Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 26-03-2017, 18:44   #1
Registered User
 
Roy M's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Southwestern Yacht Club, San Diego, CA
Boat: Searunner 40 trimaran, WILDERNESS
Posts: 3,175
Images: 4
Designing a masthead truck

Well, it's time to begin the overhaul of my mast and rigging. By overhaul I mean take the rig down, strip off every bit of gear on it, figure out what bits will be tossed, what new things will go back on, what holes need to be made, what ones need to be filled. Then there's the whole transition from external halyards to internals, adding "sky hooks" where there were none, installing roller furlers and their cousins, the Code Zero, the new LED lighting options, including High Intensity Discharge Security lights, high output LED spreader lights, masthead tricolor, masthead VHF antenna, masthead instruments, radar reflector, Strong Track mainsail system, new Harken winches, line locks, in-boom controls, and, of course, painting everything again after more years than I want to think of. Then there's the new rigging wire, the insulated backstay for the Ham radio, the new turnbuckles (that my rigger, Fritz Richardson, absolutely demands), the medley of new halyards and control lines, all of materials that didn't exist when I stepped the mast in 1978.

So,now to the reason for my query to the CF denizens: can you post any pictures of your masthead trucks that may be of technical interest for assisting in design. Also, you might have some ideas that I hadn't considered. I have some needs that you probably haven't considered. For example, I hoist my dinghy with its outboard off my deck with a halyard. I'm including a special one (or two) just for this need. So, let's hear something!
Roy M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-03-2017, 21:40   #2
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: May 2012
Location: New Orleans
Boat: We have a problem... A serious addiction issue.
Posts: 3,974
Re: Designing a masthead truck

Hmmm... how much of your money can I spend?

Big picture stuff would be to switch to dyneema standing rigging, all dyneema tapered halyards, halyard locks on the main and jib, and a 2:1 on the main halyard. Then add an A-Frame fixed sprint pole, they keep the deck clear instead of taking up fordeck room with the pole.

For a major price increase move to swept back spreaders, get rid of the backstay and swap out the mast for carbon.

For an even bigger price tag do the above and use carbon rigging instead of dyneema.
__________________
Greg

- If animals weren't meant to be eaten then they wouldn't be made of food.
Stumble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-03-2017, 07:11   #3
Registered User
 
Roy M's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Southwestern Yacht Club, San Diego, CA
Boat: Searunner 40 trimaran, WILDERNESS
Posts: 3,175
Images: 4
Re: Designing a masthead truck

Thanks, Stumble, but most of your suggestions are beyond my budget. The improvements and upgrades I have been planning, for many years now, reflect the changes in technology available to more middle-class boat owners. While I would greatly appreciate pulling hundreds of pounds of useless weight aloft by going with carbon fiber and exotic shrouds and stays, that will have to be deferred, along with the dyneema sails and the remote submersible unit. I will be popping for the halyards, though. I've been slowly accumulating this gear over the last few years, dreaming of the day the stick would come down. The mast truck is still the primary concern right now. It's a limited piece of real estate for so many priorities, hence the request of the more experienced CF folks for photos and ideas. I have done this type of project on a half dozen monos and multihulls over the last decade, so it's not an idle whimsy.
Roy M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-03-2017, 08:06   #4
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: May 2012
Location: New Orleans
Boat: We have a problem... A serious addiction issue.
Posts: 3,974
Re: Designing a masthead truck

Mast caps aren't exactly an area of great innovation. They either fit the mast profile or don't, have the right number o halyards or don't. You just need to find the one that matches your extrusion. Rigrite would be my first place to start.

I am serious about swapping to dyneema standing rigging. Normally the biggest cost difference with it and stainless is replacing all the mast fittings. Since you are doing that anyway if there is a price difference it is just as likely to be in dyneema's favor as stainless. But you save a lot of weight up the rig.

A 2:1 mainsail halyard... it's very nice to have and reduces compressive loads on the mast a lot. It also doesn't take much more than a single block on the main headboard.
__________________
Greg

- If animals weren't meant to be eaten then they wouldn't be made of food.
Stumble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-03-2017, 08:37   #5
Registered User
 
Roy M's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Southwestern Yacht Club, San Diego, CA
Boat: Searunner 40 trimaran, WILDERNESS
Posts: 3,175
Images: 4
Re: Designing a masthead truck

I guess I suffer from "Tinkerer's Syndrome", a condition that manifests a need to fiddle with stuff beyond normal limits. In my case, because I wanted to be able to carry my 10'6" RIB, with 15 HP outboard, on my port quarterdeck (my trimaran has a 24' beam, with 6' wide quarterdeck). I built a cool roller system for single-handed launch and retrieval. I've been using my main halyard to support the load on the lift bridle. I realized I could make the process easier and faster if I had a separate, portside lifting block arrangement. So, the need to build a custom truck. Plus, my rigger is planning on extending the "beak" of the truck to improve clearances needed for the new Solent style headstay and collection of roller furler drums. Messing with boats is infectious.
Roy M is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
head, mast

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Good books about yacht designing Lt. The Library 1 05-07-2012 18:53
What Would You Do Differently when Designing a Monohull ? Nostrodamus Monohull Sailboats 45 27-10-2011 09:34
Designing My Electrical System akio.kanemoto Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 14 05-06-2009 16:14
building/designing rustyjeff Multihull Sailboats 5 28-12-2008 00:48
Designing my electrical system Stranded Mariner Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 6 19-12-2007 17:32

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 22:42.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.