How Tall is Your Mast?

[shorebird]

They used to call them "steady sails" used to reduce roll, although I've never seen steady sails in a sloop configuration, and certainly not with furling on both sails. Without an estimate on your mast height, let me say I'd certainly feel safe on your vessel, looks very seaworthy and robust.
Our mast height is 35'. When we contacted the railroad bridge operator at Vancouver's second narrows the first time, he suggested we fall in behind a 500' ship about to transit the narrows, since he was expecting a train in a few minutes. We fell in behind the ship, following it about 200' behind at about 4 knots, then heard him radio he was throttling up. We saw a plume of smoke from his exhaust, got a huge stream of turbulance from his prop(s) then watched him disappear at about 15 knots. We transited the narrows about 5 minutes later at 5 knots, and the bridge was coming down even before we crossed.

[redsky49]

As learned in Boy Scouts, have a person of known height stand next to mast. Stand at a distance from the boat.
Holding a pencil upright at arm's length, estimate how many "people height" equate to the mast height.
Surprisingly accurate.

[colemj]

First, I can't imagine why you don't know the exact height of your mast above the waterline. Didn't you have design plans when you built it, or actually measure the parts going into the build? If neither of those, then you must have had to supply an I and J measurement to have the jib made for it. Some simple trigonometry can give you an estimate.

Second, if you need to know its height to determine if you can clear a bridge, I can't imagine why you are asking people on a forum to estimate it from a picture.

Mark

[markpierce]

The boat's plans had the mast shortened so it would fit on the paper. The builder ordered the sails so I didn't have the measurements. I've assumed/estimated a height of 30 feet from the waterline. Regardless, all moveable bridges in my waters require to be raised except for the Suisun railroad bridge.

[Sailmonkey]

Tape measure and a halyard?

[pbmaise]

My new rotating wing mast is 61 feet. It features

• Single foresail
• 100% Self-tacking
• Single line reefing
• 18 feet shorter
• Hand-tight standing rigging
• Dyneema lines
• Glass smooth interface with chainplates
• Dynamic self-balancing backstays

Position is aft-mast. This is in line with trend begun
in part by Prout.
Philip in the Philippines
Hot Buoys Sailing Vessel

[cal40john]

By today's standards my mast is short. I have at least 3 times entering the locks here in Seattle have the attendants originally direct me to one side only when I come up to where they can see more of a side view shout to me "How long are YOU?". When I say 40' they say my short mast messed up their guess of my boat length.

Tall enough I have to open all 4 bridges on the fresh water side, and I need a 0' tide to not have to open the railroad bridge on the salt water side.

49.5' to the truck, add the antenna to that, but I have a 17' boom. Doing it 60's style.

SA/D = 18

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by cal40john

By today's standards my mast is short. I have at least 3 times entering the locks here in Seattle have the attendants originally direct me to one side only when I come up to where they can see more of a side view shout to me "How long are YOU?". When I say 40' they say my short mast messed up their guess of my boat length.

Tall enough I have to open all 4 bridges on the fresh water side, and I need a 0' tide to not have to open the railroad bridge on the salt water side.

49.5' to the truck, add the antenna to that, but I have a 17' boom. Doing it 60's style.

SA/D = 18

Always a rebel there "easy rider caljohn"....

[Travis McGee]

Mine is at least one foot shorter than (officially) 65' ICW fixed bridges.
Or it had better be. Or the bridges had better be.

[hogHunter]

Really interesting boat layout. Are the sails ever really used? Why so interested in the height of the mast? Shimmy up that baby and measure it.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by hogHunter

Really interesting boat layout. Are the sails ever really used? Why so interested in the height of the mast? Shimmy up that baby and measure it.

I'm embarrassed not knowing it's height. ... The sails are used occasionally. Prevailing winds are usually on the nose or coming from astern. ...



I plan to measure the height of the pilothouse roof, than add the length from the tabernacle to the bow of the boat. Pictures of the boat readied for transport to California show the mast reaching the bow of the boat with the mast placed horizontally.

[hogHunter]

Great pic of her being hauled! She's beautiful and unique.
I wouldn't worry about the exact height of her mast as long as you know your clearance... don't want to be cleaning the underside of any bridges.

[DDabs]

Unrelated, but do you have any photos of the bridge?

[mikeguyver]

Yup, just went up and measured, it's twice as high as it is from the middle to the top

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by DDabs

Unrelated, but do you have any photos of the bridge?

Are you referring to the Suisun railroad bridge? It's shown in post #1 (built in 1930, superseding the largest railroad ferries which operated between Benicia and Port Costa, now surrounded by two highway bridges). The utility boat is from CalTrans and was inspecting the lift bridge's operation. There were no ships requiring the lifting of the bridge. I diverted my route to pass under an adjacent span, my head spinning looking for a ship.