SailingWest
New Member
Hello, I would like to convert my new acquisation into a junk rig. But I am struggling to find an aluminium unstayed mast. Can anyone point me in the right direction, regards.
Junk Rig Mast ?for a Hurley 22 located in Plymouth
- Thread starter SailingWest
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Minerva
Well-Known Member
Isn’t the traditional junk right method to acquire an alloy lamp post?
LittleSister
Well-Known Member
I am afraid I am unable to help with your search for an unstayed mast.
I would caution against the project, though.
I used to own a Hurley 22, they're great boats, very capable and reassuring at sea, and sail well (I toured SW England extensively both alone and two-up, and single-handed it to the Isles of Scilly and Brittany). I am also familiar with and fond of junk rig, and sailed very many miles round the English East, South and South-West coasts, the Netherlands, Belgium and France as far as Brest in a friends much larger junk-rigged boat. With the benefit of that experience I wouldn't contemplate converting a Hurley 22 to junk rig, unless I had somehow acquired one without a rig (and even then I'd probably replace the Bermudan rig). The advantages (there are also downsides) of the junk-rig aren't sufficient, to my mind, to justify the significant cost, trouble and uncertainties of the conversion, especially when the Hurley is so good as it is.
The lower section of the mast will encroach very substantially into what is already a cramped and unergonomic interior. You will almost certainly need to place the unstayed mast further forward than the original, and ensure that the cabin top and any new bulkheads will sufficiently support the mast.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
I would caution against the project, though.
I used to own a Hurley 22, they're great boats, very capable and reassuring at sea, and sail well (I toured SW England extensively both alone and two-up, and single-handed it to the Isles of Scilly and Brittany). I am also familiar with and fond of junk rig, and sailed very many miles round the English East, South and South-West coasts, the Netherlands, Belgium and France as far as Brest in a friends much larger junk-rigged boat. With the benefit of that experience I wouldn't contemplate converting a Hurley 22 to junk rig, unless I had somehow acquired one without a rig (and even then I'd probably replace the Bermudan rig). The advantages (there are also downsides) of the junk-rig aren't sufficient, to my mind, to justify the significant cost, trouble and uncertainties of the conversion, especially when the Hurley is so good as it is.
The lower section of the mast will encroach very substantially into what is already a cramped and unergonomic interior. You will almost certainly need to place the unstayed mast further forward than the original, and ensure that the cabin top and any new bulkheads will sufficiently support the mast.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
dunedin
Well-Known Member
Excellent logic from Little Sister.
And would need to spend a LOT of time and money doing such a conversion, as will require massive reinforcement of the deck plus new parts for everything rig and sails wise.
And there have recently been similar sized junk rigged boats trying to be “sold” for peanuts.
I can’t see the attraction (particularly as the sloop rig is so small and easy to handle at 22 foot), but if I really wanted a small junk rig boat I would search for the abandoned ones being given away for near free.
And would need to spend a LOT of time and money doing such a conversion, as will require massive reinforcement of the deck plus new parts for everything rig and sails wise.
And there have recently been similar sized junk rigged boats trying to be “sold” for peanuts.
I can’t see the attraction (particularly as the sloop rig is so small and easy to handle at 22 foot), but if I really wanted a small junk rig boat I would search for the abandoned ones being given away for near free.
Blueboatman
Well-Known Member
If you are serious about this (?)
.. And you are prepared to get grinding and laminating fibreglass in way of the mast step and deck then
you might try asking on the Corribee owners association for one.
Because as Dunedin says, there are free/almost free boats around.
And a fair few ageing 21 ft Corribees and Coromandels exist with the perfect junk rig for you ( in my opinion you want a solid mast and not a folding one). An old Needlespar tapered mast would be ideal, they were less prone to failure than straight section ones or indeed lampposts.
And the correct mast position may well be through the existing forehatch.
Unless or until we hear more specifics and perhaps a photo or two, I am inclined to wonder whether this is but a thread generated just to move a few forum postings - or are you a serious enthusiast of junk rig who has done your research ?
We shall see. Or not!
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potentillaCO32
Well-Known Member
My first boat was a hurley and the bulkhead/marine ply supporting the deck/mast was rotten on mine and the mast had dropped slightly. I imagine many have similar. Lovely balanced boat though
DownWest
Well-Known Member
If just looking for a mast, maybe try the Junk Rig Assoc. Hasler's book on junk rigs gives you all the info you need to know about the rig and positioning the mast.
BTW, as there is virtually no compression on the keel or deck with junk rig, it gets much easier to move the mast. The loads, in general, are much lower than a conventional bermudan. Obviously it has to be keel stepped, so Little Sisters comments are a point.
If handy with wood, you could build a birdsmouth tapered mast. Quite common with the rig. not difficult and any woodshop would route the sections for you.
Likely you know of Annie Hill's book about Badger. She and Pete had a 20ft Westcoaster with junk rig for an interlude and cruised the Brittany coast from Falmouth.
BTW, as there is virtually no compression on the keel or deck with junk rig, it gets much easier to move the mast. The loads, in general, are much lower than a conventional bermudan. Obviously it has to be keel stepped, so Little Sisters comments are a point.
