Sitka EMC

[Farrell]

Well, I do know for a fact that it's not too difficult to snap aluminum masts! Never snapped my wooden ones, but then, radically different standing rigging design.

Sailboat spars come in a variety of designs, and many had lengths that were scarfed together, and the cross-section of the mast was made up of several pieces - that's how they made some masts hollow.

Maybe that is the next direction we need to go - hollow ribs - greater strength & less mass.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Yardarm103669107@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 11:33 PM
Subject: Re: Sitka EMC


> In a message dated 11/10/2002 7:31:57 PM Central Standard Time, 
> Erwinspiano@aol.com writes:
> 
> 
> > I once heard that air dried sail boat mast rarely snapped but kiln dried 
> > ones did so more often. Sailors any truth to that story???
> 
> Dale, I can't resist. As far as I know, masts were never kiln-dried, but laid 
> up in length for many years at a time. Perhaps someone experimented, but this 
> would also have required either laminated spars or very large kilns. The OBA 
> (Old Boat Association) here in Chicago has records going back to the late 
> 1800's on spar making if you ever want more info. Of course, these days, it 
> doesn't matter how long you dry carbon fiber! :)
> 
> Paul R-J
>