Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

A forum for discussing boat or trailer repairs or modifications that you have made or are considering.
User avatar
Wanderer63
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 4:24 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Wanderer63 »

When we sail offshore on our 26M we need to lower mast, pass under three bridges at Fremantle, raise mast in the protection of the harbour then proceed out to sea. We have until now left the boom attached without mainsail on the boom. I'm in process of sorting out a mainsail gate which will mean in future the main will be stowed on the boom between sails. While we have not had issues lowering and raising mast with boom attached (simply make sure vang, sheet and topping lift are slack and don't snag), are we going to be able to do the lowering /raising of mast with the mainsail stowed on top of the boom. Hopefully we will, it is a busy waterway to do the whole mainsail process.
User avatar
Tomfoolery
Admiral
Posts: 6135
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:42 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Rochester, NY '99X BF50 'Tomfoolery'

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Tomfoolery »

I don't have an M, but if there isn't enough room for the boom to tilt upward without binding on the slides, you could pull the pin it hinges on. That will gain you a little room where all the slides are bunched together, and you should be able to move the boom a little to one side for more room.

Also depends, I suppose, on how low you need to go with the mast.
K9Kampers
Admiral
Posts: 2441
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:32 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: NH, former 26X owner

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by K9Kampers »

Erik Hardtle of this sight stows & tows with his boom attached to the mast...

Roll 'em
User avatar
kurz
Admiral
Posts: 1165
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:07 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Zürich, Switzerland, Europe

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by kurz »

I never took away mainsail nore genoa... Just squese all in place. Have an :macm:

Trailered for many thousends of kilometers... Still works so fare, don't know if its good or bad, I am still to lazy to sort all the sails out...
User avatar
skibuff
Just Enlisted
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2016 11:21 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Pollock Pines California Nor Cal

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by skibuff »

On my 26x I leave my boom and main attached when trailering.
User avatar
Tomfoolery
Admiral
Posts: 6135
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:42 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Rochester, NY '99X BF50 'Tomfoolery'

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Tomfoolery »

skibuff wrote:On my 26x I leave my boom and main attached when trailering.
Good to know. I've never tried it, but it would save a fair bit of time, as I store it below, and that takes time to bring up and reattach. Just one more step that I might be able to eliminate, and every step takes time. :)

With luck, I might be able to leave the sail cover on it, too, zipped and velcro'd to the mast for protection.
User avatar
skibuff
Just Enlisted
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2016 11:21 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Pollock Pines California Nor Cal

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by skibuff »

Tomfoolery wrote:
skibuff wrote:On my 26x I leave my boom and main attached when trailering.
Good to know. I've never tried it, but it would save a fair bit of time, as I store it below, and that takes time to bring up and reattach. Just one more step that I might be able to eliminate, and every step takes time. :)

With luck, I might be able to leave the sail cover on it, too, zipped and velcro'd to the mast for protection.
Make sure you have the newer style gooseneck I think I read that on some of the older boats the gooseneck was breaking when leaving the boom and main attached.
User avatar
Tomfoolery
Admiral
Posts: 6135
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:42 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Rochester, NY '99X BF50 'Tomfoolery'

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Tomfoolery »

I didn't know there was more than one style of gooseneck. :|
whgoffrn
Captain
Posts: 503
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:55 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by whgoffrn »

I broke my end cap leaving boom and mast connected with the main on the boom ...I now disconnect but bungee chord it
reastmure
Chief Steward
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 2:26 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by reastmure »

I did this for a few summers but noticed this past season that the boom reciever was bent and loose on the mast. I redid the rivets and bent the 'ears' back in place. Maybe detaching the boom works. My sail is heavy material so maybe interferes more. For me I wouldn't recommend it.
stuendan
Chief Steward
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:49 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by stuendan »

Speaking of goose necks and rivets, on last trip, I noticed that the rivets holding the goose neck assembly to the mast were loose, allowing a little movement. They obviously need replacing. Any idea on the diameter, shank length. Should they be stainless or Ali (with S/S pins)? Cheers all
User avatar
Cougar
Engineer
Posts: 159
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:02 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Leeuwarden, Netherlands

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Cougar »

Certainly not ali! That's way too soft for the purpose. What you need are monel rivets. It has two advantages. It's much tougher than aluminium, so you'll need a powerful rivet plier to apply them. Stainless rivets are so tough they can only be applied using very heavy duty tools. The other advantage monel has over SS is that monel is the better choice when it comes to preventing galvanic corrosion. Which is a serious issue when connecting SS and ali.
User avatar
Wanderer63
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 4:24 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Wanderer63 »

Thanks for all the input guys, I'll give lowering with main in place a go next time we head offshore. I guess making sure your setup is right, plenty of slack in the vang, out haul and not having the sail too tightly bound near slugs will give it room to move. And as I've found with raising and lowering mast, don't rush it and keep a roving eye out for snagged lines and halyards or anything that looks like it is under stress. Off to th boat to measure up for a mainsail gate.
Y.B.Normal
First Officer
Posts: 332
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:55 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: NE Wisconsin

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Y.B.Normal »

To all you aviation types out there: What about using Cherry-Lock or Cherry-Max rivets for attaching the gooseneck to the mast? I still have some left over from my Piper Super Cub restoration.
Nauti Nell
Engineer
Posts: 125
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2016 3:44 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Decatur, Ga

Re: Lowering mast with main stowed on boom

Post by Nauti Nell »

Would having the mast rotated to one side help any? Toyed with the idea of leaving boom attached last week when leaving Tybee Island. I took it off mainly to lessen drag when towing. I left the cover on the main and just detached the boom with cover on. Left vang attached to mast (bungeed to mast when mast was in place for transport) removed boomkicker. Hopefully will save a few minutes when putting back in slip next week.
Post Reply