taking the mast down HELP

ooceaneyes · #1 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

Hi, i have a 34 ft irwin that has a mast with a hinge on the bottom, i need to take the mast down and need instructions on how to do it. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

The mast on a 34' boat is awfully large to be using a gin pole setup. Are you sure the hinge on the bottom of the mast is designed for that. The forces exterted on that kind of hinge are tremendous, and if it isn't designed for that, someone could easily get mauled if it lets go.

That said, if it was designed to allow you to lower the mast using the boom as a gin pole, you need to cleat off the topping lift or main halyard to the aft end of the boom. Then you use the mainsheet or boom vang a block and tackle to slowly lower the mast forward, ideally with one or two people helping guide the mast down. Depending on the boat, you may or may not have to release the shrouds, but you will have to definitely release the backstay to do this.

Siamese · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

Don't do it. Bad stuff can happen. Good job for the yard to do.

Faster · #4 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

That "hinge" is highly unlikely to be a usable "tabernacle" type of set up.. the stick on an Irwin 34 is not going to be a lightweight.

Highly recommend you use a crane or derrick - often municipal marinas have such thing usable for a modest fee if any. Low tide might allow you to get a decent lift point. The good news is you don't need the lift a deck stepped mast very far before you can lay it down.

Pick the mast up around the spreaders if the location is OK - you ultimately want a slightly "bottom-heavy" attachment point or the mast could rotate on you with possible nasty results.

Don't underestimate the leverage this long chunk of aluminum will have... if it gets away from you, you won't likely be able to get control again before it hits something or somebody.

camaraderie · #5 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

Don't even THINK about it!!

philsboat · #6 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

If you do it the way Sailing Dog suggests,run two lines from the outer end of the boom to snatch blocks on the rail either side of the mast.Use these to keep the boom vertical as the mast is lowered .They will have to be adjusted as the boom moves up.I used this system on a friends Oday 25 and it worked well.
Be careful.

Phil

philsboat · #7 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

Revise that a bit .Should read "Use these to keep the boom on the centerline as the mast is lowered"
Phil

GBurton · #8 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

Bingo Phil - sailingdogs way will cause a lot of damage and may hurt someone

sailboy21 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Don't even THINK about it!!

I second that! I know a guy that ended up in the hospital for weeks after he tried this on a 36' boat with a real tabernacle setup. He had just bought it and figured he could just do it like you would on a Catalina 22... Well, he almost got killed, the mast was totaled, and his dodger, radar arch and stern pulpit were smashed. Very sad.

ooceaneyes · #10 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008

thanks to all that replied, one question the hinge on the mast is facing the back , so if i am standing on the dock, and the front of the boat is to my left, it looks like the mast should lower down towards the back of the boat. does that sound right? the only cables that really have tension on them are the side cables, 2 on each side.
"sailingdog said,

That said, if it was designed to allow you to lower the mast using the boom as a gin pole, you need to cleat off the topping lift or main halyard to the aft end of the boom. Then you use the mainsheet or boom vang a block and tackle to slowly lower the mast forward, ideally with one or two people helping guide the mast down. Depending on the boat, you may or may not have to release the shrouds, but you will have to definitely release the backstay to do this "

just wondering cause it sound like my hinge is not where it should be