Making a Faux Birdmouth Mast

Simple Luff Groove Mast - Made With Router
By David "Shorty" Routh

One of the things about a PDRacer is that it promotes the use of many different types of sails, and sails that are much larger than would be typically used on this size of boat. A mast made from a tapered 2x4 is quick to make, and very adequate when used. The only problem comes when you need to lace the sail onto the mast. It is simple enough to lace it on with one of the many lacing patterns or mast hoops, but it takes time and is kinda annoying when the rest of the boat is ready to launch so quickly. Aluminum masts are readily available if you are willing to spend the money, but the light ones lack the strength to be used in an unstayed fashion. So a wooden mast with a luff groove has a lot of features that are desirable -- cheap to make, easy to hoist and strike a sail, light weight, and if you break it, just make another.

First thing I looked for was to find sail track, which is a metal or plastic strip that you attach to the aft edge of a mast, then either it makes a luff groove or you use cars to hoist your sail. The track I could find was very expensive, and beyond what I wanted to pay. I also looked for awning track used on RV's, but that track was either the wrong shape, or expensive. So next I looked to history at the older boats which used wooden masts with luff grooves. Looking in cross section, they all seemed to have small strips of wood to create the luff groove, then attached to a box section. Looked complicated to make, and I just knew there had to be a simpler way out there.

Then a simple idea hit me!! Just use 2 pieces of 1x4, make half the groove in each side, and sanwich them together with a spacer between!

Most Home Depot stores carry 14' long 1x4 boards, commonly used for forming concrete. These boards are pretty cheap at about $3 each. Then just build up the sides with a taper, and presto you have a mast.

Most people will be smart enough to buy a real router table. I was going to get one but ran out of "toy" money that month, and made a router table from some plywood, just haven't gotten around to buying a real one yet.

From Tim Cleary:
I like the idea of a mast track. I thought of a modification of your idea and that is to laminate the two sections of 2x4's after the luff groove has been routed, but without the spacer. Then rout a tunnel to the groove to allow access as in the diagram to the right. Also I show a taper of only the foreward edge of the mast and a built-in sheeve.

From Shorty:
Great idea -- the only reason I described 1x4 stock, is because I am finding it difficult to locate clear 2x4 stock. Figured if I laminated up more layers, it would spread the knots and make a stronger mast. Plus the 1x4 boards around where I live, seem to be more clear of knots. Am sure if you picked your 2x4's properly, you could save time and come up with a mast that is plenty strong.

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