Making a New Mast

I have begun making a new mast for the 84 Fu Hwa 39 Europa Sedan. Some PO had already moved it forward to near the flybridge seat. It has a wonderfully heavy pinned base so that lowering it is relatively easy. It has four shrouds which are head-snarers for tall bulky folks (me). Choices include making a new mast just like the original wooden one, or using a bit of spinnaker pole.

The biggest change I intend is to eliminate the shrouds and capture the mast at seat-back height. There will be a latch like some sailboats have at the partners in the deck. The mast will cantilever up like an unstayed sailboat mast.

I will run all cables up inside the mast, including the radar, gps, lights and anchor light.

I will post progress pics in this album: http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/members/12213-albums515.html

Do you know where the bracket to mount the radar came from?

What are you going to use it for?

Besides the stated?

Dosan, the bracket is a Raymarine product for their scanner. I've seem 'em before.

Bilge53, I don't get the agenda of your question. The mast's the device that carries an anchor light, the radar, the gps, downlights for the portion of the flybridge that's not under cover, and a couple burgee halyards. I've been thinking I could add the VHF antenna to it as well. I also have been exploring the idea of adding a gaff or boom to act as a davit for getting the kayak up to store on the flybridge wing. Maybe even to lift a tray with drinks or dinner (the mind boggles).

Found the mounting bracket at the Walmart web site of all places. It fits Raymarine and Garmin 24" radomes. Says the mast must be 3.5" or more in diameter.

We had a mast that had all the electronics mounted on it. Took all of them off and mounted everything on the cabin top. Figured when it's foggy and I am going under low bridges how could I use the Radar?

The lifting and adding a boom is what I was curious about. That adds the need for significant support in addition to a tabernacle base.

Ahhh, bilge53, adding any sort of useful boom would require a lot beefier mast, step, and tabernacle than I currently plan. I had sketched several alternatives for kayak and dinghy davits. Below is a .jpg made from an AutoCAD file. The .pdf is the same view.

Making fiberglass tubes for the mast. Pics in the previously-mentioned album. Ordered the fiberglass sheets from McMaster-Carr on Thursday; they arrived Friday.

Did you see the pre made fiberglass tubes in Mc M C catalog!? Fine for ya!!

For your mounting I think it will be hard ( if not impossible) to beat the stays on your current mast for weight distribution. A tabernacle beefy enough will be a 100 pound gorilla (at least) way up high on the flybridge. Never mind the spar section to support a boom and block with a 100 lb dingy cantilevered over the side.

How much did old mast and rigging weigh?

I think the idea of light weight spar with stays is for a reason.

Cappy, I'm building a simple little mast, no further thought of using it for lifting anything but burgees.

I bought some of the fiberglass tubing appropriate to my design from McMaster-Carr, but I had to make some other tubing to get the diameter, length cost effectively.

More progress pics posted: http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/m...albums515.html

Done!

Well, mostly. Some touch-up paint. Rewire the lights plug. Cut scuppers on the Teak tabernacle trim.

There are no shrouds. The table / tabernacle has a removable back edge supporting the mast. Take the edge off and the mast swings down.