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Do you have a picture of the support you are mentioning? I'm curious, although as I said - I always have a second set of hands, of the Mrs. kind

I can't quite see how the mast would ever rotate while trailering - perhaps this is an phenomenon?

bobbob wrote:Do you have a picture of the support you are mentioning? I'm curious, although as I said - I always have a second set of hands, of the Mrs. kind

I can't quite see how the mast would ever rotate while trailering - perhaps this is an phenomenon?

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... CH#p261395




I don't have a picture of mine but I will try to get one. Here is a picture of fishheadbarandgrill but there are even better ones of the fishheadbarandgrill mast crutch out there on this site but I just don't know how to find them

Thanks. I was thinking of something like that for over-winter to prevent the mast from sagging if a lot of snow or ice were to stick to the tarp for some reason. I suppose you would bolt this into the mast saddle?

for mast lowering, it would still only be helpful once you've pulled the mast a third or half of the way - before that the base of the mast pops right up, you need to hold it down.

Yes, it uses the same hole thingy as the mast - you just slide a bolt in - that's where I store my spare.

The mast on the M boat does not pop up in the air - it's a lift job all the way to the mast step. I guess on the X the aft crutch is too far forward. (?)

You know, I might be an exception case here - I have a CDI main furler, this stays attached and may shift the balance point a little. (It also adds to the number of things flopping and catching during this procedure!)

Since having a Steel bush in the mast roller and making the spreaders detachable the whole mast rolls forwards and backward really easily.
Tom takes the credit for the detachable spreaders (THANKS TOM!) best mod I done to date.

The older mast pole (early 26M's) made things harder too ... The mast arch is far better but the mast requires additional support in front of (or around) the companion way.

All the best.
Neo

Neo wrote:Tom takes the credit for the detachable spreaders (THANKS TOM!) best mod I done to date.

If you're referring to me, I probably got it from someone else on this forum. But I'm the only one I know of who pops the shroud caps off and puts the spreaders below decks, with the flag halyards wound around them. Though it's also a good bet others do that too; I just haven't seen anyone else mention it.

(not wanting to hijack the 'MRS come along' thread) but on the subject of removing spreaders and end caps I noticed while rigging my X on the weekend that the end caps clamp the stays and if uppers are not pre-tensioned there could be a tendency to pull the spreaders down slightly when raising mast and tensioning stays. My previous experience with keel boats had sliding connections at the end of spreaders, is there any caution required here?
Dandee

Dandee wrote:(not wanting to hijack the 'MRS come along' thread) but on the subject of removing spreaders and end caps I noticed while rigging my X on the weekend that the end caps clamp the stays and if uppers are not pre-tensioned there could be a tendency to pull the spreaders down slightly when raising mast and tensioning stays. My previous experience with keel boats had sliding connections at the end of spreaders, is there any caution required here?
Dandee

That's why I pop the end caps off; it's not possible to remove the spreaders from their sockets, which are a couple of tube diameters deep, without having too much slack in the top half of the shroud. So with the slack taken out so the spreaders are biased upward snugly, when tensioned the spreaders are pulled down a little, and the spreader tubes don't experience any bending. The end caps don't go very far into the spreader tubes, and the tubes are flexible enough that it's easy to pop them off.

What I do need to do is to drill out the screw holes so I can use a small tractor pin. The machine screw requires tools, and I've eliminated most things that require tools for rigging. I use nickle plated tractor pins in the spreader/socket connections, and they haven't rusted at all after three or four seasons. You can buy SS versions online, but I haven't found the need.

I find it's easier to slide off the forward stanchions than it is to slide off the spreaders.

When i get to the ramp I just slide the forward stanchions off and let them fall to the parking lot and then the mast can roll back and forth with ease with the spreaders attached.

After lowering the mast and rolling it into place I just pull up the stanchions by the safety hand rail cable attached to them and slide them back onto the socket on deck. Hook up the pelican hook on that hand rail cable and they are snug and secure going nowhere. No screws, no end caps - no spreaders out of kilter.

But you still have spreaders to trip over. I'm not as light on my feet as I used to be, you know.

The lifelines are a little different, but I could certainly install Johnson levers on both of them, which some people have done. But I like them tight, as I occasionally find myself needing to put a little shin pressure against one, and I like having a clean deck when I'm tiptoeing around up there, especially when in a parking lot. At least falling into the water provides a little cushioning, at the risk of a little drowning of course.

Tomfoolery wrote:If you're referring to me...

Sure am Tom
I'm using a SS clevis pin amd R-clip to hold my spreader tips on .... but the tractor pins sound like a good idea too.

All the best.
Neo

Neo wrote:

Tomfoolery wrote:If you're referring to me...

Sure am Tom
I'm using a SS clevis pin amd R-clip to hold my spreader tips on .... but the tractor pins sound like a good idea too.

The reason I don't use an R-clip (or hairpin) is the sharp end can do a number on the main when it's laying against the spreader. PTO pins don't come small enough. And the only thing that seems to be a good size is a quick pin, which may be ok if put in from the top. I usually sail with nothing in there, but that's not so good as in a heavy blow, the lee shroud can get a little loose, and the cap popping out would spell disaster.

Actually, thinking about it, I could use a quick pin from the top (3/16" dia.), and use a zip tie to lock it in. Easy to make, and easy to cut for removal. And I don't leave the mast up long enough to worry about UV degradation, as I always take the boat somewhere that requires trailering every year.

thats why I made an adjustable leg

J

Tomfoolery wrote:The reason I don't use an R-clip (or hairpin) is the sharp end can do a number on the main when it's laying against the spreader.

The R-Clips I'm using a very small and the Clevis pin spins round if anything tries to catch on them.
But both components are too easily dropped and that's why I like your idea of a tractor pin

Removing the spreaders makes it far easier to walk the deck and makes the packed up rig look much neater.
I've had a number of friends comment that the boat looks really tidy on my driveway now .... They think it's because of the new mast but it's really because the spreaders have gone and the stays can now be secured neatly down the length of the mast.

All the best.
Neo