Ring Frames

[gary porter]

What are they? My brother in law called the other night and was looking at a Herreshoff that I believe was in Germany and had been damaged. They said, according to him, that it needed work on the ring frame or frames. I'm just not familiar with this term.
Thanks
gary

[John Turpin]

There may be alternative definitions, but my understanding of a ring frame is a frame that is somewhat circular. It would be one continuous frame for the hull and deck structures. With a deck mounted mast, some designers will call for a ring frame directly below the mast step in lieu of an inconvenient, space-robbing compression post. You can see one in this picture:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/d/r/drf6/s8.jpg

[ 12-16-2005, 03:55 PM: Message edited by: John Turpin ]

[gary porter]

Thanks John, thats probably what they are talking about. If the story is right they were sailing to Germany and damaged it enroute. A ring frame under the mast might be a likely area for damage.
Thanks again
Gary