. And I must admit that I have a lot of fun in building the boat, I've learned a lot of things, but now, I want to put it in the water and have another kind of fun. It's nearly finished, now, I have to decide about the color!