Canvas covers and masts with diamonds

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ian60
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:04 am

Canvas covers and masts with diamonds

Post by ian60 »

Seeking knowledge and advice please!

I have recently collected N12 2302 as a project, it's pretty original as are the cover & mast!

The cover is green canvas, made by 'Renowned' and was obviously a really nice one in its day. It's mostly OK but the rear upper panels have a couple of mouse modifications and the material in those panels is a bit rotten from sun/ water damage, however overall it's pretty good and a nice piece of history with the manufacturers stencils etc. so I'd like to save it if possible if only for use at CVRDA events. Does anyone know if / where it would be possible to get it repaired?

The mast is a light Proctor with diamonds (wire variety unfortunately) and drum kicker. I couldn't resist popping the mast up when I got the boat home and put up the sails. It was a bit gusty and although every thing looked good the mast was very twitchy 'fore and aft' in the gusts. What is the opinion of forum members on such masts? Is its 'gust response' a desirable feature?

Pictures for anyone interested at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/138936801 ... 4945044090
Last edited by ian60 on Sun Mar 06, 2016 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
JimC
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Re: Canvas covers and masts with diamonds

Post by JimC »

Gust response is always a desirable feature, but if the movement is more a reflection of the glue failing and the mast no longer having the structural integrity it once had that is another matter entirely, and it might just be the herald of collapse! A lot of movement doesn't seem characteristic of masts of that era, so I'd be cautious.
ian60
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:04 am

Re: Canvas covers and masts with diamonds

Post by ian60 »

Jim, hopefully no glue in this Proctor aluminium mast! Probably I will just have to use more kicker or put some pre bend in the mast. Didn't want to go too heavy handed before I'd checked the hull over a bit more.
Michael Brigg
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Location: Gosport, UK

Re: Canvas covers and masts with diamonds

Post by Michael Brigg »

The "Gust responsiveness" of this kind of mast will resove as soon as you have some tension in the triangle formed by the Mast itself, the boom, and the leach of the sail, 0r more to the point, all the sub triangles formed by the infinity of hypoteni (as in Hippopotami; Flanders & Swan song) between the end of the boom and the mast luff, via the sail itself.

This is determined by the mainsheet and the kicker.
Michael Brigg
Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Canvas covers and masts with diamonds

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

That mast and boom combination look so much like the set on Merlin 950 "Desperation" (Proctor MkVIII) had - only shorter. Micheal should recognise it.

Cheers
Steve Hawkins

1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
Michael4
Posts: 504
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 5:25 pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: Canvas covers and masts with diamonds

Post by Michael4 »

Apologies if my terminology is all over the place, MR 950 Desperation's mast is indeed very similar looking but is rigged with jumpers and shrouds/spreaders, no diamonds.

Interestingly MR1066's mast (which we got to know intimately) from memory appears to have the lot, ie jumpers, shrouds and diamonds.

Proctor Merlins and N12s of the period seem to have a lot in common.

With regard to twitchiness, a good heave on the transom sheeted go faster string will sort things out...
Tideway 206
11+
Sold the 'Something bigger and plastic', it never got used.
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