Mast step and other questions

[THX712517]

Alright, so I'm nearing completion of the hull of my 14' 6" X 4' 8" plywood skiff, and because the details aren't covered in the five sheets of design info, I need some advice from fellow board members.

First off, how do I design and build a mast step for a raking mast and install it on my boat? I was thinking some kind of box made out of red oak or some other hardwood, with a slot cut into the thwart, so you slide the mast in and plunk it into place. It'd be a square footed mast, in that case.

Next. It's a lug rig, about 85 square feet, so I'm not sure if there's an advantage to making the mast freely rotating, or ensuring it doesn't move.... Any efficiency lost or gained in that?

And yeah, I think that's about it. Oh yeah, how do I go about building some nice spars and yards for it?

[Thorne]

Don't know anything about your design, so I'd recommend picking up Gardner's The Dory Book and checking out the plans for similar sized mast steps, sailing rigs, etc. Same thing goes for any other source with a good rep that covers similar boats.

Depending on the rig, the common practice seems to be putting a block with a circular hole in the top on the bottom planks, then cutting a circular hole in the thwart above it.

I've read in this forum (and elsewhere)that the lug rigs often need to be further aft than others, so you might have to put a separate brace across the boat for the top support. Either way the thwart or brace should be reinforced to take the pressure of the mast.

Another option is to build the boat and put the mast in rather temporarily, then tweak the fore and aft position "in situ". Some trad boats had several mast steps and supports for varying conditions and rigs...