Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Spars

Constructed by Bruce Tipton of Port Townsend WA the mast, boom and gaff are Sitka Spruce with bronze bands and fittings by Port Townsend Foundry.  The mast is 45 ft long end to end which seems long for a 28 foot boat, but six feet of this length is inside the boat from the mast step to the main deck.  The spreader band is only 22.5 feet above main deck level and the headstay is secured to the top mast band at 33 feet above the deck. The boom is 16 feet long and tthe gaff 14.  

Getting the spars from Port Townsend to San Leon, Texas at a reasonable cost turned out to be a challenge.   Bob Marsh came up with a plan that meant stealing the trailer out from under Whisper, my 18 day sailer and modifying  it to accept the spars. My daughter-in-law's brother will drive my Expedition and the empty trailer to PT.  I will fly up after the spars are loaded and make the return trip with cargo.  Piece of cake!