RESTORATION
| Mast and rigging
Photograph by James Bates
Optimista still had its original golden anodised Sparlight mast when we bought her in 2019. Although it was in fairly good condition there were areas that needed repair and replacement.
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The mast had already been adapted from the original roller-furling boom to a makeshift slab reefing set up and a forestay foil had been fitted.
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Repairs were made to the mast such as the removal of the original roller boom furling system that was not serviceable and replaced with a new custom fabricated gooseneck.
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All repairs were made and although it was our intention to re-anodise the mast it was not viable to do it in Portugal and we had to opt to sand it back and have it painted with the same paint system as the hull.
Small adjustments were made on the top of the mast to fit new sheaves. The former steel mast foot was repainted and a new mahogany support built to support the mast inside the boat.
All the standing rigging was replaced and the original wire main sail halliard and dedicated winch were removed in place of a 2:1 halliard with no winch. Only one halliard winch was renovated and put back on the mast as the foresail halliard winch. The two original main winches were cleaned, repaired and reassembled. The winches for the spinnakers have not been re-fitted.
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New navigation lights, VHF aerial, and wind indicator were installed at the top of the mast.
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