What's keeping this mast up?

[MJC]

http://www.bermudasloop.org/images/sloop_photo_385.jpg

That's a lot of sail, the mast seems very slender and I don't see any shrouds or backstays.

[JeffH]

Yup... You don't see any 'cause there ain't none ;) There's a big blowup of this pic on the Rockport Marine shop floor. Don't know what the Bermudians used for mast material, but I can only assume they went through quite a few of them... This was seen as a more common occurance in those days than would be acceptable now. Quite a bend in the outer end of the bowsprit, too....

The new schooner being built now for Bermuda was, as I understand it, originally intended to have unstayed carbon fiber masts. I think they're now considering staying with carbon fiber, but adding a few shrouds and stays here and there. The mast steps being installed now were engineered for the unstayed rig, and are consequently massively strong. Worth taking a peek at, if you're in the area..

Jeff

[Dave Hadfield]

If it bends well, it spills air (as you probably know) and the pressure eases. Sort of a built-in reef.

I don't know what wood they used either, but obviously it was a nice piece.

The hardwood trees here will take a tremendous bend when a freezing rain storm weighs them down. That's too heavy a wood of course, but I've seen some pure arches that have made me think about masts....