Stern frames - design questions ???

[ribbony]

We are building a SS stern frame for the back of our cruising yacht. Should we make it high enough so we can walk under it without hitting head on the crossmembers. That would put it about 2mt above the deck.

It has to hold solar panels, aerials, windgen, possibly a radar at a latter date.

Just a bit wary of putting all that weight too high.

Got a windvane to fit in there as well. No room for davit now !

[Pblais]

It might be a tad high. It might also look pretty odd too if you attached all that stuff on top. You start to look like a sport fish sail boat.

Have you priced this monster stainless rig yet? Good 316 stainless is not cheap! I really would work the problem with the idea of using very least amount of steel possible.

In our last boat we integrated a solar panel on top of the Bimini. I've seen 2 panels done that looked OK on boats in the 33 - 35 ft range. You still get a full dodger, connector and Bimini with the option of adding a full enclosure. We then mounted a mast off the port aft corner for the windgen and the radar was at the spreaders. We had removable davits on the stern too. This was a 33 ft boat. The amount of steel was far less than you are talking about. It basically adds a few cross members to the Bimini and a few verticals to handle the extra load. It's not like you want outriggers.

With this approach you can add the davits anytime and you might save a lot of money.

[Tnflakbait]

That could be a bit high for a 35 foot boat. But it's really mainly about aesthetics in my opinion.

[ribbony]

I had been looking around the bay to see what other frames looked like. They are all so individualised.

The radar can not go on the mast as we have a inner forestay and there is no room except above the top spreaders and that is really high.

I will be integrating the pushpit into the design as our old one is cactus.

So, how high to make this thing, that is the question. Shorter is good because I will not need to get any extra SS, it will keep th ewqeight lower. Though I also want it to be practical. If it is too low then it may interfer with the flow of wind to the wind vane as that sticks up 1.7mt above the mounts.

[Amgine]

You might consider building a mock-up, or two, in cheap pvc pipe.

A framework/pushpit of the size and complexity you're considering is a large enough investment of money, time, and effort to justify building a full-scale model that you can *really* see how it will affect both the sails/rigging/etc., and the aesthetics. And get your contractor/welder involved, because what you think you're getting may be rather different from how s/he prefers to bend metal.

Most of all, take your time to do it right. Even if the sailing season is right now.

[Tnflakbait]

Originally Posted by Amgine

You might consider building a mock-up, or two, in cheap pvc pipe.

Most of all, take your time to do it right. Even if the sailing season is right now.

A mock-up is a great idea. You can really get a good feel as to what its going to look like and where things will fit. It will also be cheap out of pvc.

[senormechanico]

We cruised in a 35' boat with a big solar array, stern cloths and a Monitor windvane.
The vane worked fine with all of the above.
We had standing headroom under the panels. I'm 5'8"'.
Sorry for the bitmap small pix, but it's really an old picture from an old long since dead computer.

Steve B.

[Vasco]

Ribbony,

You don't want it any higher than this. This one is on a 39 foot boat.