Mast for the flaggy-thing.. (Ensign, to the intelligent)

[Fire99]

Ensigns are sold "by the yard" normally.
The yardage is measured across the horizontal. So your 40" would be a yard-and-a-quarter. Ish.
Have a nose here: Force 4 Red Ensigns - Sewn | Force 4 Chandlery

Thanks for that.. I'll take a look.

 

[MADRIGAL]

You could always make your own flag staff from dowel - Sapele Dowels (toolsandtimber.co.uk)

…or a handle from a garden rake, usually a sturdy piece of ash.

 

[Fire99]

…or a handle from a garden rake, usually a sturdy piece of ash.

Now that is a left of field idea. I didn't think of that one.. Thanks..

 

[Daydream believer]

38mm is not far short of a sailboard mast diameter. There are hundreds about no longer required by aged sailboarders who now use their flash boards for shelves in the garage. Covered in near empty paint pots, dried brushes, broken car jacks, pots of rusty screws & other essential stuff that one finds in the garage, whilst £ 60 K of car sits in the drive.
So the GRP masts ( carbon if you are lucky) should be around if you ask. You just work your way along the taper until you get to 38mm ( or whatever) & you will be left with a lovely long tapered pole. Needs no varnish, strong & weather proof. Fit a cleat & an eye with self taping screws & you can hoist/drop it all official like, at the appropriate time each day
Ready for the next low bridge just after the lock gates open

Don't you just know that some enterprising forumite is now going to suggest getting the whole lot & going windsurfing whilst anchored for the afternoon one sunny day

 

[Fire99]

38mm is not far short of a sailboard mast diameter. There are hundreds about no longer required by aged sailboarders who now use their flash boards for shelves in the garage. Covered in near empty paint pots, dried brushes, broken car jacks, pots of rusty screws & other essential stuff that one finds in the garage, whilst £ 60 K of car sits in the drive.
So the GRP masts ( carbon if you are lucky) should be around if you ask. You just work your way along the taper until you get to 38mm ( or whatever) & you will be left with a lovely long tapered pole. Needs no varnish, strong & weather proof. Fit a cleat & an eye with self taping screws & you can hoist/drop it all official like, at the appropriate time each day
Ready for the next low bridge just after the lock gates open

Don't you just know that some enterprising forumite is now going to suggest getting the whole lot & going windsurfing whilst anchored for the afternoon one sunny day

Clever.. Another left of field idea. I certainly wouldn't have thought of this one. Thanks for that. And yes it is tempting to add windsurfing to my waterbased activities. Might be a bit odd to see me pulling my flagpole off the boat and going surfing with it. haha

 

[TwoFish]

38mm is not far short of a sailboard mast diameter. There are hundreds about no longer required by aged sailboarders who now use their flash boards for shelves in the garage. Covered in near empty paint pots, dried brushes, broken car jacks, pots of rusty screws & other essential stuff that one finds in the garage, whilst £ 60 K of car sits in the drive.
So the GRP masts ( carbon if you are lucky) should be around if you ask.

A clever idea and you are not wrong about the quantity of old windsurfing kit lying around. When we snap masts, it's generally the bottom (fat) half that goes, which should mean there are plenty of (thinner) top halves lying around.

Don't you just know that some enterprising forumite is now going to suggest getting the whole lot & going windsurfing whilst anchored for the afternoon one sunny day

A capital idea A variant would be to buy an inflatable paddle board with a fitting to take a windsurfing mast foot. That way you get both a SUP and a beginner / light wind / cruising windsurf board. A good example would be 10’7″ WINDSURF MSL Inflatable Paddle Board .