Masts, Booms, Spars, the fitting out begins!

I can almost feel the shift of the breeze and hear the snap of the sail as I tack through the Chesapeake during Indian Summer, 2011. I am that close  to putting  the P14 into the water for her maiden voyage.I am currently working on the mast partner, a wooden brace, that will be placed across the front of the boat. It fits just underneath the sheer rail, crossing the boat at a point where the mast will go tthrough a hole in the middle of this structure which I am  fashioning out of red oak. The mast partner  will be screwed, but NOT glued to ledgers made of  1" thick mahogany, left over from the thwarts .  2.5" carriage screws are used for this, so the partner can be taken off, when not sailing, making more room for people to sit towards the front.

The mast is a 12 ' long structure made ut of spruce. I did not make the mast boom or spar. The mast and spar are rounded and long and rqire a high quaax