Dressing the Mast

Between varnish coats we dry fitted all the mast bands and the new bronze spreaders.   The upper shrouds attach to the toggles on the port and starboard sides of the top mast band. The jib halyard block will hang on the forward face and the upper peak halyard block on the aft side of this same band. Right now we have 7 coats of varnish on and 5 more to go. The first photo shows the sanded mast at the top band.  The next shot was taken after the fog burned off (and it did, just like WD said it would) and we (Jorge) got coat number 7 down.  Above the top mast band the mast is painted white.

The bronze spreaders are attached to the mast just above the bottom band. They sweep aft 3 and up 5 degrees and will direct the 1/4 inch 1 x 19 stainless steel wire upper shrouds to the top mast band.





After Christmas we should be ready to pull wire through the mast and install electrical components.  I still have not figured out how to mount the spreader lights.  Above the spreaders the steaming light will mount to the forward face of the mast.  The steaming light indicates that the vessel is making way under the engine's power.   The Koden radar antenna will be mounted on the mast above the steaming light.  The wire bundle for these three components will exit the mast just below the spreaders.  

Three more wires will have to continue on to the masthead, one for the tricolor/anchor light, one for the wind indicator sensor and another for the VHF radio antenna. The AIS antenna is going to have to live at deck level on the boomkin. 

After the mast is fully dressed we will knock down the tent and step the mast,    Once the standing and running rigging is installed the mast will be unstepped and boat and spars transported to the shipyard. Hope to launch by April but not on the first and not on a Friday.