Disaster! Demasted! Project new mast begins… Must learn new stuff.

I hate taking the boat apart. However this just had to be done as it had been many years and sometimes the only way to properly inspect, is to take it apart.
So to prepare, I learn to TIG weld and then get her all apart for another mammoth amount of work, struggle and pain.
Of course being a somewhat slightly unusual boat, I immediately got the comments of 'why' and 'what's wrong'. So no, it came down for checking, upgrading and it will be going up again in pretty much the same format. It worked well.
Anyway my sensitivities apart, it still leaves me feeling unsettled, so I have proceeded at full pace to return my boat fully to service.
With TIG, I have found that welding Aluminium is actually quite easy and satisfying. The metal has a lot of surface tension when melted and it forms wonderful satisfying chunky welds that look too good to be grinded.
I chose TIG over MIG with a spool gun because the spool guns here in the UK are very expensive and are not of a known brand really.

[@shedbythetracks]

I don't know anything about sailing ships and I'm not a fan of water, but I always enjoy the updates about your sailing ship. That's a very nice welding outfit you got there. Cheers from the Shed

[@SailingSVPipedream]

Thanks. The welder is good, but TIG is fiddly at times, you take care and liked your trip down by the tracks, lovely fall colours you have there.

[@Rowow]

Great video! Saw your post on the SV seeker subreddit. Sucks how much toxicity and hate there is on there.

[@SailingSVPipedream]

Thanks very much. Yes that subreddit is a bit over the top. Disagreement is one thing, but that is just full on hate for hates sake.

[@SailingSVPipedream]

Did not mean the title to be click bait, I meant disaster as in I am really upset to be mast-less. People immediately assume something went wrong or the mast did not work.

[@SailingSVPipedream]

Well another video… hope this is half interesting.

[@opcn18]

Did my question get deleted or was there some glitch?

[@SailingSVPipedream]

Hi, no deletions from me! I have been out Scuba diving in a freezing cold lake doing Padi open diver. What was your question?