So the Javelin's sitting in the yard, too cold to sail (32 F), best I can do is fuss with it. This boat has the standard Riba (Riva?) carbon mast with an internal main halyard. And whatever originally capped the top of the mast is now gone (leaving a residue of foam and silicone). I've got a piece of carbon panel I can use to cap the top, but the halyard has to enter the interior of the mast in some way. How can the halyard entry point be sealed?
Thanks!
Dave
Do away with the halyard? Ie- push up luff.
Use separate CF tube the length of the mast (or at least down to the hounds with separate
plug
there so top of mast is sealed ala Taipans and some A cats) the halyard can run through (some A cats use these for the rudder hold down lines through the hulls).
Run it outside the mast- ie in luff groove or literally on the outside- could
enter
the mast below the hounds per above.
Fill top of mast with flotation- either an air bag or foam? The long
tubes
used to hold water to keep swimming pool covers down might work (of course fill them with air not water!).
Kirt
Dave,
Disregard the captian kirk advice.
I took a piece of closed cell foam, 4 inches thick, (marine seat foam is perfect) and cut it roughly to match the mast shape, goo it up with silcone and jam it in the top of the mast. Push the foam so that you have a 1/2 inch of the top of the foam below the rim of the top of the mast. Cover the top of the mast with 1/2 inch of silicone.
I'm assuming the plastic tube is still in the mast, that the halyard runs down through. Make sure this tube is sealed nicely against the foam and the silcone, and it should sit proud of the foam and silicone by 1/8 inch. The tube should run down into the mast at least 4 ft. It wont leak.
What happens when you flip is that the water can only run up the tube to the point that the mast is in the water, which is about 2 ft. It wont run up the tube past that point, so the only weight you have is the water in the tube, which should be just bigger than the diameter of the halyard.
PM me if you need some of that foam, I'll send you a chunk.
Bill
OK Bill, that makes sense. Your explanation gives me insight into the something hanging around the exit point for the halyard. It must be the piece of tubing from the masthead. I think it might need replacing. What kind of tubing is appropriate? Clear, soft plastic? Thanks so much!
dave
I had to replace the foamblock on the top of the Javelin mast also.
It is the same tube that is used for the vacum pump.
These tubes are resonable stiff and strong enough.
look here:
http:/
I wouldnt go for a pushup mainsail, the mast is to long IMO.
I know only one guy who tried it (Carlito Vaccary, the brother of Manuel from OXO Sails). It didn't look that easy when he pushed up his main and the lower lech was full of wrinkels because it.
Dave,
I have bought that kind of tubing at Grainger. If you have a catalog you will see it in there.
It isn't expensive.
Hardware stores sell similar types but they are usually the lowest quality.
Grainger will carry several types of material, nylon, poly , etc.
Go to Grainger and look at whats available. You might have to buy 100 feet though.
Here is a picture of a foam piece that I cut out of a life jacket. You can stack them to attain the thickness disired.
GARY
Thanks guys! That should get me back in business.
dave
Home Depot has the plastic tubing you need. Get some thats just bigger than the halyard, so the halyard slides easy through it.