Bob,
Glad you enjoyed the article. The tiller extension is a Spinlock. Looking at their website it looks like model "EJ" but if you want the exact model and length then let me know and I'll look on the boat.
There is a bit of a story about that frame, so bear with me because I'll give the full history in case it's of interest. In the dim and distant past, when the BRe only existed in Matt's mind and on CAD software, the original design had a gunter rig. That aft frame, which is an aluminium sprayhood hoop, was included in the design to support the yard when the sail was dropped, given there was a cabin in the way unlike on an open BR. The hoop would also support a cockpit tent. I remember it well because I had just had a test sail on a BR and was sitting with Matt when he showed me the BRe on his computer and we discussed and he added the hoop.
Some time later he recommended to those that had pre-ordered a BRe that the one piece carbon mast should be standard. So we lost the yard but the hoop stayed for a tent. Given I was keen on a tent I made sure I got the hoop but I'm not aware of any other boats that had this fitted before Matt changed the tent design and a different, flexible hoop is now used.
But I've kept that hoop, even though I don't have a tent because it's really useful as a gallows to support the boom. I use it a lot, either to support the boom and/or stop it swinging about. And to bring the story to a conclusion, I've just ordered a cockpit tent from a local sailmaker and that will use this hoop for support. I think the design has some interesting features so if it works then I'll post some pictures in the forum.
