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Okay a little background.
Being a bit of a Noob, I rushed out and bought a recently advertised spare C section mast from a later boat (Crusader) expecting to fit it to my Starfish with only some adjustment to the shrouds, etc.:X
Only to find when I laid it next to my old mast, there was a significant difference to length of the two masts (33cm - 13inches) :-/ 
I now understand that this is going to be a more tricky operation than I first thought.
The sheerline for my old mast is about 51 cm on the starfish,
Where as, extrapolating down from the top black band on the C section, the sheerline would be about 30cm.
The difference is 20cm (8inches).
So I need to extend the mast by 8 inches at the least.
The old mast is a little longer and the boom height is 13 cm (5 inches) higher than that on the new.
Ho hum.
Cheers
Steve H

Well its a C section mast and it looks like I will have to add a section to the bottom.
After having a quick chat with Tim Gatti, I need to go back and measure my existing mast sheer line to see how it measures up.
Then I will have a better idea how much I need to add.
But it looks to be more that 8 inches.
Cheers
Steve h

I had good result from a glue called 'stormsure' I think.
Cheers

Chadders,
How do you add inches to a mast?
Cheers

From designs like Squids, Starfish, Smugglers and Sparklets (last of the clinkers), through the 70 to 80's, to designs like Crusaders and Baggys etc.
The hulls are getting wider, but they are also getting less deep?
Is this why measurements pertaining to the mast and fittings are taken from the sheerline?  An imaginary line across the boat from gunnel to gunnel, marked on the mast?
This implies that in real terms, masts can vary in length quite considerably between designs.  depending on the distance between the hog and the sheerline.
Therfore an alloy mast from a later design might not be appropriate for an earlier design?
ho hum
Steve H

All,

I am looking for a newer set of sails for my Starfish, 'Sparkle'.  I am looking for a Dacron set, preferably with a loose foot.  I occasionally sail with the CVRDA who would rightfully penalise me if I turned up with a classic N12, with a mylar main, and do not mention the 'C' word;)

The mast I have is probably the original Proctor, with a single diamond, rather than spreaders.  This I also had hoped to replace with something slightly more modern, i.e. an alloy mast with spreaders.  However, these seem to be in short supply.

I have recently placed a wanted add for a second hand set of dacron sails but have had no response, and I have also kept an eye on ebay.  So if that option is not going to bear fruit, I can only look at the possibility of a new set.  However, having seen the prices on P&B, I am a bit taken aback  (approaching 3 x the price of the boat)

I was sent an email some time ago about sail maker who would do a resonable deal for sails for classic boats, typically,I cannot find the email though.  Does anyone have any ideas?

Cheers

Steve H

That is looking very nice.

All,
I am looking to replace my old gold proctor mast (with a diamond) with a later more flexible alloy Proctor C mast with spreaders.  The boat is Sparkle - a Starfish from 1967. 
At my club there is a stack of masts from various broken up boats, some of which have spreaders, etc, still fitted.
So a 10 mins with a tape measure will sort this avenue out once and for all.
So what is the mast length for a hog stepped mast and how far up should the spreaders be set?
I am not in a rush, but if there is something suitable right under my nose then I might as well get on with it

Are any of Robin Steavenson's boats still in existance? 
Imortalised in print....At least I have a copy of "National 12 Book" and 'When Dinghies Delight"
I would recomend my own Starfish, but that is purely on sentimental grounds.  She does look nice though : )

Its just something to think about bfore I look at new sails seriously.

