Mast repairs/joints

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fireball

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walking around boatyards and marinas there seem to be quite a number of boats with jointed masts ...

Is there anything that needs to be looked out for with these joints? Are they as good/strong as the original mast?
 
A small number will be repairs, most will be manufactured that way due to length limitations in manufacturing process.
 
I have a friend that works at Selden and I asked him the question.
IIRC the answer was they get the best usage out of the available tube, the length of which is dictated by container length.

I often look at the joint in my mast and wonder!
 
Ah but what about the harmonic length and weakness?

In drilling a mast I believe that it's important to avoid 1/2 and multiples.
 
A typical mast has good location support at the top bottom and middle from intermediate stays. So the best place for a join is in the middle. It is the parts of the mast between support that is susceptible to failure.
If it si a larger mast with 3 sets of stays ie lower upper and cap then points for join are 1/3 or 2/3. If it is a fractional rig then the safest place for the join is at or under the spreaders.
If it is a keel stepped mast then a join can be near the deck if the mast is also supported fore and aft and sideways at the deck.

I think the concept 'orrible to have join in a mast though I have temporarily repaired masts by joining at spreaders and of course for big masts no choice.
The old sailing ships had multiple masts stacked on top of one another successfully. olewill
 
Thanks for the Tacoma link. Saw this once on B&W telly. The dog rescuer is a real old fashioned hero - pipe smoker, no vest and camo trousers for him.
 
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