I did much the same thing but used a dipole "V" configuration with the apex
at the tip of the bow and each leg going to opposite sides of the flybridge.
Overall length was 32 feet.
I used an SGC-30 tuner and was able to load on all bands from 160-10. I
used the stainless steel railing all around the boat as the ground and it
seemed to work well. Lots of DX on 20M, including England with 5 watts
using a Yaesu FT-817.

This arrangement worked but the legs of the dipole going down to the bow
caused deckhands to get tangled feet when we were docking etc; so I scrapped
this system the next year in favor of the Shakespeare 23-ft marine whip with
the SGC tuner. Worked much better.

Good luck
Jim
K2JXW
Aboard the "Sandy Claws"
Chesapeake Bay, MD

============================

"John Laczik" wrote in message
...
Any recommendations for a *simple* antenna that can be used
on a yacht/boat to receive ~500 kHz, and to receive/transmit
in the HF amateur and marine bands (1.5 MHz ~ 30 MHz)?

Currently I am thinking about a length of wire between the
stern and the top of the mast, fed via an ATU at the stern
end. I can make the wire ~50' long. What is the optimum
wire length? As long as possible?

Thanks,

John