Posted by lance_ryley (lance_ryley@…>)
George,
congratulations all around! When I bought my F40 CK Bright Star (in
Deale MD), my girlfriend helped me deliver it to Boston. I didn’t
propose to her on that trip, but our ability to work and play
together, in close proximity, for a solid two weeks definitely sealed
the deal, and I proposed to her on Christmas Day. Freedoms bring
luck 
I can’t really speak to adding holes to a free-standing aluminum
mast, but you might want to take a look at how some of the Nonsuch
boats have rigged radar. There’s one at our marina that had a mount
made that is held in place by two large hoseclamps. The mount is
shaped to fit the mast at the proper height, and the hoseclamps go
around the mast and under the sail track above and below the mount. I
don’t remember, but I believe the radar cable was either led
externally, or through a small hole in the mast down to the base of
the mast. you should be ok with drilling that hole, but you may not
want to drill to mount the platform. Others will have a better idea
on that.
As far as the SSB, Bright Star had one years ago. The antenna emerged
from the port side deck in the head and ran to the top of the mizzen
mast. I’m not sure how things were insulated, since the whole unit
(except for a mess of copper in the bilge for the groundplane) was
removed by the time I bought the boat, but I’d be concerned about
this arrangement since it would provide a too-obvious handhold going
forward. You might consider a whip at the end of the boomkin instead.
Again, congratulations!
Lance
Glory
Posted by Jay Glen (svfantasy@…>)
George,On “Fantasy”, my Freedom 40 Cat-Ketch, aft cockpit, I have the SSB antenna running from the starboard rail, just forward of the boarding gate. It runs up to the top of the mizzen using standard insulators. At the base of this antenna, I use bungee cord to let the joint flex with the bend of the mizzen mast. I covered the lower portion of the antenna with the split plastic covers which you normally place over the standing rigging (shrouds) to protect the jib from chafe. The antenna tuner is located in the hanging locker forward of the chart table. This is how Fantasy was rigged when I bought her three years ago, and it works well. However, I worry that having the antenna attached to the top of the mizzen and to the starboard rail - that if the bungee cord reaches its limits the antenna will act as a shroud and impart compression loading on a well bent mast. This could be catastrophic. I’m considering using a whip, but placing it is problematic. I’m thinking about placing it just forward of the mizzen mast on centerline. It will clear the aft end of the main wishbone. What I don’t know is if the carbon fiber mast may degrade the signal. The boomkin would be great except my mizzen wishbone extends beyond the boomkin.
Hope this helps.On 9/6/07, lance_ryley <lance_ryley@…> wrote:
George,
congratulations all around! When I bought my F40 CK Bright Star (in
Deale MD), my girlfriend helped me deliver it to Boston. I didn’t
propose to her on that trip, but our ability to work and play
together, in close proximity, for a solid two weeks definitely sealed
the deal, and I proposed to her on Christmas Day. Freedoms bring
luck
I can’t really speak to adding holes to a free-standing aluminum
mast, but you might want to take a look at how some of the Nonsuch
boats have rigged radar. There’s one at our marina that had a mount
made that is held in place by two large hoseclamps. The mount is
shaped to fit the mast at the proper height, and the hoseclamps go
around the mast and under the sail track above and below the mount. I
don’t remember, but I believe the radar cable was either led
externally, or through a small hole in the mast down to the base of
the mast. you should be ok with drilling that hole, but you may not
want to drill to mount the platform. Others will have a better idea
on that.
As far as the SSB, Bright Star had one years ago. The antenna emerged
from the port side deck in the head and ran to the top of the mizzen
mast. I’m not sure how things were insulated, since the whole unit
(except for a mess of copper in the bilge for the groundplane) was
removed by the time I bought the boat, but I’d be concerned about
this arrangement since it would provide a too-obvious handhold going
forward. You might consider a whip at the end of the boomkin instead.
Again, congratulations!
Lance
Glory
– Jay Glen ki6jtks/v FantasyFreedom 40 Cat-KetchSan Francisco Bay Area