Bill Bell, #41, Kialoa

About the spars; have a competent expert look at them. My 40 year old spars (Kialoa is hull #41) are fine. Watch the method of attaching accessories to the spar, some metals do not agree with each other. The most common problem I know of is the heel or bottom of the mast corroding badly. So you cut off a inch ot two the next time you replace the standing rigging, no big deal.

Anthony Vouvalides, #521,

Our '64 Triton has the original spars. It is our second year of ownership. The only two problems we had with rigging was the original case aluminum goose neck connection on the boom had cracked. It was pitted and looked corroded through. I had a new piece made from stainless steel $159 at a machine shop. Also, the sliding piece on the mast that holds the pin twisted and broke. I had that rewelded and it is better than new. Everything else on the spars was fine. It is a great boat and very forgiving.

George Jones, #236, Ca Ira

I recently replaced the mast and boom on #236 "Ca Ira". After lots of looking I decided to go with some people that A.J. Matthews of #605 "Ay Mon" knows down in Florida - JSI. The spar that I had constructed is 37' 6" tall, 6" deep, and 4" wide and is a relatively heavy duty cruising section. The boom is 13' long. The mast and boom are aluminium and finished in a white Awlgrip. The spreaders are solid tapered foil sections through bolted to spreader bases welded onto the mast. The jumper struts are done the same way. The standing rigging is all 3/16" with Norseman mechanical fittings. The quality of the work is first rate and the completed rig is a thing of beauty.

If I remember correctly, the mast, boom, all standing rigging and all running rigging was around $4,000. It cost me another $800. in shipping, and the rigger at York River Yacht Haven put it together and stepped it for another $2,400. Total cost was right about $7,200. The black anodized aluminum cleats, spinnaker track and car, topping lift ring and block, spinnaker halyard ring and block, I did myself for around $500.

Following Provided by A. J. Matthews, Ay Mon #605 "There have been some changes down here with JSI. You may remember that sailnet.com and JSI were one and the same and that sailnet.com moved to the Carolina's last month.

Well, the JSI Rigging Shop and Spar Shop stayed put and the sail loft is now being run by Doyle Sails. The hardware and retail shop seems to be the only part of the operation that moved.

I was over there last week and they are aggressively working to get the hardware department back to the original glory before the merger. That said, the same talented individuals that constructed you spar (George) are still at it down here on Tampa Bay.

If you call the 1(800) number, you will reach the Sailnet shop in the Carolina's. But if you wish to get hold of the Original JSI, they can be reached at (727) 577-3220.