Hi could anyone help, I have nearly finished the renovation of Zonda(582)when I found her she had a 24ft 5" mast, which is in an average condition, I can only presume that this is not original, although any help would bee gratfully recieved in respect of its use for this boat.
Thanks
Posted: 12/08/2006 21:27:37 By: Tim |
It is used to hold the sails up same as every other
Posted: 12/08/2006 22:36:17 By: nAUGHTY |
The mast height of the first merlins was about 25ft so your mast is one of these (assuming you are deck stepped and not measuring from the hog). The rules changed in 1949 to 22'6" which is about six years before your boat was built. So 582 would have been no more than 22'6" from the sheerline, the one you have have sounds an original merlin mast but not from your boat.
Having said that I know there are people restoring pre '49 merlins so don't throw it it away or even chop a few feet off it! It dpends abit what sails you have for it too. There's a picture or two on the vintage gallery of no. 36 with a 25ft mast - a handful in a blow!
Check out www.cvrda.org for other contacts restoring and sailing vintage dinghies.
Chris
Posted: 30/08/2006 16:32:48 By: Chris |
But is your 24ft6in an overall length of a hog-stepped mast, which I think is more likely from the age of the boat. If so then if the mast is wooden it could well be original. However alloy masts appeared within a couple of years or so and one of the early owners could have converted the boat. Masts of approx 1960 vintage are commonly gold anodised Proctor D sections, usually without spreaders.
Posted: 31/08/2006 09:03:28 By: Andrew M |
I'm sure you're right Andrew. I guess that by 1955 when 'Zonda' was built all M/R masts were hog stepped. My Dad's earlier Holt boat 'Dizzy' no.490 had a wooden hog stepped mast. In 1952 Ian Proctor's 290 'Cirrus' no. 290 was probably the first boat to win a Championship with a hog stepped mast. It's only in recent years and adjustable rigs that they've become deck stepped again.
Posted: 31/08/2006 10:47:58 By: Robert Harris |
I hate to disagree with Robert who is usually so knowledgeable but I have 723 ( a Holt Martine design) which has a deck stepped mast and she was built around 1957. Also at the recent Banbury Vinatge meeting, we saw 685, also a Martine design, sailing with a deck stepped mast.
Posted: 31/08/2006 11:39:03 By: RichardT |
Sorry about that Richard. I should have realised that my statement as written was certain to be inaccurate for every boat built in that period and written 'most' instead of 'all'.
Posted: 31/08/2006 12:48:17 By: Robert Harris |
The joy of Merlins - they are all different.
On a completely different tack, are you the RW Harris who owned Grey Goose and won the Banbury Cross trophy back in 1962?
Posted: 02/09/2006 19:22:47 By: RichardT |
