Why is my mast so thick on my "lightly built" boat?

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by CarlF

I still think it started with a rig that needed a mast extrusion that was "in-between" two standard sizes. The designers went for the bigger mast since mast failures are a quick way to lose your designer job (and reputation).

Once they had decided on the bigger mast extrusion, they then realized they could save the cost of after lowers. As mentioned, by sharing the cap shroud chain plate they saved a set of knees and chain plates - these take a lot of labor hours and often need extra work inside the cabin to make it look nice at boat shows. Depending where they fall, they also can mess up a settee or berth location.
Exactly. The shared upper/lower mid chainplates are fastened to the aft face of the main cabin bulkheads (think some models even have furniture changes to accommodate this). An aft shroud chainplate would fall right in the settee.

It's possible it was a net money saver.
Dang beancounters...

Of course this is all conjecture as we weren't there. But this sort of thing is very common in production boat design where everything is a "trade-off".

Nothing wrong with "trade offs", even the fanciest customs have to make a few. These are good sturdy boats, still a lot of 'em around (and I think they started in ~1972?), had a long production run.

[Cheechako]

The LaFiell mast I put on the 31 footer I built in about '81 was pretty big. It was a "rectangular" cross section with well rounded corners. That spar had the mainsail track extruded into the spar. It was definitely overkill.

[VinnyVincent]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

That spar had the mainsail track extruded into the spar. .

That's how mine is too I thought that was pretty standard construction?

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Tx J

I worked in Marina Del Rey too, all over the area actually (and my sis is a Santa Monica native).

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor View Post
I guess dimensions would help us Vinaroo... If Zee is correct, the Le Fiell section will be oval or "egg shaped"... I've never seen one with a corner to speak of...
Mine is an elliptical/oval/egg shape, no taper I've noticed, built like a utility pole.
That's them!

Oh man.... Harbor City is one tough hood.... Of course right next to BY FAR the most exclusive expensive community in So Cal...
I always wondered if Palos Verdes was that expensive, don't remember ever going there; Rolling Hills Estates on the point ... same for HC area, but from what I learned of the 'terrain' and on maps I tried to avoid the tough places.
(was only TDY, a coworker was assigned to one of those places and left his stuff in his vehicle his first day at work...yep, cleaned out (from a 'secure' parking lot too).. NOT surprising!!!

OC was an awesome place to live... 30 years ago... But now??? I'm right on board with Tx J....
Yeah, and I spent most of my time living and working down in the good/high dollar OC spots (boat in the Dana Point marina), etc. The "good places are still good"... It's just tough to get there traffic wise, and the bad spots are encroaching...

VinnyV: "From what I understand, the 28 is pretty much a scaled down 41. Both designed by C&C."
Right, and relatively low freeboard too.

Originally Posted by VinnyVincent

That's how mine is too I thought that was pretty standard construction?

It is for Le Fiell... Different strokes for different mfgr's... Most anything else larger than a daysailor has external tracks...

[VinnyVincent]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

It is for Le Fiell... Different strokes for different mfgr's... Most anything else larger than a daysailor has external tracks...

I wonder if they made my mast...

CRUISING MASTS AND BOOMS

Mine is shaped just like the 3 masts in the second row. I haven't measured it, but it looks close to the two sizes on the right.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by VinnyVincent

I wonder if they made my mast...

CRUISING MASTS AND BOOMS

Mine is shaped just like the 3 masts in the second row. I haven't measured it, but it looks close to the two sizes on the right.

There you go! The one on my 31 footer was the one with the trysail track also extruded into it. OM30. Pretty cool idea.