Have just been given a complete Sail Craft Tornado mast with standing rigging to experiment with before cutting down the Marstrom alu T tube, to be put on my Nacra 5.5 Frankencat. Thought af trying the F18 main on the SC by moving the top hook down 1 ft for testing before cutting. As the T tapered mast is probably to soft in the top, this would probably better the stiffness compared to cutting the lower end. Still not ideal either way, but I can live with whatever is best of the two alternative cuts: bottom or top.
Another solution could also be to buy one more main, have found an Inter 20 at fair price that should fit a uncut T mast in luff length. As this is for a carbon mast, the cut of the main might not fit the alu mast?
A third alternative: I also still have the 5.5 mast that could be joined and professionally welded in the lower end to a piece cut from another broken Nacra mast with the same section, to fit the F18 in height. Not so tempting for me as I want to keep it intact, in case of selling.
As I have 11 ft beams on the 5.5, slightly more sail area and higher CoE of the sail plan will not be a problem.
Any thoughts on this?
I have plenty of time until April to make the best of this, as the boat is in the workshop with temperatures below zero degrees centigrade outside from now.
Any thoughts on this?
MN3 wrote: my thoughts
I have given a few alternatives, hopefully someone is willing to discuss the above from a technical point of view.
Oh, you're not really interested in any / all thoughts... just specific ones.. ok i will remove my thoughts for you
:computer:
Edited by MN3 on Nov 10, 2017 - 06:52 PM.
MN3
Hey MN3, sorry if you got offended, didn´t catch that your thoughts where relevant. But stay calm, leaving this forum.
Edited by revintage on Nov 11, 2017 - 03:13 PM.
Place the 5.5 mast on top of T mast so the mast hounds line up. Then cut top and bottom
It does not have to be one or the other it can be both
please take photos and post when u do repair in april if u "marry" masts. i still have a Nacra5.2 mast(cat lost to Sandy) and we have the 2 halves of the lighter weight 570 aluminum mast we decimated years ago. we want to use one end or the other to bring 5.2 to 570 height. i believe top end is safer for fit since back in the day hobie provided retro fits for h16 masts to safeguard for a lightening 'hit'. My sailing partner joe,its his 570, insists we replace bottom! We would love to not have to transport mast to welder since cats on island where there is only ferry service and no cars(Fire Island Nat'l Seashore) This all being done to replace masts rangers seized and cut up after Himicane Jose. All ideas and Photos welcome[email][/email]
What is the luff length you are targeting? I would cut the top of the sailcraft mast. It will be more flexible than a modern F18 mast either way. I also may have F18 tubes available at a good price point less shipping.
I would advise against any welding, pro or not, on these parts as they are thin walled, tight tolerance parts that have been tempered. Welding damages that temper and can result in subsequent mast failure down the line.