Mast Support Pt 2: The Arch

*Rigging Update*

Mack was ready to put us on the schedule for Monday, but the tides will not be favorable for our 5.25' draft until Friday.  So next Friday it is!  The date is set. And we are ready. Aside from the arch we have also finished the genoa tracks and toe rails and are going to try to have a nearly finished interior before the mast goes up. 

Here is the new fiberglass mast support base cured and fared and ready for action.

AJ remounted the second original blonde beam and door frame trim, then glued and screwed the new sapele board into place - with a notch cut out for the arch to wedge into. 

On the starboard side the arch will be through bolted to the new fibgerglass bulkhead. To ensure correct fit we put the tile panels back up. A new base had to be made for the bottom tile.

AJ made a template for the arch, and then went to the local woodshop to hand select the sub componenet wood pieces for the arch.  He wanted to make sure that the inside corner pieces of the arch had a curving grain, and hand selected a "bad" off cut chunk of wood with a 90 degree grain direction change.  He then drew out the two corner pieces on the chunk to "optimize" the grain so it followed the curve of the arch.  Ye Olde wooden ship builders (old enough that they had access to trees instead of lumber) would select curving support pieces from branched portions of the tree for arched supports and stems and other purposes based on grain structure and shape.  Then, since we lack a table saw, a bandsaw, and an inside biscuit joiner, he had the pieces cut and epoxied together by a local wood shop.  It was then sanded and filed to shape. A notch was cut for the mast plate and the trim above the tile was cut flush. A strip of black 1/8 rubber was glued to the top of the arch to allow for flex. 

Project arch support complete. (minus plugs and varnish)

Originally only half of the mast was supported, and the starboard side of the cabin top was depressed. The trim and door frame no longer fit properly and some previous owner had to file down the top of the head door to compensate for the encroaching door frame above.. Now this shouldn't be an issue!