Mast extension

[KatKokomo]

I have a 50ft tall mast on my boat and I would like to add a 10ft extension to get more sail area. Is that a safe way to go or should I purchase a new 60ft mast?
(much higher cost)
I would appriciate any input

Peter

[scoobert]

i am not a sailing expert, or know anything about it, BUT if you change the sail plan, by adding sail, you have to change the rigging too. do you have a 150% Genoa now?
you could also do a square top main, i understand that gives you more oomph. i am considering raising my masts by 1 foot, to put in a hard top, but 1' can be done with blocks, and 1' rig extensions...

[model 10]

Originally Posted by KatKokomo

I have a 50ft tall mast on my boat and I would like to add a 10ft extension to get more sail area. Is that a safe way to go or should I purchase a new 60ft mast?
(much higher cost)
I would appriciate any input

Peter

You may need to add a section and then cut off a section in order to get the splice in the correct area. With such a long addition you may end up having to move everything attached to your mast in order to get spreaders and the splice in the right area of the mast. To bad you could not add a shorter section below the boom, 4-5' maybe. 10' is a lot.

[ewsponberg]

You may have to consult a naval architect to do the change properly, if it is possible at all. The other posters are correct in that the rigging will have to change their attachment points--you'll have to move the spreaders and change the lengths of all the rigging. With longer mast sections between support points (deck-to-spreaders-to-masthead) the NA will have to check if the mast section is big enough in the resulting arrangement to adequately resist buckling. Also, new sections would have to fitted together with internal splices and lots of fasteners. You should not weld on a mast--welding lowers the strength of aluminum considerably, by as much as 30% in some cases. This is why aluminum airplanes are riveted together, not welded.

After all that consideration and bother with making such changes, will the cost and bother really be worth it? So you probably aren't saving much in the end by trying to splice new pieces into an old mast.

Eric

[Sand crab]

The Quasar is fairly narrow for it's length. A taller mast will make it tender. It is a bit heavy so that will counter balance things a bit.
There's a used big cat mast in SF. And I thought I saw one in So FLa. Some place in Italy has used masts as well. And always on Ebay.

Eric, I don't know if you recall me in earlier posts when I referenced your website which is absolutely a fantastic read btw but isn't welding the SOP on mast splices and such? And don't they hold up OK?
Here's a plug. Guys, read the articles on 4 mast failures. Eric is the man!
Sponberg Yacht Design Inc.

[Sand crab]

Like this one done at JSI in Fla.
http://www.newjsi.com/images/spars/M...20006_copy.jpg
Sailboat masts and booms by the Professionals at JSI

[barnakiel]

Most often an existing mast can be extended. You may consider spreading the sailplan before you extend the mast. Very often getting the right sails, or adding a sail to the wardrobe, gains you the extra mile,s avoiding the hassle of modifying your rig.

Think if a kite or a screecher of a sort might be what you actually want.

b.

[ewsponberg]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Eric, I don't know if you recall me in earlier posts when I referenced your website which is absolutely a fantastic read btw but isn't welding the SOP on mast splices and such? And don't they hold up OK?
Here's a plug. Guys, read the articles on 4 mast failures. Eric is the man!
Sponberg Yacht Design Inc.

Thanks for the plug, Sandcrab! BTW, the "4 mast failures" story had to get shortened to "3 Mast failures" at the request of the owner of one of the subject boats. Welding may be done, certainly, such as the fittings at the masthead or gooseneck. Sometimes vertical splices are cut and welded to taper the upper ends of masts. Prudent mast builders will heat-treat the masts after welding (something like 400°F for 8-12 hours) in order to restore the strength surrounding the weld. In the example you show in your next post, I can't vouch for the nature of the welds--looks like it could be a repair--but then where is it located, and was any heat treatment done after the fact?

In the case of a splice as the original poster is asking, I would avoid a welded connection if at all possible, unless the company modifying the mast knows exactly what they are doing and can heat treat afterwards.

Eric

[KatKokomo]

Originally Posted by KatKokomo

I have a 50ft tall mast on my boat and I would like to add a 10ft extension to get more sail area. Is that a safe way to go or should I purchase a new 60ft mast?
(much higher cost)
I would appriciate any input

Peter

Thank you all for your reply. I met another Quasar 50 with a 10ft. taller mast. It makes a difference in light wind.
I am sailing the South Pacific right now and I wanted to refit the boat in new Zealand or Thailand.....

Thanks again for your help
Peter