Quote:
Originally Posted by MAXUM
I can't imagine that suspending that much weight off the mast is a terribly good idea. Imagine that boat hitting a good sized wake while in a balancing like that?
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Not a problem at all. Sailboats sail day after day..week after week ....At Sea
.."heeled"... (NOT Keeled) over like that under the
Press of SAIL. The masts are "Stayed"..held up by their shrouds ..steel cables designed to
spread the load on the mast.
Fore and aft "pitching" of the boat in seas, (waves) combined with lateral heeling under wind load from the sails is much more stressful to the MAST than going under a bridge with ballast bags over the side.
BTW: Looking at the waterway charts there are various bridges and obstacles that skippers will become aware of. Bigger boats usually "Go Outside" for sections of the waterway that have ...ISSUES. The other ISSUE for bigger boats in the waterway is "Draft" of the boat. The waterway is not all that deep in places...deeper draft...another reason to "Go Outside".
It all depends on how fast you need to get there..(Fla). OUTSIDE is the fastest way...for those inclined.....and experienced with offshore...
NB