If handy with wood, you could build a birdsmouth tapered mast. Quite common with the rig. not difficult and any woodshop would route the sections for you.
Likely you know of Annie Hill's book about Badger. She and Pete had a 20ft Westcoaster with junk rig for an interlude and cruised the Brittany coast from Falmouth.
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DownWest
Well-Known Member
Dup
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SailingWest
New Member
SailingWest
New Member
I intend to cover forehatch with 25mm marine ply epoxied in place then glass that over, as you say cut out internal water tank and create a mast step. I intend then to glass a larger diameter aluminium pipe permanently that will come up out of the fotehatch at least up to the height of the coach roof, the mast will then be wedged and waterproofed there also allowing blocks to be led back at correct height.
Good idea about coribee owners website.
Good idea about coribee owners website.
dunedin
Well-Known Member
….. with the original designed rig
dgadee
Well-Known Member
You could buy a whole Hurley 22 with junk rig for very little money. It is in Granton. Contact. FCYC.
That would be your cheapest option I think. Put it on a lorry to wherever.
The owner is elderly and trying to pass it on. I don't knnow if he wants paid. Two outboards, good quality fittings. Needs cleared out inside. Been floating for a couple of years so it is sound.
That would be your cheapest option I think. Put it on a lorry to wherever.
The owner is elderly and trying to pass it on. I don't knnow if he wants paid. Two outboards, good quality fittings. Needs cleared out inside. Been floating for a couple of years so it is sound.
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oz-1
Well-Known Member
Hi Sailing West, you will find lots of information on the "junk rig association site" for free or you can join as a member for, I think, £8/ annum. They have a buy and sell section where there usually are boats for free. You can also find lots of info about masts for junk rigged boats. I am in the very early stages of converting my 22 foot, home built boat to junk rig. Best of luck with your project.
fredrussell
Well-Known Member
What a great looking boat!
DownWest
Well-Known Member
Black Sheep
Well-Known Member
First, welcome to the forums!
Second - I hope you haven't been put off by some of the responses. It is a forum tradition that when someone asks "How do I do X?", everyone piles in with reasons why they think you shouldn't do X. But I'm a bit surprised that someone's accusing you of being a shill!
There's some good advice above. Certainly join at www.junkrigassociation.org - I see there's a member in the west country converting a Hurley 22 (unless you've already joined and it's you?) so scope for comparing notes.
I don't know the Hurley, so can't comment directly on possible mast positions - this will vary according to the rig (eg split junk doesn't need to be so far forward as a Hasler/McLeod sail). But I will point out that the mast doesn't always have to be on the centreline; an offset mast can open up more options.
DownWest is quite right that the loads are lighter than Bermudian, so the work on step and deck isn't too bad.
I like your plan - my first conversion was an 18 footer that had a collapsed coach roof, so could no longer take a Bermudian stayed mast. As you are planning, I ply'ed over the forehatch, and installed a permanent tube for the mast. This is great for stepping and unstepping the mast as you don't need someone below to guide the heel. I used sonething like this to waterproof the mast/tube join: Flexible Soil Pipe Connector 110-122mm x 121-137mm
Back to your original question - you are unlikely to find a suitable mast already made. As Minerva suggested, an alloy lamp post sometimes serves, but word is that suppliers are reluctant to sell to boatbuilders nowadays. Most of us build our own. No need for the complexity of birdsmouth for a 22-footer (tempting though it is). Solid wood, as a "grown" mast (ie a tree that's the right size). Or built wood (my current mast for a 29-footer is made like a battenberg cake, with some hollowing out in the lower part). Or straight alloy tube. Or a hybrid mast (allloy tube for the lower part, solid wood for the upper part). Lots of options!
Whichever way you go, good luck in what should be an interesting and rewarding project!
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potentillaCO32
Well-Known Member
What is a shill?
oz-1
Well-Known Member
Hi DownWest, no, she is a Bruce Bigham designed Flicka sailboat. His father, Fred Bingham was a naval artichect as well, and at my request, he extended the plans of my boat from 20 feet to 22 feet on deck. I received the plans in October 1993 and I launched the boat in July 1994 in Torquay harbour. I had a full time job and worked on the build every evening, weekends and took my holidays to work on her as well. At present she is cutter rigged, but hoping to convert to junk rig by next year. Best regards, Oz.
dunedin
Well-Known Member
Out of interest ….. why? She looks like the original design of cutter (gaff perhaps?) was perfect for the boat, so why spend a lot of money changing to something that may be less efficient and less elegant?
oz-1
Well-Known Member
Hi Dunedin, you are very observant!! Originally I rigged my boat as a gaff cutter and she looked very smart with a suite of tan sails made by Andrew Hooper. An accident with my back made it difficult and painfull when letting one runner out and taking up on the other, so I changed the rig to the present Bermudan cutter. As I'm getting older, the thought of a rig that would make tacking easier, and lessening the fear of accidental gybes, junk rig has become more appealing. Best regards, Oz.
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