Mast rebuild 2

The front of the mast has a tapper that reduces the size of the mast as it runs the last 8 feet to the top. It's done this way to reduce the weight at the top of the mast. For every pound of weight that you have at the top you need about 50 pounds of weight in the bottom of the boat. To get this tapper I cut the two side boards about 2 ½ inches over their 8 feet of length. Yesterday, I cut the joints on the mast so today I have cut the matching joint onto each of the side boards and fit them into place.

I had to run a new plastic tube for the mast head wirers to run thru (98 cents at the big box store) and put in all of the blocking that stiffens the mast and holds it apart at the top. Notice the aluminum foil, I once read that if you put aluminum foil inside of a wooden mast it will act like a giant radar reflector so, mine will be a 15 foot tall reflector 40 feet in the air! (Maybe they will think that I'm a big ship!)


Now I can fit the side boards to the mast and glue them into place. Here’s the first clamp.

In fact, I used all of the clamps that Deaton’s had in their wood shop. I now have a 3 sided box. The last piece (the front board) will get fitted tomorrow.