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Posts: 262 Today the air was up a bit, 10-15 knts. She pointed well and moved briskly on all points of sail, heeling only slightly when close hauled. I enjoyed several hours of great sailing. Now for the agony. Toward the end of the day I tried a jibe which coincided with a puff of brisk air. It was more violent than I had anticipated. I heard a sharp crack but figured it was just something working itself in. When I returned to the dock and started tidying things up, I noticed a crack in the mast where I had made a scarf joint near the gooseneck. The epoxy had failed and there was a 10-12 inch crack in the wood (solid Sitka Spruce.) I have myself to blame. I didn't do the 12-1 scarf I should have. I'll get a photo tomorrow and add it to this post which will show how the scarf was done. Lesson learned: don't take shortcuts! I want to say a bit about the electric motor set up. Overall, I'm very pleased. The boat moves along somewhat faster than one could comfortably row it. It hasn't been tested yet against a strong headwind, but it worked well getting out to the lake and back in today in 10-15 knt. winds. One problem is that I am not able to back out of my well into the canal. The engine being mouted on the port side of the transom causes the boat to back into the canal headed in the wrong direction. There is no rudder control until the boat has some momentum. I have to back out of the well using a paddle and get the boat headed in the right direction before starting the motor. After it gets going rudder control is excellent. I'm curious to hear more from Dan Nielsen about how well his rudder mounted motor is working out. [This message has been edited by Tom (edited 09-07-2006).] IP: Logged Posts: 262 And this is the bottom: My thought now is to cut off the bottom 7' of the mast, and make it into a gaff rig mast. Anyone got a gaff rig mainsail foir sale? Tom IP: Logged Posts: 231 Jibes can be quite rough on spars, rigging etc. Not that I have ever jibed accidently! IP: Logged Posts: 262 IP: Logged Posts: 43 IP: Logged Posts: 31 IP: Logged Posts: 262 Steve W: You're probably right! I'll look at a quick temporary fix. IP: Logged Posts: 14 IP: Logged Posts: 262 IP: Logged All times are ET (US)
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The Agony and the Ecstasy
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Topic: The Agony and the Ecstasy
Tom
Builder
Registered: Jul 2002
posted 09-07-2006 06:53 PM
First the Ecstasy. I've been sailing my Haven each day since Monday, thoroughly enjoying it. Monday and Tuesday were very light wind days (5-8 knts.) and she made very good use of the light air. She tacks easily even when moving very slowly.
Tom
Builder
Registered: Jul 2002
posted 09-08-2006 05:49 PM
This is the top end of the scarf:
Paul
Builder
Registered: Nov 2000
posted 09-10-2006 03:36 PM
Tom, before you do that, why don't you check out Bud McIntosh' book 'How To Build A Wooden Boat'. Page 214 describes how to re-join or lengthen a broken mast. You might be able to save all that labor you put into the original mast.
Tom
Builder
Registered: Jul 2002
posted 09-10-2006 05:10 PM
Thanks Paul. I actually used Bud's book when building the mast; his "spar finishing machine" works very well. I just didn't continue reading the next few pages about fixing a broken mast. I think I will attempt a "clothespin" scarf as he describes. It will certainly be easier than making a whole new mast!
Tom Flatley
Builder
Registered: Aug 2005
posted 09-11-2006 08:18 AM
Do you think that it was because of the angle of the scarf or do you think that maybe the epoxy didn't cure correctly or something else on that end of the equation. I wonder how critical the scarf ratio really is. 12-1 is great but is 11-1 wrong? 8-1 is used for other applications but there must have been some other things happening to split it. It also could be where the scarf is and not necessarily how it is. Looks like it was close to a high stress area of the mast where it probably got a lot of torque during the jibe (right near the boom fittings). I would think scarfs are good for longitudinal or bending stresses, not axial or torsional forces.
SteveW
Builder
Registered: Oct 2002
posted 09-11-2006 08:38 AM
I would make what ever quick repair you can and keep sailing ( bolts/fiberglass/etc.) as the season is getting short. I always run wing, and wing, on down wind legs, and I pull the boom rope in and pay it out by hand to take some shock out of comming about.
Tom
Builder
Registered: Jul 2002
posted 09-11-2006 09:12 AM
To Tom Flatley: I think the slanted part of the joint might have had a slight (1/16" or less) gap and been epoxy deprived.
jsalacain
Builder
Registered: Jul 2004
posted 09-11-2006 09:14 PM
The next time you jibe, (after your repair) sheet in the main so the boom is over the gunwhale before you start to turn. This will alleviate the violent movement of the sail from one tack to the other and reduce the forces that can snap a spar. Especially from broad reach to broad reach. These wooden spar boats cannot take the forces of uncontrolled sail movement.
Tom
Builder
Registered: Jul 2002
posted 09-15-2006 06:17 PM
Sailing again!
After one 1/4" bolt, 4 yards of fiberglass tape and resin, and 4 pipe clamps.next newest topic | next oldest topic
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