New mast for Polpharma-Warta

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The Polish crew of the 85-ft catamaran Polpharma-Warta is preparing the construction of a taller and lighter wing mast. The installation of the new rig will require several modifications on the platform.
The polish crew of the catamaran Polpharma-Warta (26 m / 85 ft) visited the Multiplast yard on March 17 to prepare the construction of a new mast. This wing mast will replace the one lost at the end of February 2000 during the crossing from Cadiz (Spain) to San Salvador (Bahamas). This transatlantic nevertheless enabled Polpharma-Warta

(ex-Explorer, ex-Jet Services V, launched by Multiplast in 1987) to become the first boat to officially qualify for The Race. The new mast will measure 2 m (6.6 ft) more than the old one – for a total height of 32 m (105 ft) – and will adopt a thicker shape, while weighing in at 200 kg (lb. 441) less. The use of high-modulus carbon fibre will allow it to do without spreaders.Its installation will require several modifications: the replacement of the shroud chainplates for new carbon parts, the addition of chainplates for the lower shrouds, the fitting of a new rotating ball at the mast foot, and new standing and running rigging... Moreover, Roman Paszke is considering replacing the catamaran's forward beam and her longitudinal compression beam, both in aluminium, with new composite items. Based in Fort Lauderdale (USA) these last few weeks, Polpharma-Warta is currently en-route for Europe by cargo and will arrive in Saint-Nazaire (France) in early April. Her dismasting, which happened on February 25, 580 miles east of San Salvador, was caused by the failure of an aluminium chainplate fitted by a yard in Australia in 1998. It was the oldest wing mast built by Multiplast and was 13 years old.