Mast raising.

[Guest]

For all my experience and all my efforts I cannot find a good way to raise the mast when I'm by my lonesome!

Any good tips or gadgets out there?

MAK (ymak41-at-yahoo.com)

[Guest]

We need more information if you want some help. What kind of mast? What kind of boat?

Gus Heismann (gheismann-at-hotmail.com)

[Guest]

I have improvised a simple system for solo mast raising that works for me. When trailering my DSI, the mast rests in a crutch that fits into the rudder pintles on the transom. When I attatch the base of the mast to the mast step, the crutch is too low to rest the mast in because the mast hits the top of the cuddy. So, I made a simple extension that I attatch to the crutch and it holds the mast high enough aft that it clears the top of the cuddy. With the mast resting in this position, I attatch it to the mast step, and attatch the shrouds to the chainplates. Standing on the foredeck, I grab the forstay and raise the mast. The procedure is reversed when lowering the mast. (Care must be taken to lower the mast slowly and under control). I've only owned my DS for one season, so I am no expert. I sailed solo over 40 days in a variety of conditions, and never had a problem getting the mast up or down. Good luck and fair winds!

Stan Kirlin (stank-at-trib.com)

[Guest]

Sorry I didn't see this until this year. Here it is Jan. and again I'm starting my summer sailing (all imaginary for now). So again I'm faced with another year of excitment at the beach raising and lowering the mast. If you sail many seasons with your DS you will find that lowering the mast in the way you suggest will creat an ever deepening creas in the transom. Very troubling to me. Of course you may be more of the C.Atlas type than I and so.. you go guy! But for me and most of us there has got to be a better way!

MAK (Emak41-at-excite.com)

[Guest]

I solo a 1970 DSI. I also built a 3' high mast crutch that mounts in the rudder pintles. I attack the rear mast pin and side stays. Rather than pulling the mast up with the forestay on deck, which I tried and it was nearly impossible, I walk it up from in the boat.
Once vertical I hold the mast with one hand while I place the second pin in place. I then grab the forestay, pulling it tight while I attach it to the bow. When lowering the mast, I have the Mast crutch in place, I remove the front forestay pin, grab the mast, get inside facing the front of the boat, remove the forward pin and walk backwards lowering the mast untill it rests in the crutch. While one has to balnce the mast it is much easier than pulling it up.



Tom Beck (tbeck-at-famvid.com)

[Guest]

Thanks Tom,
My mast won't balance. As I move back (up the mast) "suddenly" the lower 2.5 feet lifts off the step and comes up through the deck... thus the "banging". I have been using a variety of tie downs and it works but I can't believe that's how it was intended to be. Maybe my mast is top heavy? With two people it's a sinch to catch the mast or hold down the foot into the step (the latter being safer). I once heard of a lifting pole but never got specs. Any ideas as to what that could be?

MAKurtis (Emak41-at-excite.com)

[Guest]

I had the same prolem initialy. The first crutch I made was too short. If it is tall enough, the downward force on the mast will keep it from lifting up. Secondly start your lift from far back in the boat. Your hands should be above where the side stays attach. You must be aft of the balance point of the mast or it will lift up from the mast stub.As you walk the mast up gravity will then hold the mast down .

When you walk the mast down you walk backwards moving your hands up the mast untill they are past the balance point, somewhat quickly so the mast does not lift up and bang the crutch. Practice in the driveway with a friend a few times. I can raise the mast, rig the sail and boom and launch in 20 minutes solo. Lowering and removing the sails takes the same amount of time. I usually keep the mainsail on the boom in the boat if I will be sailing again soon.

