@tim wrote:
I’m nearing the end of my restoration of W978 and I need to start thinking of how I set up the wooden mast.
Do I have to keep the mast pin in or is there a way of securing the foot as with an alloy mast?
The class rules say you must have a mast pin. Clearly it would be better not to have one from a rig tuning perspective, so the best compromise is to use the minimum diameter pin (think it is 6mm) so that it is a loose rattling fit in the hole, then have a shoe that the mast heel slides into from behind to postitively locate it at front and both sides, and to take the weight of the mast (and the vertical rig load). Then you want a snug fitting pair of side cheeks at deck level so that the mast is properly supported there as well, and ideally a set of chocks (or other arrangement) to control mast bend at deck level. The critical thing being that when the rig tension is applied the pivot pin is still a rattling loose fit and not subjected to any pressure.
Not sure about the muscle box – how far up the mast does the halyard exit? On my alloy mast it runs down the luff groove and pops out just under the gooseneck so I have a highfield lever on the back of the mast at about deck level. I guess your muscle box could go there, or if concerned about how to securely fasten it to the mast then why not mount it horizontally on the side of the c/b case with a short strop leading via a (securely bolted) turning block and hooking into the halyard.
For those who are aware of the restoration saga of 978………….We will be sailing by……………….
So soon? 😉