A throwback in the age of COVID - remembering the installation of Ariadne’s mast step two summers ago. I’m feeling optimism that progress will resume!
This post covers building a new, much larger mast step to adequately transfer the loads from the mast butt across the floor timbers and aft towards the ballast keel.
The new mast step was glued up following the same method as the new forefoot - three sections of 8/4 flat sawn white oak in 8” widths glued together with G-flex epoxy.
Lots of work happened between these two pictures. On the right is the shaped mast step blank, which tapers both in width (siding) and thickness (moulding) dimensions to reduce point stresses on the hull where the step appears.
To the left is the old mast step. This one was made of softwood 2x4s, and most assuredly was not original.
Marking out the mast step to cut rabbets that match up with the frames and floor timbers. The mast step will settle down over the top of the frames with a ~1” rabbet.
Chopping out the waste (with the wrong size chisel) after cuts with a circular saw.
Time to test fit!
Looking good.
Now to drill the bolt holes to connect the keel timber, floor timbers, frames, and mast step into one big sandwich.
