Stepping a mast

[soulesailor]

I hope this isn't a hijack~ but I'm in this situation, too.

Sailingdog, could you continue your method's explanation for me? I'm with you up to the point where the mast is raised vertically and free, but then what? Getting that unwieldy beast from vertical to horizontal seems like a TIMBER! type situation.

[soulesailor]

Sorry, I meant Gramp34, not sailingdog

[TIKI TIME]

If you have a couple of friends with like size or larger sail boats, you can dock your boat in between the two boats and use the other boats main halyards to lift your mast.
One man on each halyard winch cranking in unison can make this task a piece of cake.
The boats were docked in slips and tied up which I feel is necessary, as the two outer boats did try to heal over till the dock lines became tight.


Good luck.

[sailingdog]

Assuming you're lifting the mast somewhere close to and slightly above the mast's center of gravity, the easiest way to tilt the mast to the horizontal position is to take a line around the base of the mast and haul in on it—towards the crane or whatever is holding the mast up, and lower on the line that is holding the mast up. This will cause the mast to tilt back as you pull in on the mast foot and lower the mast.

Originally Posted by soulesailor

I hope this isn't a hijack~ but I'm in this situation, too.

Sailingdog, could you continue your method's explanation for me? I'm with you up to the point where the mast is raised vertically and free, but then what? Getting that unwieldy beast from vertical to horizontal seems like a TIMBER! type situation.

I posted this earlier...but it disappeared, and I'm posting it again in case it'll help anyone else...

[sailboy21]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Assuming you're lifting the mast somewhere close to and slightly above the mast's center of gravity, the easiest way to tilt the mast to the horizontal position is to take a line around the base of the mast and haul in on it—towards the crane or whatever is holding the mast up, and lower on the line that is holding the mast up. This will cause the mast to tilt back as you pull in on the mast foot and lower the mast.

I used 3 people for my mast:

One to operate the "crane"
One person removes and secures the standing rigging.
Another holds the base of the mast, and guides it off the step.
The rigging guy then comes to the mast and helps walk the bottom end forward while the crane guy lowers it.

We used a 2:1 purchase and wrapped the lifting line around a winch. If you have halyard winches (weight) on the mast you can lift it from the middle, otherwise as mentioned a little above the CG.

[Sasha_V]

We med moored in a canal running through a park and used a big tree. Just climb up the tree to the right hieght and tie on a loop of rope with a block. Thread rope through block and you are in business.

I would not bother with all the talk of block and tackles. A) you can work that weight with one man just on a turning block and B) you can always run the rope back to an onboard winch and crank away.

Sasha

[sandsailor]

so i now make such a problem solver among other items not available else where to my knowledge
the first one is the solution to the second one being the problem
with this i can step the mast my self with the help of the mainsheet tackle and a winch from the cocpit

[TejasSailer]

The method suggested by TiKi Time has been used for boats up to 37' where I am located.

[chucklesR]

We used to drop 36 ft whip antenna's (about 200 pounds) without cranes when I was in the Navy. It didn't pass the safety officers most cursory glance, but it got the job done and liberty commenced on time.
Disconnect the shrouds and have one guy on each side hold them - they are guides. Have one BIG guy sit and hold the base. Have two guys lift the mast up, with the mast off the deck sitting on the big guys lap the two guys that are lifting it can start to rotate the top down by walking it backwards. At some point the big guy passes the base off to the shroud guys who lift it and walk it backwards.
It works, but if the base gets away it's all over for the big guy. Whip antennas don't have shrouds, we just manhandled it up and down Iwo Jima flag raising style. Lost one big guy's sack (clean slice, partial twig, both berries) when the mast pounded home so from then on we got a crane

[chucklesR]

True story BTW, in 1983 onboard USS Ponce, LPD 15, inport Norfolk Va; RM3 James Baker lost most everything, RM1 lost 2 stripes 2/3 pay for 2 months and no body got liberty that night