Topless progress and the boat meets it's first rule check!

So, as you can see, the guys and I have removed the cabin . I thought I had a picture of it, but that will have to wait until next time. We had hoped to get the mast step in, but we had to wait for a rule to be determined.

Per Tim, the rule will be that the listed "J" measurement is not a real "J", but an actual measurement from the actual bow of the bow, to the front face of the mast, which is what Chris has suggested on the forum. Not the best call, IMO, but that's OK, it is a rule I think eveyone can live with.

For boats with a deck stepped mast, it should be pretty easty to make sure you comply. For us with a "keel" stepped mast, we have to worry about how and where it is measured officially and how the rake of the mast effects the measurement. Our mast base was originally going to be located by the slot in the center or the most forward slot in the picture with the angle gages. The most rearward slot was my "OMG, with the standard rake, it could measure an inch off" slot, then the final, used slot is the calmer, "let's see were we really are" slot. Anyway, the way it works is this: The aluminum angles get welded together and holes drilled in the sides as well as the center bottom. The mast base can be adjusted fore and aft, except now the most it can go rearward is the max. allowed dimension, which is 89.5 inches. It meets spec at this location, but is pretty straight. It also pivots side to side about its center so that the mast can be raised to the side and around the keel when the boat is on the trailer. The eventual cabin top will have a cut out that centers the mast side to side and has provisions for shims to help set the mast rake, ETC.

Otherwise, you can see a picture of our "moulded over 2" PVC" stiffeners. If they work as I hope, we will use them all over as they are a little lighter than the fabricated wooden ones. As soon as the balance of the epoxy work is done, sans the keel area, we will flip the boat so we can work on the epoxying and fairing of the hull while we work on the required keel.