Mast sections

[melvinabordelon]

Im aware that there are 3 different mast sections available (Dixon, Binks & Keeley)

Just wondering which one people would recommend for a lightweight female sailor?

[andrewr]

Hi SeaDrift,

If you are lighter, I’d go for a light flexible mast. Just make sure the mast isn’t so flexy that the sail is too flat and full of creases because the mast has bent too much. It doesn’t matter where you source it from, it’s the stiffness and weight that matter. As an indication, I have come across masts that weigh more than 7kg (with stays and vang attached) down to just over 5kg. I suspect the heavier the mast, the stiffer it will be. As an indication, mine weighs 5.7kg and when tensioning the halyard to 25 on a loos guage it bends 53mm at the mid point.

Are you calling yourself SeaDrift because you have the SeaDrift Social Club (Sail 1564)? If so, welcome to the club – that’s my old boat!

Alan Riley
Sabre 2094

[lenfly]

Thanks for your information Alan. I’m not sure what you mean by tensioning the halyard. Do you have the halyard attached to the end of the boom say with the mainsheet tied off. Then tension the halyard via the cleat until you get 25? That is, similar to putting a spring balance between the mast head and the boom. Is 25 on the scale or is it 25kg? You must have wire in your halyard to use the Loos gauge. Thanks again!

[andrewr]

Nope. No boom or wire involved. I measured mast bend using the halyard. The boom vang is permanently connected to the bottom of the mast. I tied a knot in the halyard at the bottom of the mast to stop the halyward from running out when pulling tension on it. The other end of the halyard was attached to the vang. I then used the vang to pull tension into the halyard. When there is some tension on the halyard you can use at Loos gauge on the halyard in the same way as you would with wire. You then adjust the tension using the vang until the Loos guage shows 25. Then I measured the mast bend at the mid point of the mast (about 2.6m from the bottom of the mast). If I could figure out how to add pictures to this post I could show you!

Regards, Alan

[melvinabordelon]

Thanks both of you for your input!

Alan, yes i have #1564. Shes here in Brisbane these days. My first Sabre after many years sailing 125s

[Paul Matthews]

Hi Alan, I have a couple of question, if you don’t mind.
1) My Loos gauge has settings for different wire diameter. I read and note that you are not using wire, however, which diameter were you using on the gauge?
2) With the halyard set up and the tension at 25, did you alter the alignment of the halyard? For instance, at the mat top, was the halyard exiting the turning block, or did you then secure it against the back of the mast, and similarly, at the base of the mast, was the halyard secured to the mast aft edge in some way?

Hi Seadrift, I am envious of the weather today in Brisbane!

Thank you all,

[andrewr]

Hi Slow Hand,

I’ve worked out how to add a picture to a post so you can see how I was using the Loos gauge. Note that in the picture the tension is not quite at 25.

In answer to your questions:
1. See the attached picture on for how I used the Loos gauge.
2. No, I didn’t change the alignment of the halyard. In the picture you can see the halyard twice. The inner one is the halyard running on the inside of the sheave box at the top and bottom of the mast. At the bottom of the mast I had a knot in the halyard. The outer part of the halyward runs from the sheave at the top of the mast down to the boom vang. The distance between the two parts of the halyard is about the diameter of the masthead sheave. I measured the mast bend from the back of the mast to the inner edge of the halyard.

Hope this helps!

[attachment=0:1iynbkg6]Loos Guage.jpg[/attachment:1iynbkg6]

Regards,

Alan

P.S. It’s interesting putting the Loos guage on the vang when the boat is rigged up, pull the vang on to your heavy weather setting and watching the way the tension measured by the Loos guage varies as you move the boom from running up and down the centre-line to all the way out against the side-stay. Try it and see what happens!

[Author]

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