Composite mast Layup Video

[ROBERT RAST]

News from area 51 (Smokestacks Basement) Hey Eric Wilson (Eman) smuggled this video out with out us knowing its a experimental mast layup , the new Viagra model Fat Bastard for Skippers with a little extra Ballast
Any way the news is out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUQ9K4xNrIA

Enjoy

Rasty
DN1313
Ice Hole Racing Team

[dnus4925]

How long does it stay stiff??? What happens if you blow it out?? Does the cold air affect it??

[ROBERT RAST]

The epoxy i use is warm weather 80 degree the basement temp is about 65 so you could work for hours putting it in the mold. The glass and carbon go into bottom half of the mold and the bag is placed inside ,the edges of the glass carbon are folded over each other creating a overlap on the front of the mast. After the top half, front of mast is secured I add 20 lbs of air to push the glass to mold. Then we place a foam box over mold and apply heat using a small electric heater which brings temperature up to 140 to 160 degrees in the foam box eventualy soaking through the mold making epoxy kick off, after about 10 hours at his temp it is cured the mast removed and reheated to maximize cure of the epoxy.

[ROBERT RAST]

Here is video 2 removing from mold, and cutting slot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qkpTu6J0j8

Think ICE

Rasty
dn1313

[smryan]

Robert thanks for the video. Do you or anyone else out there have suggestions as to general layup schedules, either previously published anywhere or would you be willing to share some successful layups? This for people who would like to try building a composite mast but are nervous about using expensive materials and time on a total trial and error exercise. I've got a couple of old masts to use for building molds. Any opinions on whether the Kenyon or Norton wing shape would be better for a composite mast. Also I've been intrigued about the Bamboo based mast. Does anyone know where the bamboo veneer can be purchased? I've read in here that the time would better be spent on runners but the mast sure seems like it would be fun. Thanks Steve Ryan, DN 3674

[Ken Smith]

Folks, making masts is not easy.  Bob, Lou, Cave, and others have spent several years learning how, building the tools, gathering materials, making jigs, figuring out how to make a wood pressure vessel, making epoxy spreaders, figuring out a layup schedule, finding bolt rope tubes, etc.  Can it be done at a home near you?  Yes.  Will you make some bad masts before you make a good one?  Almost certainly.  Will your mast be cheaper than a Kent or a Sherry spar?  Absolutely, if you do not count your time.  Will it be faster, reproducable and competitive every time?  No.  But some will be.  And after 10 or  20, most might.  And it is fun. 

Bob Rast helped me build one a few years ago, and it was fun.  We tried a few different ideas, found the mast too soft, stiffened it, tuned and played with it for two seasons.  Never got it fast enough.  Then I bought a Sherry mast, got faster and more consistent performance.  Still sailing teh Sherry now four or five years later.  A bargain.  Its more fun to sail fast and tune other stuff.

Now about that bamboo.  The mast looks, performs and came out of tha same mold as Jeff's other masts.  The paint is beautiful and unusual.  But the layup schedule is one you can buy from Jeff.  Your mast will look green or black, depending on your preference, though.  This was the BEST spoof ever perpetrated that I have personal knowledge of.  I cannot believe people are still looking at Jeff's "bamboo" mast and not recognizing what they see.  If you really want a bamboo mast, go for it .  Good luck.

[ROBERT RAST]

My friend lou loenneke has a Mold for sale that we used for the first 12 or 15 masts. It would save someone a lot of time in building and cost of making a nice mold. We can providr engineering and layup schedules to help shorten the learning curve. Depending where you are located there are some Guys in Michigan who have been building masts and also in Minnesota. You may see if they have  aprogram  for mast building for  local sailors.  The mold is located in Lake geneva WI, here is the ad on th four lakes site.
http://www.iceboat.org/buy%20and%20sell.htm or call him at
262-903-6464