New sticks for the i550

 I took a week off of building the i550 for vacation in Maine.  We took along our e-scow.    For those who haven't sailed one of these they are a real hoot, however in a good blow they are a handful (and more) and you really need some beef on board, just to hold it down.  They also, have dual bilge-boards (you retract the one not in use), running back-stays, and a whole lot of strings to pull.  In fact when we decided to build the i550, I was looking for a high performance boat that two of us could sail alone.  It is definitely simpler - we'll see if it is easier. . .

On the way back from Maine we took the opportunity to stop by at Dwyer Mast to pick up a couple of sticks for the boat.  The e-scow worked out pretty well as a shipping vehicle.  We just duct taped the new spar to the mast from the scow.  We bought a 29' 6" DM4 mast and decided to go with the DM5 section for the boom.  Jay at Dwyer suggested keel stepping the mast, so we won't cut the spar until I make the decision on cabin top vs. keel mounting.  I also did not buy any accompanying hardware yet because I'm still deciding how to rig this thing.  I'm thinking about creating the spreaders out of carbon fiber.