If I remember correctly, Roger Taylor put a 8in mast into Mingming II, and was a bit nervous that it would 'look' too big, but when the boat was launched and sailing, he no longer thought that.

I'm happy that my 7in mast can take anything that I can throw at it, so there's no need for the extra diameter in your case. That said, if you were to make an all-wood mast, it would be about 8in at the partners, and probably heavier than the tube that's available to you. If that tube complies with Arne's "% of the displacement" rule, it should be OK. My only other thought is that the tabernacle will have to be large to accommodate it, and take up more room inside the cabin.

I think I have something more like proletarian paralysis. I ran out of epoxy and I have been working long hours recently. The few places that sell west system do not open early enough for me to go before work and they do not stay open late enough for me to go in the evening. It is a lot easier to find time to read these forums and guess about problems that may or may not exist.

Today I was able to pick up more epoxy. I now have the top section of the mast step screwed and glued together in the garage. I am almost ready to glue the bottom section, layer by layer, in the boat!

I do appreciate the points raised by Graeme and Arne. Failing and failing fast is often the most effective way to get something done successfully. Thank you for the advice.

Sometimes it pays not to think and worry too much. I have this problem - a fellow junkie described it as "analysis paralysis". Your trailer worries turned out to be no problem at all. I am sure your rig will be the same - an awful lot just depends on the hull itself anyway and your little boat is going to scoot along just fine.

The time is here. Tomorrow starts the week I set aside to start sailing my newly converted junk rigged trailer sailer! Back on February 10th when I ordered the WeatherMax 6.5 it seemed like a reasonable plan.

In reality I was able to construct what I think is a functional sail and about half of a mast step. This is a long way off from 'ready to sail'.

After so much time invested I find it difficult to explain to my friends and neighbors how all this nonsense I am doing in the driveway adds up to 'easier' sailing. They say things like, 'If the sail you made is so much better, then why wasn't the boat built that way in the first place?'

I remain committed! I think summer 2020 sometime is still likely. I really hope it does not slip all the way to 2021.

Scott.

Scott wrote:

Annie wrote:

[...] My own method would be to clear up epoxy on the top layer down to a smooth base, and then coat the bare wood of both faces before mixing up the glue mix.  [...]

Annie,

I am not able to understand your method. You say to 'clear up the epoxy on the top layer' and then also to 'coat the bare wood of both faces'.

If both faces are bare wood then where is the top layer that needs epoxy cleared up?

Sorry, I wasn't very clear.  Normally, when I glue some wood down on top of another piece of wood, there is some spillage, glue 'squodging out' or some type of mess that needs cleaning up before I can put down the next layer.  If I don't clean it up, there will be cured glue that may stop both faces lying smoothly together.  I always clean this up first.