Toys On The Mast

[toddster]

:dunce: It may be time for a reality check before I drill any new holes. I'm starting to fit all of the new toys onto the mast. It's a little absurd, but that's OK. Toys are an end unto themselves.
Up at the top, I've got the (existing) windex, VHF Antenna, Anchor Light, and ST40 wind instrument. There is room for everything to bolt on with the stock brackets. However, there is only about an inch clearance between the tip of the windex and the antenna at some angles. Maybe 2.5 inches to the anemometer cups. (And the wind instrument occludes the anchor light by a few degrees. )
How much does the whip really whip around up there? Has anyone else got them mounted this close? (Really, all this stuff ought to be a single unit.) I know I could send off for a new windex that mounts on the antenna. I just don't want to.

rotated pic to save your neck. Hmm... is the top of the masthead really flat?

 

[tenders]

Well, the whip whips. I wouldn't be surprised to see it bang into the windex in the current configuration.

I believe it is possible to purchase or fabricate a small horizontal extender that will enable you to mount the windex a few inches aft, extending beyond the top of the mast. This will solve the clearance problem and also enhance its visibility from the cockpit.

 

[mherrcat]

The rigger that is replacing my Tacktick wind transducer said he has added Starboard plates to mast tops to make room to easily mount instruments. I made a small plate to mount my wind transducer on because the top of my mast is angled and causes the transducer to angle downward if mounted directly to the mast top.



The angle cut in the bottom of the plate compensates for the angle in the top of the mast.

 

[u079721]

My suggestion (which I did on my 23 footer years ago) would be to remove the Windex, and in its place mount about an 8" or so long piece of flat aluminum bar stock pointing aft. Then mount the Windex on the aft end of the bar stock. This will get the Windex out of the way of everything else, and make it easier to see. The only reason I didn't have to do this on my E38 was that my wind instrument was on a boom pointing forward, out of the way of everything else. That vertical one of yours sure does make things complicated.

 

[jsnaulty]

top of mast

they make a windex vane that mounts on the shakespeare or metz antennas, thereby cleaning up the masthead considerably. not very expensive.

 

[toddster]

Yes, I know. But another 50 bucks and two weeks shipping. I sorta wanted to sail before December. Besides, that would mean mounting the antenna back and high, which would still require an extra bracket and the coil would then occlude the anchor light. Like I said, all this masthead stuff should be made as one unit.

 

[mherrcat]

Maybe you could try putting a couple of bends in the post that the Windex sits on to get a little more clearance.

 

[Jeff Asbury]

same array of toys my E-27 does

It's interesting that "toddster" 's mast head has pretty much exactly the same array of toys my E-27 does. I also have a ST-40 wind transducer, a Metz whip antenna and a windex. I can't seem to find a photo of my masthead in my archives, but here is a shot of a friend on mine's Catalina 27' where we rigged a extension bracket to move the windex well behind the whip antenna. I am pretty sure I have the same arrangement on my E-27.

 

[toddster]

Next stop down the mast

I guess I'll go with a flat bar extension for the windex. I know I've got some somewhere.

Next stop down the mast. This is my concept for integrating the radome, hailer horn, and steaming light. Using the weldment opening of the steaming light for the big radar cable. It sort of defies clamping up. A scrap of aluminum conduit provides an extension for the steaming light, support for the hailer, and a conduit for the cables. Should be able to fit a reasonably water resistant gasket in there. Looks like I can shorten up the conduit considerably. Hopefully when it's smaller and all painted white, it won't look quite so atrocious.



Mark: Bending the rod is an elegant solution, but I'm not sure it's sufficiently ductile. Will check to see if the vane is transferable before attempting.

Hmm... if I shortened up the conduit, technically the steaming light would be occluded by the radome, for viewing from high angles. E.g. the bridge of a large ship that was about to mow me down. However by that time it wouldn't be doing much good anyway.

 

[Guy Stevens]

I have a great solution to this

I will post a photo of the solution tomorrow.

It also includes a very easy to mount and wire led light for the windex. We are working on a mast that I have done the solution on already, it goes back up on Wednesday so it is a perfect time for this question!

Guy

 

[KanH]

while you are at it

it's worth thinking about adding a blipper, also know as a radar reflector on the mast. Sailboats have a very low radar siginature and in commercial lanes and/or low visibility conditions it never hurts to be seen sooner.

 

[Jeff Asbury]

I got a reflector at the spreaders.

 

[toddster]

Oh, yeah... I had a reflector on the backstay. It tumbled overboard during the haul-out. Wow... almost a month has gone by. I guess I was waiting for the mystery photo from Guy Stevens.

I put this stuff aside to incubate while I finished the marathon of the hull. Got it all sanded, patched, and six coats of inter protect 2000 rolled on, in those hours between work and sunset.

I sorta expected someone to step out of the bushes and hand me a medal or something, but all I got was a pile of dirty rags and paint buckets

 

[Loren Beach]

I put this stuff aside to incubate while I finished the marathon of the hull. Got it all sanded, patched, and six coats of inter protect 2000 rolled on, in those hours between work and sunset.
I sorta expected someone to step out of the bushes and hand me a medal or something, but all I got was a pile of dirty rags and paint buckets

Lot of work and a lot of sweat. "Been there done that."
What yard are you at?

Loren

 

[toddster]

er... the back yard?

Lot of work and a lot of sweat. "Been there done that."
What yard are you at?

Loren

It's squeezed into the work area between the barn and the greenhouse. Good grief, I'm going to need that area cleared for splitting firewood in a few more weeks!