I've been carrying on now for quite awhile about my "Mast Slot" idea to facilitate stepping the mast: Concept, proof-of-concept, improving (maybe expanding) the concept, seeing a variation of the idea built into another boat, building it into Gardens... even 'testing it with a stub mast...
But, as they say, the proof is in the pudding when the rubber hits the road, so I was a little anxious to see if the Slot really would facilitate stepping the full-size (length and weight) mast. I was relieved to find that it does, indeed, make stepping the mast easier (than raising it ~20" vertically and then reaching forward about 24" to drop the mast into place)!
In the mast step:
Plug in place:
Toggles on the bottom of the plug hold it in place:
Both sticks installed:
Nice to have full height indoor clearance:
Still some to get done on the mast - a bit of leather on the mast where it passes through the deck, probably wedges for 'final' fit, and more varnish - but it is a huge relief to see an idea come to fruition.
That gray deck color behind the mast is what I'm using for the seat-tops and platform deck. Funny thing about colors: they rarely look like the sample card... The sample card looks light brown but in the gloomier light of the barn the color looks gray... It will be interesting to see it in sunlight.
