how to? Create a mounting post for an Echomax?

[Phildorset]

I wonder if any have already been through this? I am going to mount my Echomax on a post of about 2M high in the aft stbd corner of my 25' sailing boat, I don't want it any higher as I'm happy to restrict my pings down to around 5miles or so. But what to use, some carbon tube is tempting, light but not delicate would be ideal, if anyone has done similar and has some tips then they would be very welcome. many thanks.

 

[PaulRainbow]

2m of thin walled stainless wouldn't be overly heavy and would be easier to work with. Straight length of tube, capped on the top. You can then have some stainless fittings welded on to fix the Echomax to.

 

[Daydream believer]

I used one half of an extending sailboard boom. I cut the curved part off but left a tiny curve on the end so it fed to the deck gland so no wire was left unprotected. I can now leave it at a lower height in normal use but raise it 2 ft in fog or bad weather.
The anodising on the boom extending part is good quality so it will last. The bottom part has neoprene covering which is Ok
I fitted it to the pushpit with 2 "U" bolts from Proboat. One at 45degrees & the other at 90degrees to that on the next rail up. It has been there for 4 years & is still very firm. I have the same setup for my AIS aerial which I can also raise if I wish.
There must be hundreds of sailboards sitting in garages , no longer used, all over the country. You need the boom from a 7M2 sail or bigger if possible. It needs to be the extending type as this guarantees that it will be straight for a large part of its length.

 

[Phildorset]

Thanks chaps, useful and clever, DB you caused me to remember my wife's long abandoned windsurfer rig in our shed... perfect, the top half of her old 2part carbon mast tapers nicely from about 2" to 1" dia over about 7', will fashion a socket for the deck and a bracket for the rail and it'll do nicely. sorted.

 

[Daydream believer]

Not so sure about the mast. Unless you support the clamp point you may crush the carbon tube which will then split longitudinally & you cannot get it really tight with single point loads.. You would be better off with the aluminium boom which is about 25mm diam ( the extending part will be 20mm)& can be clamped to the pushpit quite tightly.