Tom Beck (tbeck-at-famvid.com)

[Guest]

Just a thought from a very lazy DS2 owner. My boat has a tabenacle stepped mast - i.e. it has the hinge just above the cuddy roof, and I initially had some problems with the bottom bit jumping out of it's footing while raising or lowering the mast.
My solution was to use the jib halyard, with a short piece of dog leash chain to give it a little extra length, as a temporary forestay/lifting aid.
Starting point is with the mast bottom stepped, back hinge pin in place, side stays attached and long section of the mast lying in the towing cradle. You need to keep a little downward pressure on the lower part of the mast here as the weight of the top section of the mast (out beyond the cradle) will tend to try to pick up the foot.
Now clip the dog leash clip onto that second fixed ring just in front of your forestay chainplate, attach the jib halyard to the handle of the dog leash, and walk to the back of the cb trunk holding the other end of the jib halyard. Lift the mast onto your shoulder, and then walk the mast up to vertical whilst maintaining tension on the jib halyard. Cleat it off and go and set up your forestay and front hinge pin. All set!
Getting it down is just the reverse, and the whole thing is a lot simpler than it sounds on paper (if that's what this is).
Good luck and fair winds. Felix

Felix Graham-Jones (felix.graham-jones-at-snet.net)

[Guest]

Mark, does your boat have the optional Tabernacle (hinged maststep)? Or does your mast step through the cuddy top and down to a step on the "floor" of the cuddy? My mast is stepped through the deck, and it is not easy to raise/lower singlehanded. I can lower the mast myself if I have to....ex: if a Hurricane was threatening and I could not get help with taking my mast down. I usually get my Dad to help me with the mast, in the Spring we launch my DS II at the local ramp, and there is a pier there that is about 4-6' above the water (depends on tide), I tie my boat alongside this pier and then my Dad walks the mast up to vertical (occaisionally, I need to hold the butt of the mast to prevent it from kicking out) next I take the now vertical mast (with my Dad holding on over my head) and standing on the cuddy, I guide the mast through the hole in the deck and down to the step. Once the mast is in place I then attach the shrouds and then the forestay. I have often thought about converting to a hinged maststep on the cuddy top, but still like the simplicity of the original design. If I did have the hinge, I could step the mast by using my mast crutch (see pic of my boat in the photo pages) and pin the mastto the tabernacle, attach the shrouds, then walk the mast up to vertical and attach the forestay. I helped a DS I owner one day stepping his hinged mast, it sure was easier! With the hinge, attaching the shrouds before stepping gives better control as the mast goes up.

Rod Johnson (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)

[Guest]

When I had a deck stepped mast, I used this technique to raise it single-handed:

The boat starts out on the trailer, which is attached to the towing vehicle. The mast is resting in two crutches, the first crutch is on the forward end of the trailer. The aft one is a wooden crutch connected to the rudder gudgeons on the transom. The butt of the mast is resting in the forward crutch. The shrouds are connected to the chainplates, but the forestay is disconnected.

I take a spare block and attach it to a hole in the bow fitting where the forestay attaches. There are two holes in that fitting, one for the forestay. I used the second one for this block. I suppose you could use any convenient loop on the foredeck or forward end of the trailer.

Next, I reeve about 20 feet of line through this block, then I attach the end to the jib halyard shackle. I check to make sure the jib halyard is belayed to a horn cleat on the mast.

Next, I get into the boat and bring the free end of the spare line now attached to the jib halyard into the cockpit with me. I run it though a cam cleat used for the jib sheets and place the end near the top of the cuddy, so it is within reach when I get the mast vertical.

I lift the mast from its crutches as near to the balance point as possible. I move carefully aft so the butt of the mast is near the tabernacle. I set the mast down carefully, resting it in the aft crutch. I go forward and attach the butt of the mast to the tabernacle so that it is hinged at tabernacle.

I move aft in the cockpit and lift the mast to about shoulder level. I step so that I'm straddling the centerboard trunk and I lift the mast is over my head, facing forward.

Next, I walk forward, lifting the mast to vertical. As I walk forward, I shift my grip on the mast by "walking " my hands in a hand-over-hand fashion down the mast. The mast hinges around the tabernacle. When the mast goes vertical, the shrouds take the load and stop the mast from continuing forward.

Next, with one hand holding the mast to keep it from falling aft, I grab the spare line that is attached to the jib halyard. I pull it taut and cleat it off. So now the mast is supported. It can't fall aft because the jib halyard and spare line are holding it and it can't go forward because the shrouds are holding it.

Now, I leave the mast, get out of the boat and go forward to the bow fitting where the forestay will attach. I grab the forestay and attach it to the bow fitting.