When did national 12s start moving from diamonds to spreaders on alloy masts?  My Starfish has its original mast complete with diamond.  It used to have a wheel kicker arrangement as well, however that has long since been removed/lost.
Purely on performance, should I consider replacing the mast with one with spreaders?  Or could I fit speaders to my existing mast.  Or should I just forget about it and rejoice in the fact that I still have a more or less original set-up?
Cheers
Steve Hawkins

One other consideration is cost.  Fortunately, unlike vintage cars, vintage boats are usually cheap.  For many owners this might be an important factor when buying one.  It also might be the only way ine can expect to own a boat of any particular class and it goes along with doing your own maintenance.  Its an important consideration for me. 
I need to keep an eye on the pennies.  This is not just about what I spend on the boat directly - I hope to buy a new suite of sails for Sparkle in the near future(i.e. in the next year), but I have to pick my moment.  But it also means when, how far and where I travel. 
I tend to avoid clubs on the coast on weekends, as they rarely have enough parking, let alone camping facilities.  You are often competing with general tourism for accomodation etc, let alone the 'run for the coast' that occurs every weekend on the countries roads.  I also tend to avoid large professionally run clubs, as they too can be expensive.
I much prefer an inland club, preferably run by its members, with a bar in the evening, home made cake and some space to park the camper, or put up a tent.  Magic!  Makes for a cosy weekend away and enables me to stomach the cost of the petrol to get there.

When talking to some of the vintage Merlin fleet at the combined Vintage Merlin/CVRDA events, they can always find a raft of reasons why the fitting of Carbon spars to 1950's/60/70's Merlins is a good thing. 
Slim Merlins do benefit from having lighter spars in windier conditions, etc. 
But, last year, I did overhear one 'wag'  make the following scathing criticism (not a CVRDA member), I am almost embarassed to repeat it, But it went something along the lines of:
"They buy a slim 50's Merlin Rocket, spend thousands of £ buying Mylar sails and Carbon spars, Harken fittings, etc, to try and buy thier way to the front of the Vintage fleet, as they can't cut it in the main fleet"
I would like to think that the freedoms experienced in the main fleet are just a bit difficult to let go of.  Every one wants the best from their boat.  But there will always be those that have and those that have not.  But an arms race could easily be started so a great deal of thought needs to be given.
Are the same considerations, with regards to developement, in the main fleet relevent in the vintage fleet?  Or should some sort of brake be applied to make modifying a vintage boat less desirable/worthwhile.
I am not trying to be contentious or pick an argument as an outsider.  Just as an inerested party who might finally attend one of your events...
 
 

I have been reading his thread with great interest as I have a vintage Holt 500 (672) and a classic Starfish (2383).  I also own a classic Merlin Rocket (950) - although I am not sailing her this year as my crew is a bit small.
On the few occasions I can do external events I usually sail with the Classic and Vintage Racing Dinghy Association (CVRDA).  (google it!) 
They operate 3 classes, Vintage, Classic and Old, depending on the age and they use old money PY numbers based on those from 1965. 
Qualifying boats have to be from a design that pre dates 1965, generally, although they accomodate certain lost classes of interest.
Owners are expected to declare the age and any modernisations to their boat so that their PY can be adjusted accordingly.  This way, those boats that are being sailed 'as they were back in the day', are not penalised too much those that feel the need to modernise.  this actually does encourage the use of wooden masts and tuffnol blocks, and steel centre plates, etc  They even do a 'Cotton Sail challenge' for those boats old enough. 
The very equipment from bygone days that makes some of the vintage and classic boats interesting - In fact at the last event I did I managed to sneak The Cotton Sail Challenge trophey from under the noses of a pair of vintage Merlin's in my Holt 500, Planet, which was nice.
The CVRDA often share venues with the vintage Merlin Rockets doing the deMay series.
I only draw this organisation to your attention as this might be another place to look when deciding on how you set up your future Vintage series.
Cheers

To be honest you should not really need the window sealant.  The flaps should sit flush against the transom on the outside, with the elastic pulling them snug from the inside.
They also should not be in the water at all, when sailing, unless you are sitting too far back - i.e. not trimming the boat properly.
I prefere to have my transom flaps transparent - so I can look through them. This helps with the trimming  This is only useful when you have not got a rear deck or bouyancy bag in the way.
If you look at more modern designs, the holes in the transom have been getting bigger and bigger until they barely have a transom at all.
I am going to be taking a circular hole saw to my transom to make some holes for flaps.  just got to find some hinges.
Cheers