Radar mast replacement

[Unclematt]

My new to me Sundowner 32 has a wood mast where the radar dome is mounted. The wood mast is 10' I would like to get a new mast fabricated out of aluminum with a hinge. Has anyone had one made, have any thoughts and if you have had one made who did you use.

 

[mvweebles]

I have struggled with the mast on my Willard 36 for years. My best thinking was to ping several boatyards. When sailboats break a mast, it's often at the spreaders so a beefy stump from a 30-footer may be possible.

For a hinged base (commonly called a tabernacled mast), you will probably need to have one fabricated. I would ping grand banks owners' groups to see what they are doing. There are plenty of them, and many store in a covered berth

Good luck

Peter

 

[Pete Meisinger]

When I replaced mine. I made my own. The original was about fifteen feet, maybe a little more. I tapered and beveled the edges of basswood. It is about eight feet now. I made it octagonal and sanded it round. Really not a huge task making or finishing it. Basswood is fairly soft and easy to work. It is about three inches across at the top, about six at the bottom.

When I had it looking pretty round I set the mast at about a 45 degree incline. I mixed up a batch of fiberglass resin and poured it in one end and caught it at the other end.I kept pouring it through until it had pretty well set. Of course it leaked out where my joints were not perfect but that was part of my goal with the glass.

The tricky part was hinging it in the middle so I could lower it easily. I didn't end up hinging it but put a butt end splice in it to lower it down. The wires enter the bottom, come out at the splice and re enter above the joint. If I were to do it over I would spend a little more time making the hinge and figure out a way to make the wires stay inside, just have to be longer, I guess.

I finished it off with Interlux Brightside. I am very happy with the look. BTW, I have not lowered it since I installed it, about three years.

Sometimes I miss the boom but I never miss all the "guy" wires stabilizing it.

pete

 

[Comodave]

While I didn’t replace a mast, on a previous boat I added a mast. I went to a used boat equipment store and bought a damaged spinnaker pole and cut it to length. Had a welder weld a base and a spreader on it. Was fairly cheap and worked just fine.

 

[koliver]

While I didn’t replace a mast, on a previous boat I added a mast. I went to a used boat equipment store and bought a damaged spinnaker pole and cut it to length. Had a welder weld a base and a spreader on it. Was fairly cheap and worked just fine.

Broken sailboat parts are a good bet for a short (<25') mast or boom.

My replacement mast is Aluminum irrigation pipe, 3" outside diam, ~ 16' tall, unstayed, fastened at the base and where it passes the upper deck. I have used it lifting a laser (150 lb base weight, but leaked then, so add 100 lb for water inside) adding only a temporary forestay from the spreader attachment.
Presently carries the radar, lights, flags.
Boom is a 2" aluminum pipe, long enough to get to the middle of the Laser when it is alongside.
Stands in a tabernacle, so lowering is easy, single line is adequate. attached to the underside of the radar.

 

[C lectric]

I too built a radar mast. 3" aluminum, 1/8 wall. tubing x 7 ft tall stepped on the heavy mounting for my engine exhaust stack.

I did all the cutting and figuring and then took it to a welder for fitting.

I did look for the cast offs whether sailboat spars or ??? but found little that would not be more work to adapt than starting fresh. My area is somewhat limited for this kind of stuff.

Worked out just fine.