At this point the mast is secure. I release the spare line, detach it from the jib halyard, and remove the spare block from the boat.

Then I continue rigging.

I used this method a lot. It's easy, safe, and requires a minimum of parts.

Now that I have a keel stepped mast, I can't raise the mast myself. I have not figured out a way to do that yet. But, I rarely go sailing alone anymore.


Bob Hunkins (rhunkins-at-pdq.net)

[Guest]

Thanks Bob H.
I have a keel steped mast with a tabernakle in the mast about 1' above the deck. Yup, it's a weak point and I've been demasted once for it. Cut down the mast to new metal and I'm back at it with new shrouds. The block forward idea is a good one but with the pivot point 1' higher than the cabin top the leverage is unsatisfactory.

MAKurtis (Emak41-at-excite.com)

[Guest]

I have seen pictures of larger boats using "gin-poles" to raise their tabernacle masts. The pole (spinnaker pole?) is attached to the top side of the mast while it lays in the cradle, stays attached, the halyard (or forestay, i don't know which) is run through the attached pole, creating a more favorable lifting angle, and then to the trailer winch, all the mechnical advantage needed, as long as the fittings hold and you don't tweak the mast. Maybe an additional raised roller above the winch would improve the lift angle. Just a thought. Try it on someone elses boat first. (HAHAHA)

Barry (KellBTL-at-AOL.com)

[Guest]

Here's a real high-tech technique (TIC): I launch the boat, and then pull it onto shore stern first, so the bow is a little lower in the water. Then I place a crummy old 5' stepladder behind the boat, laying the mast on it and attaching the back hinge of the step of the mast. After attaching the sidestays, I walk the mast up, and because the bow is low, the mast will stand by itself. Then I hop out (gently, now!) and attach the headstay.



Jeff Murdock (tbuds-at-cybertours.com)

[Guest]

Barry- The last e-mail I opened was yours but that gin-pole idea is just what I've heard off before (I think) and the problems are: the point of attachment, the staying of the pole from latteral movement (can't keep the mast, pole, and trailer winch perfectly alligned... in a breez, on un-level ground, etc.) and using the spiniker pole of a DS that way could result in the need for a new one per launch. Still it is something to think abaout and using another pole which would be left at the beach anyway... well, I suppose there could be spreaders at the base of the pole but then again the point of attachment might need a dozen transport bolts and an impact wrench to do. Keep it coming folks! This is a beatable problem. (I call it a problem but we all know it hasn't stoped any of us from sailing.)

MAKurtis (Emak41-at-excite.com)

[Guest]

MAK:
Several people have used the process as I use it to raise the mast single-handed. I built an extension of the rear cradle which I've slotted so it can slip over the rear cradle. To start, I unfasten the travel hold-downs and lift the rear (top)end of the mast and set it aside on the transom. I slip in the extension and lay the mast top on it. Now, I lift the mast and move it rearward to place the base at the fitting on the cuddy cabin. I move forward and install the mast support which goes through the cuddy and into a fitting on the keel. I think the key point here is that I have a thumb screw which screws through the keel fitting and fits into a clearance hole in the mast stub. This screw keeps the stub in place so that it will hold the base of the mast down while I'm raising the mast. I then install the rear pin through the base of the mast. Now, I fasten the side stays and go aft to lift the mast hand-over-hand until it is vertical.I have been able to hold it vertical by hand while grabbing the forestay with the free hand and holding it forward to keep the mast from falling backward. Here is where the suggestions of using the dog leash or the extra block to hold the mast from rearward motion have a safety advantage that I haven't used. Once I start forward with the stay in hand (I'm walking on the cuddy cabin) I attach the forestay and it's over!
The only piece I see that hasn't been mentioned is that little thumb screw that holds the bottom section of the mast support in place. See if that works for you. And thanks to all for some new perspectives on this operation. By the way, I never use the forward pin in the mast support, only the rear one. That leaves the mast as a hinge and the stays do all the work in the fore and aft direction. It is my understanding that this is the way the mast should be mounted. Any comments.
Ray Gendron

Ray Gendron (rvgen-at-aol.com)