[quote=Edchris177]I used to believe a well sealed mast was all you needed, I have now changed my mind and will install a float this spring. I think someone else in an earlier post chided me for stating a float was not needed, I am in his camp now.
I sail a two man boat, solo quite a bit, & often with very few other boats around. My mast is sealed & will float if thrown in the lake.
Last fall I went over, the mast & top foot or so of the sail "dug in" as the wind (20-30 mph)drifted the boat & it turtled in less than 5 seconds. Getting it back on its side was an experience I don't wish to repeat. One other time, the only thing that prevented a full turtle was the 30' mast stuck in the mud. When you tip, as long as the mast is not dead downwind, the boat (mine anyway) seems to pivot, & the mast will stay floating. No matter how well the mast is sealed, if you are sailing in strong wind & flip with the mast tip dead downwind there is a very good chance that it will dig in. As the boat drifts, the short part that is in the water acts just like the curve of a chisel, & keeps diving. the drifting boat drives it further down, & you can turtle in seconds.
Most people leave the bottom end of the mast open for drainage. Imagine your boat turtled, that open drain, perched on top of the DS rod & mast ball is well above the tramp, meaning it is now underwater & filling up fast. With anysize openings it would only take a few minutes to take on several gallons of water, water that ends up right at the masthead. You now have a serious bitch of a problem. I was lucky & got mine wrestled back on its side very quickly. With crew in the wires & other mayhem you could easily be 5 minutes getting things sorted out, even a gallon or two at the masthead would make it very difficult to gat sideways, let alone right the boat.
It might not lok as cool, & if there is always help around, your water is shallow or yu never tip, a sealed mast is probably all you need.
I am going to prevent my boat from ever turtling. I know I can get it back from its side, full turtle might really wreck my day several miles from shore. Bring on the milk jug. I'm going to try fabricating one that weighs 1/2 of a Baby Bob.[/quote]
