[Public-List] Mast Beam Variation

[John S. Riley]

Jeffrey wrote:
>  I don't think our mast beams are subjected
> to all that much stress.
>   

You might be surprised just how much stress is involved there. That's a 
heck of a compression load point loaded in one spot - and it's dynamic 
in any kind of seaway.

There are documented cases that these have failed at-sea, and it's a 
common problem with wooden supports of this kind (see for example the 
number of boats in Vigor's "Twenty Small Boats to Take You Anywhere" 
that have this as a maintenance issue). 

This is one structural issue that can affect the safety/seaworthiness of 
the vessel, and personally I would not do anything less than the 
absolute strongest support I could engineer if I had any lack of 
confidence in my installation at all.

-- 
John
s/v Gaelic Sea
#521