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Comment by Clyde A. Phillips on June 21, 2013 at 11:17pm

Mast Step Mortise and Mast Rake

 Speaking first of the mizzen, on the boats we built the mizzen had a bit of rake and Eddies comment about what he found on SoNice is likely “right on.”  The hull building crew cut out and mounted the steps so I have no idea about relative positions.  But the steps where built to span three frame stations (the after end of the mizzen step sits on the apron at a frame station) and the mortise was not necessarily on center fore and aft.  Let me say here that the mortise doesn’t have to the exact needed length.  In fact, I like having the mortise longer than needed but centered on the expected location of the center (fore and aft) of mast.   That gives room for changing the rake of the mast and the position of the center of effort of the sails.  This is accomplished by wedges fore and aft of the mast.

 

Note the position of the mortise in the drawing above.  This drawing is an update of my first drawing with changes based on photos Bob sent me, so I am sure of the info here.

So far as rake is concerned, I have found that personal preference seems to favorably correlate with the personal history of the observer.  I was raised on a Chesapeake Bay bugeye and I like, prefer, a lot of rake.  Others were brought up on boats with no rake and that’s what they like.  To me, absolute vertical is a no-no for a sailboat mast.  On the old timey boats we almost always see a little rake.  I have pictures of 19^th century oyster boats with the masts that were stepped to be raked but have the mastheads pulled forward so that the upper part is vertical or even raked forward of vertical.  So, in the area of rake there is much variation.  On two masted vessels the preferred setup is to have obvious rake on the forward mast and greater rake on the after mast.  That to me is the preferred raking.  Let me illustrate by showing you how the Newporter was designed:

You will note the light rake of the main and more rake on the mizzen.  That, to me, is perfect even though it is nowhere near what an old time Chesapeaker would do.

Go now to "Mast Step Mortise and Mast Rake II"

Comment by Clyde A. Phillips on June 21, 2013 at 10:30pm

 

Mast Step Mortise and Mast Rake II

 

Now, remembering what Eddie said about his boat, let’s look at a detail of the drawing above (though it is reversed):

  Here you will see that the mast in the step is a few inches forward of the mast at the doghouse top.  Note too the difference in angles between the house back and the forward face of the mizzen.  This is the design, but find a collection of Newporter pictures and note the number of Newporters showing the designed rake as compared with the those that differ.  Often you’ll see mizzens that are upright, some even raking forward, and some (in pictures taken from ahead) that have masts out of vertical side to side, even a difference between the two masts.

If your doghouse is intact and as built and your cockpit is also original, you can drop a string from the forward inside face of the “partner” at the housetop to the step, holding it at the step so that the string intersects the plane of the forward face of the mast at the cockpit sole (the hole through which the mast passes).  Measure the hole (inside the lip around the hole) and draw it out full size, then draw in the mast centered in the hole.  The mast is designed at a width of 5-1/2” and a fore and aft measurement of 5-3/4” or, since you have your mast, measure that and use those measurements.  That will tell you how far aft of the forward edge of the hole to hold the string, and that will tell you where the forward edge of the mortise should be.

So, there you have it, my thoughts on what looks right to me.  Peace, you all.

Comment by bob mitchell on June 20, 2013 at 9:30pm

great - I know Clyde has mentioned that on occasion, but might not have had the specifics. Anyway, I think I have enough info to drill the mast step holes - which are a continuation of the floor bolts that come up through the apron. Since those holes are in a fixed location, I position the mast step and then drill up from the bottom - will post pic. Thanks again. Hey, one last question. Does all this mean that the mortise (slot) in the mast step is not located in the fore to aft  center of the step?  Lets say the mast step is 24 inches. How far from the front of the step is the front of the mortise - I know you are not at the boat - so at your leisure!

Comment by Eddie Offermann on June 20, 2013 at 8:28pm

That's exactly how mine is - at the cockpit sole, it's really close to the bulkhead: the mast boot takes up pretty much all of the space between the mast and the bulkhead - it's RIGHT up on it.

The mast then rakes away from the bulkhead the whole way up. It's a shallow angle to be sure, but it's not parallel.

Comment by bob mitchell on June 20, 2013 at 4:32pm

WOW! That is interesting - because the back edge of the pilot house roof is about two inches beyond the bulkhead, and the mizzen mast I think is not touching the roof, maybe an inch away in its metal "partner".

So what that says is that the Mizzen mast is sloped toward stern, ie raked a couple of inches - which it very well might be. What do you think?

Comment by Eddie Offermann on June 20, 2013 at 4:01pm

From bulkhead to front of the slot is about 1/2 inch and the forward edge of my mast is another half inch back from that. Note that I've observed some differences in mast placement (or possibly bulkhead position) on some Newporters. But that clearance on mine is close with that plank extending a few inches underneath the pilothouse.

Comment by Eddie Offermann on June 20, 2013 at 2:53pm

I'm going to the boat for lunch in about an hour. I'll get you a measurement then!