Summary
(please click on any of the pictures for a larger one - use the BACK button to come back)
I had to replace the old mast crutch that came with the boat. It barely made it back from the broker. I decided to try some fiberglass "from scratch". All the fiberglass I had done so far was fixing or applying to something else. I envisioned a stand-alone custom top for the crutch made from fiberglass.
I started with a mold made out of some 2x4's.
I put some construction plastic inside so that the glass would come out after it set up.
I remembered to make the vertical sides EVER SO slighty angled out so that it would not get "stuck" in the mold.
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I layed in alternating layers of cloth and mat until it was about 1/4" thick.
After it set up, I popped it out of the mold (sounds easier than it was). I cut it to a nice shape around the edges and sanded it down a bit.
The three holes are for the tie down hooks when it will be in use - two for the sides and one to hold down the mast. |
I pre-measured (are you buying this?) for a roller wheel to fit inside and support the mast.
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I used a section of an old large diameter (1/2") fiberglass tent pole as an axle so that it would have any rust problems.
The hammer-on caps fit right on it just like it was the metal type.
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Here is the final product. A bit more sanding (not much), and some paint on the fiberglass.
I bolted it to a PVC pipe cap and the mating parts to go to a PVC pipe. These were painted as well.
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The aluminum tube fits into the mizzen mast hole of the boat. It just so happened that a 2" section of PVC pipe fit down into the aluminum with very little slop.
For mast raising help, a five foot section of this PVC pipe is attached to the crutch top and can be raised out of the aluminum and pinned up with the hitch pin shown.
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Lessons Learned
If you don't care so much about how it looks, things can go pretty well!
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