Building a Glued Lapstrake Caledonia Yawl

Page 16: Stepping the Masts

Shaping the main mast - shown here with eight sides.

All the spars are spar grade Sitka Spruce. Fortunately, this wood is plentiful in the Pacific Northwest.

This morning we finished squaring and eight-siding the mizzen mast, then rounded it off with a cut 60 grit sanding belt fitted with wooden handles, used "shoe-shine" fashion.

The pink chalk visible in the photograph makes it easier to keep track of progress.

This rounds the spar nicely, but does require a lot of sanding to remove cross-grain scratches that will otherwise be noticeable under the varnish.

Stepping the masts, view from the port side

This afternoon we moved Freya outdoors so we could step the masts and locate the mizzen step.

Stepping the masts, view from the bow

With both masts in place and aligned with each other, we were able to trace the heel of the mizzen onto the step, and then cut the tapered hole for the heel in the exact position required.