Raising Mast - alone

usererror · Post by **usererror** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 3:37 pm

My previous owner said he was able to raise the mast by himself. I cannot for the life of me remember how he said he did it. There is a rope about the length of the mast attached at the top of the mast where the stern forestay is also attached.

Anyone have any insight to what he may have been doing? I've seen videos on youtube of people doing it with a device it looks like they built, which would be great to build someday but not yet.

Thanks!

Tomfoolery · Post by **Tomfoolery** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 4:16 pm

If it's just a naked mast, especially without roller furler, I would think he just walked it up, tied the line to the bow rail for security, attached the headstay, then tensioned the backstay, or some variation that still involved walking the mast up without help.

usererror · Post by **usererror** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 6:34 pm

Interesting. I picture it being walked up from the stern to the bow, after it has been bolted into place? Would that be correct?

Maybe I'll try tomorrow. I'll have an assistant with me to act as a spotter. I've never tried it by myself, always with someone else there.

Thanks!

cptron · Post by **cptron** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 8:11 pm

My first boat was a 22 and what I did was to set the base of the mast into the mounting bracket and then walk forward lifting on the mast as I went. Provided all other standing rigging is attached first. Then attach the forstay and tighten a turnbuckle that was on mine for some tension. That was before I learned about proper tension on this sight however we still survived and did not have any major mishaps.

Good Luck.

cptRon
If it's going to happen it'll happen out there.

kadet · Post by **kadet** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:57 pm

Would the rope be for standing on to put forward pressure on the mast so the forestay can be pinned without load

stern forestay is also attached

Sorry got to have a laugh but is this attached to the bow backstay

Post by **dlandersson** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 6:25 am

On my 26X, there are two bolts. One for walking it forward, and then another for pinning it into place. One person with a mast raising system, or two people (in their 50's) walking it forward.

usererror wrote:Interesting. I picture it being walked up from the stern to the bow, after it has been bolted into place? Would that be correct?

Maybe I'll try tomorrow. I'll have an assistant with me to act as a spotter. I've never tried it by myself, always with someone else there.

Thanks!

topcat0399 · Post by **topcat0399** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:08 am

kadet wrote:Would the rope be for standing on to put forward pressure on the mast so the forestay can be pinned without load

stern forestay is also attached

Sorry got to have a laugh but is this attached to the bow backstay

I got a little kick out of it too.

I'm constantly asking the admiral to report aft to the bow....

usererror · Post by **usererror** » Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:17 am

HA! I just re-read my post and saw my nomenclature error on the 'stays! oh well.

WASP18 · Post by **WASP18** » Sun Jun 30, 2013 7:34 pm

While on the subject of masts, I noticed today that the top of my mast (26X) is open. I removed the mast the other day so we can motor around for the summer with our brand new E-Tec while we get used to the boat and geography. Was there supposed to be a cap on the top of the mast?

It certainly makes sense to have it capped.

Johnacuda · Post by **Johnacuda** » Sun Jun 30, 2013 7:43 pm

WASP18 wrote:While on the subject of masts, I noticed today that the top of my mast (26X) is open. I removed the mast the other day so we can motor around for the summer with our brand new E-Tec while we get used to the boat and geography. Was there supposed to be a cap on the top of the mast? It certainly makes sense to have it capped.

Nope, but most of the dealers sell one for about $10
http://www.dowsar.com/options.htm
I think BWY has one too, but the site doesn't seem to work on my iPad.

Catigale · Post by **Catigale** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:49 am

You can step the

by hand, even with a genny on a furler if your back is in good shape and you are careful.

It really helps to have an asst sitting in the focsle hauling on a line to help bring it up.

Once the mast is in the step, and the rear bolt is in (the front bolt is for the Mast Raising system, btw, not for holding the mast up)

....step to the very edge of the closed companionway hatch
....dead lift the mast to shoulder height in one motion, then push it up over your head.

As it comes over your head, the weight will markedly swing to the mast step and you will easily be able to push the mast to the stepped position.

IF YOU CANT .....STOP.....and clear the stay or whatever else is stopping the mast from going up. Very often, one of the chainplates has twisted a thimble - that loss of length in the stay will be noticeable at the mast in terms of pressure.

If you are solo, you CAN hold the mast, walk forward, then let go of the mast and move quickly forward with the furler in hand fast enough to hold the mast vertical, without anxiety about it falling. A safer way is to run a line forward which you can tension and tie off while holding the mast , of course.

A SANE person will spring for the

mast raising system of course.

Kittiwake · Post by **Kittiwake** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:55 pm

Catigale wrote: ..... A SANE person will spring for the mast raising system of course.

When I used the mast-raising-system to lower the mast recently, the piece of metal which makes up the starboard arm of the fork through which the bolt passes to hold the mast-raising-system to the mast step, bent and collapsed. As a result, the mast lowered to the starboard side, angled about 30 degrees laterally from the stern and thus hanging over the starboard lifeline. It was challenging to swing the mast across to its support bracket at the stern. There was a modest breeze blowing from the port quarter at the time; and this may have predisposed to the failure of the mast-raising-system fork; but I was more than a bit surprised and distressed at the possible bad outcomes.

I wonder if BWY sells replacement bits for the mast-raising-system (the 'fork' through which the single bolt passes to hold it to the mast step is made up of two metal 'ears' bolted to the lower end of the mast-raising-system).

Kittiwake

Tomfoolery · Post by **Tomfoolery** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 1:17 pm

Kittiwake wrote:I wonder if BWY sells replacement bits for the mast-raising-system (the 'fork' through which the single bolt passes to hold it to the mast step is made up of two metal 'ears' bolted to the lower end of the mast-raising-system).

P/N 3423-1V0. $16.50 for the pair.

Tomfoolery · Post by **Tomfoolery** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 1:18 pm

Catigale wrote:A SANE person will spring for the mast raising system of course.

^^^^^^^^^^^ This rat cheer. ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Baerkanu · Post by **Baerkanu** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 2:05 pm

tkanzler wrote:
Kittiwake wrote:I wonder if BWY sells replacement bits for the mast-raising-system (the 'fork' through which the single bolt passes to hold it to the mast step is made up of two metal 'ears' bolted to the lower end of the mast-raising-system).
P/N 3423-1V0. $16.50 for the pair.

Do you know if these parts are heavier-duty than stock? I also bent one of mine on the most recent raising - I just horsed it over (had to) to straighten it, and lowering worked fine, but they're pretty flimsy and a beefier part would make me sleep better...

- Clay

MacGregorSailors.com

MacGregorSailors.com

Raising Mast - alone

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