How do I cut mast to fit tabernacle?

[John H.]

I am almost at the end of a long project replacing the keel-stepped mast on my old Typhoon with a compression post and cabin-top tabernacle. The problem is shaping the bottom of the mast after I cut. Does all of the compression weight in the mast rest in the Tabernacle pin? The 'floor' of the tabernacle has a raised shoe to fit under the front edge of the mast, but if it is a weight bearing surface, it is not level (rises fore to aft). Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks, John H.



jhalpo@rcn.com

[Serge Zimberoff]

John,
No...weight does not bear on the pin. As the mast pivots upward into the tabernacle the fore edge just meets the tabernacle as the mast is vertical and takes the weight. This way the pin prevents mast movement forward and with the mast seated just over the raised leading edge of the tabernacle it cannot move aft. I had the leading edge of the mast reinforced with an extra piece of aluminum welded on so that the weight bearing surface was built up to 3/16"+. Sometime before I got the boat someone had crushed this edge and as a result the mast did rest on the pin. The hole was totally deformed and I had this area filled and I redrilled for the pin.
Hope this makes sense. I am sure you will enjoy the ease of stepping your mast now that it is on the cabin top.
Serge
Ty #1700 'Cloning Around'



serge@srtrop.com

[Bob Bernier]

John H;

The base of my mast had been mangled by the previous owner of my Typhoon. I cut off about 1-inch and installed a base casting which I bought from Dwyer Mast Co. This casting absorbs all the abuse that the end of the mast gets from getting handled. (The inch that I took away I replaced with a teak block.) You migth also want to install a small halyard organizer plate under the tabernacle; it comes in handy for turning the topping-lift, main downhaul and other lines as well.
If you have any questions regarding the installation of these parts, please feel free to e-mail me directly.
Good luck,
Bob Bernier
Typhoon "BELLE THERESE"
Fairhaven, MA



rbernier@alsic.com

[John H.]

There I was standing on the arms of a lawn chair, belaying myself with one arm on the mast crutch making sawing motions with my hack saw before I even touched the metal, when the first of many wasps hovered out of the halyard sheaves at the base of the mast. It was a frightening drone. I jumped and ran, sustaining only one mid-chest sting through a t-shirt.

A number of thoughts came to mind. Wear a helmet. Use the shop-vac to inlahe the wasps and nest to avoid pesticide exposure. Any other ideas?



jhalpo@rcn.com