The next day I was back on Biscuit's mast support post, as well as another important item for her journey home. My first task was to pull the peel ply from the newly created mast step - the addition of three layers of 1708 biaxial cloth sitting on a bed of thickened epoxy. The new step that I created has two levels, with the upper level to the aft and the lower level falling forward. I grabbed a scrap piece of wood roughly 4" in length and a compass to scribe the transition of levels on the new mast step. I would then transfer this shape to the foot of the mast support post, but first I needed to reduce its overall length. After taking a few measurements on the required length of the post, I buzzed off the lower 6 to 7 inches on the table saw. Now I transferred the scribed shape of the step to the foot of the post and shaped it with a small finger sander. The raised portion the aft of the step prevents the mast support from moving backwards, and the collar prevents the post from moving forward, or really in any direction. Happy with the fit, I set the cap plate by tapping the borders and then setting the cap in place with thickened epoxy - having first wet the underside of the cap plate with "neat" epoxy. Finally, I dug out the balsa core to approximately 1/4" deep around all four lengths of the access hole cut into the cabin sole. After cleaning it, I wet the exposed balsa with epoxy, followed by applying thickened epoxy to fill the gap flush. Work on the collar plate will come tomorrow.

I spent the balance of time on fabricating an important item to get Biscuit back home, specifically her mast. Biscuit's owner requested a sturdier mast cradle to support one end of the mast as it spans the cockpit. The cradle that had been used was a sheet of plywood with a notch cut into the top. It worked, but was not very sturdy and prone to move around unexpectedly. I grabbed a piece of plywood from my off-cuts inventory, took a couple measurements from the aft end of the cockpit, and then cut two sections from the plywood panel. Taking a couple measurements of the mast profile, I then cut the notch portion of the cradle - where the mast would settle into, and be held stable while moving down the road. I placed one of the two panels into the cockpit, and positioned off of a line I had strung from the forward support post coming off the trailer - this supports one end of the mast - and back to the aft chainplate. With the mast resting on the forward trailer support, I found through the use of the string I had ran that the cradle needed to be 5.5" higher than where it currently sat resting on the cockpit seating. I would accomplish this by using support legs to both starboard and port, and angle them from the outboard corner of the coaming/seat corner and up to the cradle panels.

To accomplish the height issue temporarily, I gathered a few lengths of off-cuts and stacked them in the cockpit - spanning from seat to seat over the cockpit well. I then placed one of the cradle panels on the stack of lumber with the string running through it and forward. I fine-tuned the cradle panel to ensure it was equidistant from either coaming board. Now I was free to take measurements for the necessary lengths of the support legs - this turned out to be 22". I cut the support legs to length, took them back to the cockpit and oriented them on the cradle panel to promote good support. Holding the starboard support leg in position, I transferred the outline of the leg onto the cradle panel and also scribed the angle of the coaming onto the end of the leg. I repeated this effort for the port support leg, and then took everything back into the shop.

In the shop, I used a jigsaw to reduce the end of the leg to match the angle of its contact with the molded fiberglass portion of the coaming - just below the mahogany coaming board. I then rounded the end of the support legs over to promote a better fit with the inside corner of the coaming/seat intersection. With the lines of the support legs transferred onto one of the cradle panels, I simply drilled down the centerline on the witness marks of the support legs - 3 screws per side - and then countersunk the outside surface. I clamped the legs to the panel, flipped it, and then pre-drilled pilot holes into the legs. With three 3" screws per leg, I securely fixed the legs to the aft cradle panel. I placed another board between the angled support legs to act as a lock between the two support legs, further strengthening the assembly.

I mounted the forward cradle panel, again with three 3" wood screws on each support leg. I took the cradle out to Biscuit's cockpit to test fit it. Success! A boat cushion on the cabin top with support the middle of the mast, and the cockpit mast cradle is sturdy and low profile. She's ready to ride!

Total Hrs: 5