Estimating the size of a mast top

[Dan DSilva]

Hello again,

 

The Grogblossom's been stalled a long time largely because I had a bunch of other things to do over the summer, but I've got a free week and I'd like to at least get the mast ready for assembly.

 

Is there a way to work out the width of the top platform?  If it makes any difference, the boat will have only one mast, which (if it were real) would be about 45-50 feet tall, with a topmast and topsail, and right now I'm planning on the top being a round 17th-century style with a rail, but I have no problem changing it if evidence suggests that a boat of this kind should have a different style of top or none at all.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Dan DSilva

[barkeater]

If you want to do a round top, from Lees "Masting and Rigging" Appendix I "When round tops were carried the following were the proportionate widths of the bottom of the tops based on the length of their respective topmasts: Main 0.28, Fore 0.29, Mizen 0.27 and Sprit 0.4."

Hope this helps.

Rich

[Dan DSilva]

Thanks, that looks like what I'm looking for!

 

Topmast is a bit less than 53mm, at that ratio the top would be a bit less than 15mm.  At 1:128 that makes it about 6 feet across.  Bit cramped with the mast right in the middle of it, but I guess it would be wide enough to stand on.