Getting used to my storm15 - failed capsize attempt

[Clem Freeman]

I know what you mean about the paint. Luckily the chandlers is about 5 minutes from me so I could pop back when needed. No name chosen yet, will have to choose something soon.

[Steve Joyce]

One thing I have noticed with my mast.  It has already got significant wear around the king plank hole and the mast step hole.  My king plank hole was always too big for the rounded mast (even when it was just planed into eights,  so I moulded epoxy round a plastic cup to fill the gap a bit.  That was fine,  but as the mast has be to loose,  it always tended to rotate a bit.
I am making a clamp which will be fixed under the king plank which will be a split hole clamped with coach bolts with wing nuts.  This will have a rubber lining so firmly grip the mast.  I may also put a bit of glass around the tip where it goes into the mast step.

I will do some photos when I am clear what I am doing.

I am also going for varnish on the mast and spars rather than just danish oil.  I think the varnish may be a little tougher and resist the inevitable rubbing when in transit, which is leaving powdery white paint engrained in the wood.

My sprit boom also has an odd grain pattern which doesn't seem to want to sand smooth so hopefully the varnish will result in fewer splinters.  I can see me replacing this soon.