Catamaran bow tubes

[GRIT]

Hi all, I'm wondering how much a typical aluminum bow tube, to fit a 49 foot cat, weighs. I'm looking for the weight of the tube, A-frame and wire all together.

Thanks in advance.
Paul.

[paxfish]

Originally Posted by svquintana

Hi all, I'm wondering how much a typical aluminum bow tube, to fit a 49 foot cat, weighs. I'm looking for the weight of the tube, A-frame and wire all together.

Thanks in advance.
Paul.

Are you referring to a sprit? (Prodder down under....)

If so, Dimensions and materials would be important things to know when calculating this. Also - consider saving some weight with SK-75 or DUX rather than wire.

[GRIT]

Thanks for your reply.
I'm sorry, I wasn't clear on the nomenclature. I'm talking about the cross beam, striker and all.

Paul.

[44'cruisingcat]

The usual for a forebeam is to use a length of mast section. Mast and rigging companies will have specs sheets giving a kg per metre spec for each section.


For a 50 foot boat you'd probably use a section that would weigh around 5 - 7 kg per metre.


The A frame won't weigh much, you could make it from either round tube, or spreader section. If I was doing it again, I'd integrate the forestay plate into the A frame. (I had a forestay tang welded into my forebeam.)


Between 5 and 10 kg for the A-frame with forestay plate. Probably around 10 kg for the wire, rigging screw etc, and tangs.


The total weight is going to largely depend on the boat's beam - ie the length of the forebeam.

[GRIT]

Thanks 44C, I guessed around 60kg, using a mast as an example, as you said. But without any actual cat experience, I really wanted to hear from someone with experience, such as yourself. After all, some masts are up to 11kg per metre, and some much less. It's good to know I was close.

Thanks for the confirmation.

Cheers.
Paul.