THE RIGHT STUFF

Mast Installation

The cabin top on this Downeast cruiser has been well executed. Let’s start with the mast: The wide footprint of the base will spread the load nicely, avoiding flex that would invite leaks. The air horns slope downward, an important detail that will help them drain quickly. I like the redundancy— two GPS antennas and two VHF antennas. And the extra elevation of the VHF antennas will extend their range a bit, by roughly a couple of miles. The life raft has been placed free and clear of obstructions and lends itself well to the adage, “Always step up into the life raft.” A handrail nearby would be helpful, though, as rough conditions might make standing somewhat challenging. At the aft end, three flexible low- profile solar panels have been installed. This location gives them open exposure to sunlight and out- of- the- way protection, while producing over 300 watts of energy.

Finally, small pennant halyards have been fitted to the spreaders, providing a way to observe yachting etiquette when flying courtesy flags.