N24 - mast compression problems

Posted By: Howard Staley, N24
Date: 1/9/08 10:52a.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: N24 - mast compression problems (Howard Staley, N24)

Thanks for your advice My solution is to make a compression post by slabbing two pieces of 1 x 6 hardwood boards, about 44 inches long, on either side of plywood bulkhead, just below the mast base on the deck, to form a real compression post. The bulkhead, being only 1/2 inch plywood (with only 3 plys of wood) does not function as a compression post; perhaps it never was intended to be. I wish Capital was still in business and I could ask the designers why. Plywood has very little compression support. I did note that the deck had "lowered" only about 1/16 inch which caused the compression of the bulkhead. Now the question is? Since all the wood partitions are currently removed from around the head area and the dagger post, is this the time to turn the porta-potty to face to starboard so the head can be used while the V berth is occupied ???